Chocolate Mug Cake

Sometimes you just need cake - fast!

This single serving cake is ready to eat in less than 5 minutes and is really simple.

Ingredients

4 tbsp self raising flour

2 tbsp cocoa powder

3 tbsp caster sugar

3 tbsp milk

3 tbsp sunflower oil

* in a regular sized coffee mug, mix all the ingredients together thoroughly. Take special care to incorporate all the flour that might be sitting at the bottom

* microwave on full power for1 minute 45 (700W)

* eat! A spoon might be useful

If you want to be fancy you could also add chocolate chips or top with cream. I like mini marshmallows in mine

Chocolate Biscuits

Ingredients (makes about 30)
225g self raising flour
100g caster sugar
3 tbsp cocoa powder
100g butter
5 tbsp milk

* heat oven to 190C and grease a couple of baking trays
* mix the flour, sugar and cocoa together then rub in the butter
* add the milk and mix to a soft dough
* turn the dough out on to a lightly floured surface and bring together into a ball, kneading gently
* roll out to about 0.5 cm thick and cut into rounds or any other shapes you fancy
* bake for about 10 minutes then cool on a wire rack

I topped them with chocolate glace icing

Nutrition (per iced biscuit):
Calories: 64, Carbs: 10g, Fat: 2g, Protein: 1g

Easter Nest Cakes

These are a bit of an Easter tradition in our house, ever since my daughter was little. She may be 18 now but it wouldn't be Easter without them.

Ingredients (makes about 18)
200g milk chocolate
100g plain chocolate
25g butter
4 shredded wheat
Bag of mini eggs

* melt the chocolate and butter in a large bowl over a pan of simmering water
* crush the shredded wheat very finely so it looks like little twigs and stir into the chocolate until well coated
* put spoonfuls of the chocolate mix into cake cases. Make a dip in the middle and put 2 or 3 eggs in
* leave to set

Nutella Biscuits

Ingredients (makes approx 25)
200g nutella
110g caster sugar
120g self raising flour
1 egg

* heat oven to 180C
* mix all the ingredients together thoroughly
* roll the dough into balls of about 2cm in diameter
* place the balls on a greased baking sheet and press down to flatten somewhat, leaving space for them to spread
* bake for 10 minutes or so

I didn't have quite enough nutella so I used half nutella and half chocolate and caramel spread.

Cream Egg Brownies

Not very seasonal right now, but they work equally well as ordinary brownies without the cream eggs.

Ingredients
185g Unsalted Butter
185g Dark Chocolate
85g Plain Flour
40g Cocoa Powder
3 lg Eggs
275g Caster Sugar
6 Cream Eggs cut in half. I froze mine to make them easier to cut

• Pre-heat oven to 160C and grease a brownie tin
• Melt together the butter and chocolate in a bowl over boiling water, then leave to cool down a bit.
• Beat together the eggs and sugar with an electric mixer until they go thick and creamy. The mixture should have roughly doubled in size and gone quite pale
• Pour the chocolate mixture onto the egg/sugar mixture and fold together gently.
• Sift the flour and cocoa powder onto the egg/sugar/chocolate mix and fold in until well mixed and an even colour.
• Pour into the baking tin and cook for 15 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and gently press the cream egg halves into the brownies, spacing them evenly.
• Return to oven and continue to bake for another 5-10 minutes.
• Leave to cool in the tin before cutting into individual brownies.

Very naughty but incredibly nice!