ICE CREAM WHOOPIE PIES

INGREDIENTS

125g unsalted butter or vegetable shortening such as Trex, softened
200g dark soft brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
280g self-raising flour
40g cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
250ml natural yoghurt
100ml hot (not boiling) water

For the ice cream filling

400g vanilla ice cream in a block
Multicoloured sprinkles, to decorate

Method

1. To start, you will need 2 greased 12-hole whoopie pie tins or a baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/fan 160ºC/gas mark 4.
2. To make the pies, cream together the butter and brown sugar in a mixing bowl for 2–3 minutes using an electric hand-held mixer, until light and creamy. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix again. Sieve the flour, cocoa and baking powder into the bowl and add the salt and yoghurt. Whisk again until everything is incorporated. Add the hot water and whisk into the mixture.
3. Put a large spoonful of mixture into each hole in the prepared tins, or pipe or spoon into 24 mounds on the prepared baking sheet. Leave to stand for 10 minutes then bake the pies in the preheated oven for 10–12 minutes. Remove the pies from the oven, let cool slightly then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
4. Shortly before you are ready to serve, remove the ice cream from the freezer and allow to soften slightly. Cut 12 slices each about 2-cm thick and, using an 8cm biscuit cutter, stamp out a round from each slice. Sandwich an ice cream round between 2 cooled pie halves. Working quickly, put the sprinkles on a flat plate and roll each pie in them so that the ice cream is coated. Serve your whoopie pies immediately with napkins to catch any ice cream drips.

SNOWMAN CUPCAKES

INGREDIENTS

For the cupcakes

150 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
150 g caster sugar
3 medium eggs, beaten
150 g self-raising flour
1 orange, half juiced and the whole zested
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground allspice
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp nutmeg, grated

For the Swiss meringue

2 egg whites
120 g caster sugar

For the snowmen

24 white marshmallows
12 mint chocolate sticks, cut in half
1 carrot, cut in to small triangles
dark chocolate chips, to decorate
sprinkles, to decorate

METHOD

1. For the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Cream the butter and caster sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg to the mix a little at a time alternating with a spoon of the flour to prevent the mix from curdling.

2. Add the orange juice and zest and again follow it with a spoon of flour to prevent the mix from curdling. Sift in the spices and the remaining flour and mix thoroughly.

3. Divide the mixture between 12 cupcake cases and bake for 12- 15 minutes until golden and a skewer comes away clean when inserted. Leave to cool.

4. For the Swiss meringue: Put the egg whites and sugar in a heatproof bowl over gently simmering water. Make sure the water beneath doesn’t touch the bottom of the bowl. Whisk the sugar over the heat until the sugar has dissolved. Continue to whisk until the meringue mixture reads 60C on a sugar thermometer.

5. Transfer the meringue mixture to a standalone mixer with a whisk or use a handheld mixer/whisk and whisk on high speed for 5 minutes. The meringue should be bright white in colour and form very firm peaks.

7. For the snowmen: Take one of the marshmallows and pierce a hole on either side with a skewer. This marshmallow will become the snowman’s body and the holes will be used to insert the chocolate mint sticks to create snowman arms. Cut another marshmallow in half and reshape with fingers if necessary. Pierce a hole in the centre of this half marshmallow. This will become the head of the snowman and the hole will be used to insert a small piece of carrot for the snowman’s nose.

8. Spoon a little of the Swiss meringue onto the top of the cool cupcakes and using a combination of a teaspoon and palette knife begin to create a snowcapped cupcake. Place your snowman’s marshmallow body on top of the snowcapped cupcakes and using your spoon and palette knife artfully cover it in Swiss meringue. Once the body is covered repeat the process with the snowman’s marshmallow head.

9. Add the carrot and chocolate mint sticks in to the holes previously made with the skewer. Finish bringing your snowman to life using dark chocolate chips for eyes and the sprinkles for buttons on his frosty coat.

MINT CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

INGREDIENTS

For the cupcakes

250 g unsalted butter, soft
250 g caster sugar
4 eggs, room temperature
4 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp peppermint essence
250 g self-raising flour

For the frosting

250 g unsalted butter, soft
500 g icing sugar
3 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp peppermint essence
mint chocolate, to decorate

METHOD

1. For the cupcakes: heat the oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3. In a mixer, combine the butter and sugar. Once this is fluffy, add 4 eggs one by one.

2. Add the cocoa powder and peppermint essence and blend well. Add the flour and once this has all mixed up, spoon into cupcake cases and bake for 16 minutes.

3. Once they are firm but springy to the touch, remove from the oven and allow to cool.

4. For the frosting: in a bowl, combine the butter with the icing sugar and once this has mixed well and become fluffy, add the cocoa powder and peppermint essence.

