Blueberry and Lemon Gluten Free cake recipe

Blueberry and Lemon Gluten Free Cake Recipe
Blueberry and Lemon Gluten Free Cake Recipe

Blueberry and Lemon Gluten Free Cake Recipe Ingredients

100g butter
100g caster sugar
100g ground almonds
2 eggs
90g cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 lemon, for zest and juice
100ml natural yoghurt
100g blueberries

How to make blueberry and lemon gluten free cake

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C if using fan oven). Grease and line a 1kg loaf tin.
  2. Cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer until soft and pale.
  3. Add one egg and about 25g ground almonds, mix, then add the second egg and another 25g ground almond and mix through.
  4. Next add the cornmeal, lemon juice and zest and mix.
  5. Then add baking powder, yoghurt and the remaining ground almonds and mix well.
  6. Stop using electric mixer and stir in the blueberries with a wooden spoon, taking care not to crush the blueberries.
  7. Pour into the loaf tin and bake for 45 minutes.

Disclaimer

As far as I am aware this is a gluten free recipe. If you believe otherwise, send me a postcard and let me know.

Please note this recipe also contains nuts and may not be suitable for people with nut allergies.

 

PS – If you do make my blueberry and lemon gluten free cake recipe, tweet (@HobSpotTweets)/instagram (@HobSpot) me a pic and let me know or post it on my facebook page to show everyone your handiwork.

 

 

Potato Wedges Recipe

Potato Wedges Recipe
Potato Wedges Recipe

This recipe for potato wedges makes a healthier and a very refreshing alternative to chips, chips and more chips.

It also has significantly less salt than the shop bought ready mix flavours that are available in the supermarkets and they’re not nearly so greasy as oven chips.

Ingredients for potato wedges recipe

5 medium size potatoes, cut into wedges
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon ground sea salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper

How to make potato wedges recipe

  1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a baking with foil.
  2. Put olive oil in a large bowl and add dried thyme, salt and pepper.
  3. Toss the potato wedges in the oil mix until coated.
  4. Arrange potato wedges in the baking tin, skin side on the baking tin.
  5. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes.

Quick tip:

These potato wedges make a great substitute to serve with any dish instead of chips.

If you like this recipe, don’t be afraid to share it with your friends and leave me a comment to let me know.

Chicken Fajita Recipe

Chicken Fajita Recipe
Chicken Fajita Recipe

Spicy chicken and vegetables wrapped in a thin bread pancake. Versatile and the combinations are endless. This is a very quick dish to make and packed with lots of Mexican flavouring. If you like fajitas with a little kick, serve with jalopeño peppers.

Ingredients for chicken fajita recipe

6 fajita/tortilla wraps
500g chicken breasts or thighs sliced
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
2 bell peppers (red, yellow, green or orange),  sliced
5 button mushrooms,  sliced
1 onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon coriander
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon sugar

How to cook chicken fajita recipe

  1. Heat oil in a frying pan. Fry the sliced onions to soften slightly.
  2. Add the chicken and stirfry until nearly cooked.
  3. Stir in crushed garlic.
  4. Add the peppers, then the mushrooms.
  5. Put in the cumin, coriander, paprika salt and pepper and stir in well.
  6. Taste and add a little more of the spices if needed. Add the teaspoon of sugar.

This is now ready to serve as illustrated.

Variations:

I have added cheese to the chicken mix before wrapping. Sour cream or salsa can be used instead.

For vegetarian version, add more vegetables. Use sliced carrots, courgettes, tomatoes sweetcorn and lots more. Remember to start the cooking with crispier vegetables first. Example, carrots, peppers then courgettes.

Enjoy wrapping and eating!

 

PS – Let me know how you got on by sharing your images. Snap a quick pic and post it on my Facebook page, instagram or tweet it at me.

 

 

 

 

 

Little Chocolate Cake Nibbles Recipe

Chocolate Cake Nibbles Recipe
Chocolate Cake Nibbles Recipe

This small chocolate nibbles recipe makes lovely little, bite-sized chocolatey treats. Be warned: they are extremely more-ish so make a large batch at your own risk.

Small Chocolate Nibbles Recipe Ingredients

100g plain cake (eg Madeira cake)
50g butter
50g icing sugar
200g white chocolate bar
Chocolate rice or coloured sugar sprinkles
Small paper cases

 

How to make chocolate cake nibbles

  1. Crumble the cake and sift inthe icing sugar.
  2. Put a small saucepan of water over a low heat. Stand a large heat resistant glass bowl over the saucepan, preferably not touching the water.
  3. Break the white chocolate into cubes and put in the glass bowl. Cut the butter into cubes and slowly melt together with the white chocolate cubes.
  4. When mixture is melted, remove bowl from saucepan. Add cake crumbs mixture and combine.
  5. Take a small amount at a time and roll them in your palms to make a little ball.
  6. Roll the little cake ball in a plate of chocolate rice or coloured sprinkles. Put each in a paper case and put in the refrigerator for one hour to firm up.

