Normal service has reumed and I have baking all week again!

[NAB3sparklesandflashes]

Recipes to follow but have made
Lemon and Blackberry Ricotto cake
Lemon and cranberry bake cheesecake.
Apple and ginger muffins
Lunchtime treats

what are lunchtime treats?

the ricotta cake sounds delish ! you should try to sell your cakes

Yummy.

I want to make apple & ginger muffins.

DS has been asking for 'nana cake all week so I have to bake anyway.

Yes, more info needed on lunchtime treats.

The lunch tiome treats are from Nigella's Express cook book and she describes them as being like Lion Bars. I felt a bit ill thinking about the syrup in them but my kids eat tonnes of fruit so I figured a treat was okay.

Recipe since you asked so nicely and thank you LMITSWF for your kind comment.

Actually they are Lunchbox Treats.

50g milk chocolate
150g rice malt syrup (I couldn't find this in Asda or the Co-op so used maple syrup I had in the cupboard)
55g butter
60g Rice Crispies
30g Cornflakes (didn't have any so I used Special K)
40g Quick cook oats
75g sesame seeds (I forgot to put them in!)

1. Melt the chocolate, syrup and butter

gently in a heavy-based saucepan.

1. Add all the other ingredients, turning to coat everything well.
2. Using your hands (I used an ice cream scoop) encased in latex CSI gloves, shape the mixture into walnut-sized balls. You should get about 25; you could also make this using a 12-bun muffin tin lined with muffin papers to get 12 larger cup cakes. (I used regular bun cases, you really wouldn't want them too big)
3. Let them set in the fridge for an hour or so, and they will keep quite happily in there for a week of treats.

There is no room in my fridge so mine are in a plastic box in the cupboard. If anyone can see a flaw in this, that they should be in the fridge, do please tell me.

Enjoy!

[snort] I'm a bit of a "I didn't have X so I used Y" kind of cook

I've just done it with my christmas pud where I simply made up the weight of dried fruit with whatever I had in the cupboard...

(sadly this meant I couldn't make the mincemeat I'd planned to do today as I'd used up all the dried fruit!)

I've been baking today as well! (It's a once in a blue moon, 'makes me feel less guilty' thing). Made some shortbread biscuits (a Delia recipe) and then topped them with a spoonful of Dulce de Leche and then covered them with melted chocolate.

I think they're going to be incredibly rich, but no doubt dss will love them.

That's how I always make my christmas cake, soupdragon - whatever is in the cupboard. The best one I made had lots of dried figs in. I have since stopped using dried figs as I once found a dead maggot in the middle of one

Nab, if you have a spare minute or two could you pleeaaaase post the recipe for the muffins? Thanks

Am off to make lunchtime treats!

Pear and Ginger Muffins (though I used a Bramley apple as I didn't have a pear.)

"250g flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
150g caster sugar
75g light brown sugar, plus 1/2 teaspoon per muffin for sprinkling. (I didn't bother)
1 teasppon ground ginger
1 x 42ml pot sour cream (I think this is an error as the pot is 142ml. I put the whole pot in and they look fine.)
125ml vegetable oil
1 x 15ml tablespoon honey
2 eggs (large)
1 large pear such as Comice (or other fruit to give you about 300g in weight.) peeled, cored and cut into 5mm dice.

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6 and line a 12-bun muffin tin with muffin papers.
2. Measure into a bowl the flour, baking powder, caster sugar, 75g of brown sugar and the ground ginger.
3. In a large measuring jug, whisk together the sour cream, oil, honey and eggs and then fold into the dry ingredients.
4. Lastly, mix in the diced pear, and divide the batter evenly between the muffin cases.
5. Sprinkle each one with 1/2 teaspoon of brown sugar and bake for 20 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack. Best eaten still a little warm"

Enjoy!

Thanks Nab

they sound yummy.. i am shopping tomorrow, so i will be buying ingredients for the treats

i wish i was a good cook / baker !

The more I do bake the more confident I get. It is worth it.

sent DH shopping, and forgot to give him the list

am making some biscuits, that my grandma used to make, she is very poorly , so am baking these to take to her

Oh, I am sorry to hear that. Hope she is soon better. I am sure she will enjoy your biscuits.

thanks nab x

The kids don't like the cheesecake.