5. Blend for 3 minutes and then either spoon onto the cooled sponges or pipe with a nozzle and piping bag. Finish off with a mint chocolate decoration.

STICKY TOFFEE CUPCAKES WITH SALTED CARAMEL CREAM

STICKY TOFFEE CUPCAKES WITH SALTED CARAMEL CREAM

INGREDIENTS

180 g dates, pitted and chopped
1 tsp vanilla extract
180 g self-raising flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
80 g unsalted butter
150 g muscovado sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten

For the caramel

125 g caster sugar
80 ml double cream
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract

For the buttercream

1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
160 g butter
200 g icing sugar

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/fan170ºC/gas

2. Place the paper cases into a 12 hole cupcake tin.

3. In a heatproof bowl, pour 180ml boiling water over the dates and leave to soak for 20 minutes. with a fork, gently break up the dates and stir in the vanilla.

4. Sift the flour and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl and set aside. Cream together the butter and sugar for a good 5 minutes until very light and fluffy. Add the eggs gradually, beating between each addition, slipping in 1 tbsp flour about halfway through to prevent curdling.
Lastly, fold in the remaining flour and then the date mixture.

5. Spoon into the cupcake cases and bake for 15–20 minutes (the tops should spring back when pressed with a finger). Remove and leave to cool.

6. For the caramel Dissolve the sugar and 60ml water in a small, solid-based pan over a gentle heat, then increase the heat to a boil. Wait a few minutes, leaving the pan undisturbed but watching it like a hawk and, as soon as it changes to a wonderful caramel colour (like strong tea) and is thicker, remove immediately from the heat, stand well back, and add the cream.

7. Be very careful as it is searing hot and it may splatter a little. It will react, or ‘seize’, and you may think it has gone wrong; it hasn’t. Keep stirring, adding the salt and the vanilla. Leave until stone cold.

8. If using shop bopught caramel sauce, such as dulce de leche simply mix it with the salt and vanilla.

9. For the buttercream Cream the butter and icing sugar for at least 5 minutes with an electric mixer and add the caramel or the dulce de leche.

10. Put the buttercream into the piping bag fitted with the star nozzle and pipe it on to the cakes, or spread it on with a palette knife.

ROSE WATER CUPCAKES

ROSE WATER CUPCAKES

INGREDIENTS

For the rose water syrup

50 g golden caster sugar
1 tsp rose water, such as Nielsen-Massey

For the cupcakes

200 g unsalted butter, softened
200 g golden caster sugar
1 tsp rose water, such as Nielsen-Massey
4 medium eggs, lightly beaten
200 g self-raising flour

For the rose water buttercream icing

200 g cream cheese
100 g unsalted butter, softened
600 g icing sugar
1 tsp rose water

METHOD

1. For the rosewater syrup: Place the golden caster sugar in a pan with 4 tablespoons water and simmer for a few minutes until the sugar has dissolved, then take off the heat and set aside to cool. Once cool, stir in the rose water.

2. For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and line a 24-hole cupcake tin with cases. Using an electric mixer or mixing bowl and whisk, beat the butter and golden caster sugar together until pale and fluffy, then whisk in the rose water. Reduce the whisk speed and slowly add the eggs, along with 1 tablespoon of the flour to prevent the mixture from curdling.

3. Once combined, add the remaining flour. Using a piping bag or ice-cream scoop, divide the batter between the cupcake cases. Put in the oven for 20 minutes, or until lightly golden and firm to the touch. Transfer the cupcake tin to a wire rack and add some sugar syrup to the top of each cupcake. Once completely cooled, remove the cupcakes from the tins.

4. For the buttercream frosting: Put the cream cheese, butter, rose water and icing sugar in a mixing bowl and slowly mix together until light and fluffy. Add a few drops of pink colouring until you reach the desired shade, if using. Place in a piping bag to ice the cupcakes, or use a spoon.

BANANA AND CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

BANANA AND CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

INGREDIENTS

For the cupcakes

250 g unsalted butter, soft
250 g caster sugar
4 eggs, room temperature
1 ripe banana, mashed to pulp
250 g self-raising flour

For the frosting

250 g unsalted butter, soft
500 g icing sugar
4 tbsp cocoa powder

METHOD

1. For the cupcakes: heat the oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3. In a mixer, combine the butter and sugar. Once this is fluffy, add 4 eggs one by one.

2. Add the mashed banana and blend well. Add the flour and once this has all mixed up, spoon into cupcake cases and bake for 18 minutes.

3. Once they are firm but springy to the touch, remove from the oven and allow to cool.

4. For the frosting: in a bowl, combine the butter with the icing sugar and once this has mixed well and become fluffy, add the cocoa powder.

5. Blend for 3 minutes and then either spoon onto the cooled sponges or pipe with a nozzle and piping bag. Finish off with a dried banana chip.