Variations

Use plain chocolate instead of white chocolate.

Use dessicated coconut to coat your cake nibbles

If you make them, do share a pic with me on instagram or my Facebook page or leave a comment below and let me know how you got on.

Karen’s Egg Fried Rice Recipe

Egg Fried Rice Recipe
Egg Fried Rice Recipe

A simple stir fry dish that’s quick to make and goes down a treat with spring rolls, sweet and sour dishes and many other Chinese recipes.

The secret to making this recipe is not to rush. Steam the rice and allow to cool before cooking this dish. I use a rice cooker but as long as the rice is properly cooked and not hard in the middle you should be OK. Make sure you separate the rice once it’s cooled and before frying. This makes your egg fried rice much lighter, fluffier and tastier.

Karen’s Egg Fried Rice Ingredients

400g cooked rice, cold
2 eggs,beaten
2 spring onions sliced finely
1 stock cube (dissolved in about 50ml hot water)
100g tinned or thawed frozen sweetcorn (optional)
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
A pinch of salt
ground white pepper

How to cook Karen’s egg fried rice

  1. Separate cooked cold rice using a wooden spatula or your fingers.
  2. Put about 1 tablespoon of sunflower oil in a non stick frying pan or wok. Use a gentle heat only. (I used setting 5 out of 9).
  3. Fry sliced spring onions until soft.
  4. Add beaten eggs and scramble in the frying pan.
  5. Add the rice, a little at a time while eggs are not set.
  6. Keep stirring and adding rice until all mixed.
  7. Keeping the heat gentle, pour in the dissolved vegetable stock and mix well.
  8. Add the tinned sweetcorn (if using) and mix well.
  9. Add a pinch of salt and ground white pepper to taste.

This should take under 10 minutes from the start. As long as the bits of egg are set and rice are warmed through it is now ready to serve.

Variations

Use mixed frozen vegetables (thawed). Serve garnished with sliced spring onions or crispy fried onions.

Serving suggestions

A great accompaniment to many Asian dishes, serve with sweet and sour, spring rolls or lemon chicken. Beef in black bean sauce is also good too.

If you like this recipe for egg fried rice, be sure to share it with your friends and family. You can also tweet me @HobSpotTweets and you may just show up in the stream in the sidebar.

Wild Blackberry Cheesecake Recipe

Wild Blackberry Cheesecake
Wild Blackberry Cheesecake

Blackberry cheesecake makes a lovely dessert. It’s simple to make and easy to vary to make your own interpretation by using different fruit.

Don’t forget it needs time to set, preferrably overnight, in the fridge so you’ll need to plan ahead if you’re thinking of making this recipe.

Blackberry Cheesecake Recipe Ingredients

Serves 8

1/2 tsp sunflower oil
200g full fat soft cheese
400g condensed milk
Juice of 2 lemons
150g double cream
10g fresh mint
20-30 blackberries, washed
100g digestive biscuits
40g unsalted butter

How to make blackberry cheesecake…

  1. Grease your 1.2l loaf tin and line with clingfilm
  2. Put the soft cheese into a bowl and beat with a hand held whisk until smooth.
  3. Beat in the condensed milk, lemon juice and double cream.
  4. Chop the mint and stir into the mixture.
  5. Pour part of the cream cheese mixture into the loaf tin and top with some of the blackberries. The pour over the remaining cream cheese mixture.
  6. Crush the digestive biscuits and mix with the melted butter.
  7. Spoon over the filling and press down lightly until firm.
  8. Chill in the fridge for at least 4-hours or preferrably overnight to set.
  9. When set, carefully turn out onto a serving plate and top with the remaining blackberries.

Variations

You can easily vary this blackberry cheesecake recipe by using a different fruit. Strawberries and raspberries are great alternatives, as are peach slices. Be creative and try different combos too.

 

Remember, if you make this recipe, please do share a pic with me on my facebook page, twitter or instagram.

Double Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe

Recipe image coming soon
Recipe image coming soon

The secret to making the best double chocolate cupcakes is to use really good quality chocolate and cocoa. Don’t scrimp on the ingredients or you’ll regret it later, the richness of the flavour just won’t be there.

Double Chocolate Cupcakes Ingredients

Makes 16

For the cupcakes…

3 large eggs
250g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla sugar
50g butter
100ml soured cream
2 tbsp cold coffee
250g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
4 tbsp cocoa powder
100g plain chocolate

Note – for the cocoa powder and plain chocolate, use really good quality ingredients. It makes a huge difference to the finished cupcakes 😉

For the frosting…

60g butter
300g icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla sugar
2 tbsp cocoa powder
100g cream cheese
1/2 tbsp hot coffee
Hundreds and thousands and sugar flowers to decorate

How to make double chocolate cupcakes…

For the cupcakes…

  1. Pre-heat your oven to 180°C, fan 160°C, gas mark 4
  2. Line muffin tin with paper muffin liners
  3. Beat eggs, caster sugar and vanilla sugar together either by hand or using an electric whisk until thick, white and fluffy.
  4. Melt the butter in a small pan. Add the soured cream and cold coffee then gently fold into the cream mixture.
  5. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder together, adding a pinch of salt. Sieve over the egg mixture and fold in with the melted chocolate.
  6. Fill each of the muffin cases to about 2/3 full and bake for 15-20 minutes or until well risen. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack.

For the chocolate frosting…

  1. Soften the butter and beat with the icing sugar, vanilla sugar, cocoa powder and cream cheese in a bowl. Stir in the hot coffee.
  2. Spread onto the cupcakes and decorate with the hundred and thousands and sugar flowers.

I always love seeing your cupcake pictures so if you make a batch of double chocolate cupcakes be sure to snap them on your mobile and share a pic via facebook, twitter or instagram.

Apple and Blackberry Crumble Recipe

Recipe image coming soon
Recipe image coming soon

My grandmother used to make the most fantastic apple and blackberry crumble. Sadly I don’t have her recipe but this one is as close as I’ve managed to get to it.

When you make it, don’t forget to leave a comment and let me know what you think. Better still snap a quick pic on your phone and share with me via facebook, twitter or instagram. I always enjoy seeing your creations.

Apple and Blackberry Crumble Ingredients

500g Bramley apples, peeled, cored and chopped
500g Fresh blackberries, washed
175ml water
2-3 tbsp granulated sugar

For the crumble topping…

175g plain flour
75g butter, cubed
40g granulated sugar

How to make apple and blackberry crumble

  • Preheat oven to 200°C, fan 180°C, gas mark 6.
  • Place the apples into a saucepan and add the water. Bring to the boil then cover and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
  • Drain the water and add the sugar and blackberries. Mix well then turn into an oven proof dish.
  • To make the crumble, sift the flour into a mixing bowl and add the butter. Mix together with your fingers until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs then stir in the granulated sugar.
  • Spread evenly over the apples and blackberries and back for 35 minutes or until the crumble is a light golden brown and the apples have cooked through.

Serving suggestions…

Serve with either double cream, custard or vanilla ice cream on the side.

Variations

Try different kinds of fruit to make an alternative dish. Pear and plum work well as do peach slices. Don’t be afraid to experiment.

If you have a favourite, leave a comment and let s know. We’d love to hear it 🙂

Lemon and Poppy Seed Cupcakes Recipe

Lemon and Poppy Seed Cupcakes
Lemon and Poppy Seed Cupcakes

When I visit my favourite coffee shop they always have the most delicious lemon and poppy seed cupcakes. They’re irresistable and far too tempting. One just has indulge.

This recipe makes 16 and I guarantee they won’t be around for long. If you make them, let me know or better still, send me a pic from your phone via facebook, twitter or instagram. I always enjoy seeing your creations – especially the cupcakes.

Lemon and Poppy Seed Cupcakes Recipe Ingredients

Makes 16

For the cupcakes…

3 large eggs
250g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla sugar
100g butter
100ml milk
250g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
60g poppy seeds
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 2 lemons

For the frosting…

60g butter
300g icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla sugar
Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
Juice of 1/2 lemon
100g cream cheese
Poppy seeds and white currants to decorate

How to make lemon and poppy seed cupcakes…

For the cupcakes…

  1. Pre-heat your oven to 180°C, fan 160°C, gas mark 4
  2. Line muffin tin with paper muffin liners
  3. Beat eggs and sugar together either by hand or using an electric whisk until thick, white and fluffy.
  4. Melt the butter in a small pan then turn off the heat before adding the milk. Gently fold into the egg mixture.
  5. In a separate bowl, mix the flour and baking powder together, adding a pinch of salt. Sieve over the egg mixture and fold in with the poppy seeds, lemon zest and juice.

    Lemon and Poppy Seed Cupcakes - Oven ready
    Lemon and Poppy Seed Cupcakes – Oven ready
  6. Fill each of the muffin cases to 2/3 full and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack.
Lemon and Poppy Seed Cupcakes - Baked
Lemon and Poppy Seed Cupcakes – Ready for Icing

For the cream cheese frosting…

  1. Soften the butter and beat with the icing sugar, vanilla sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and poppy seeds in a bowl.
  2. Spread onto the cupcakes and decorate with poppy seeds and white currants.

Don’t forget, I want to see pics. If you’ve made this recipe, share a snap from your phone with me via facebook, twitter or instagram. It’s always great to see what your creations look like.

BTW, if you have any other great cupcake flavour combos, leave a comment below and let me know.