Marshmallow Fluff

You got to love marshmallow fluff, but you must admit that it is expensive, you can only buy it in specialist stockists like Harvey Nichols, and it's full of nasty preservatives and chemicals! 

It's a great cake filling and can be used to make fudge too.  I'm using it today for filling my 21st birthday cake instead of jam or butter cream. 

This recipe is for seriously fluffy and seriously sticky marshmallow fluff, using natural ingredients for a tasty dessert!

Ingredients: enough for 2 cakes, 4 jam jars (for presents) and a fair few cupcakes!!!

• 470ml runny honey
• 470ml caster sugar
• x3 egg whites
• Tsp vanilla flavouring

Method: WARNING - STRENUOUS: Please use an electric whisk!

1. Add everything to a big bowl - you need a big bowl because when you start whisking it it rises quickly and you don't want it overflowing!
2. Whisk on full power for 10 minutes, or more until it's white, fluffy and sticky!

NB: the mixture does start off brown and it is bitty from the sugar, but the longer you whisk it, and the faster you whisk it the whiter, and smoother the fluff goes!  This recipe is good if there are two of you making it because then you can swap half way for a break whilst your friend whisks!

You can store this in the fridge, or use it straight away! Enjoy this seriously fluffy and seriously sticky marshmallow fluff!

Shrove Tuesday!

So, tomorrow is Shrove Tuesday the final day of indulgence before Lent officially begins.  I have never given up anything for Lent but this year I am giving up chocolate and I would like to find out what you all have given up in the past and what you are giving up for Lent this year.  So, please leave comments below :)

I'm a fan of crepe type pancakes because the thick ones are just too much for me, and I eat my pancakes with golden syrup and fresh lemon juice; sometimes I will have Nutella or even peanut butter!  This is the recipe for the pancakes that my mum has always used, they are really tasty pancakes and they are fun to flip.

Ingredients:

Pinch of salt

13 heaped tbsp of plain flour

3 eggs

Enough milk until it is at a consistency that you would like (I like mine quite soupy)

Method:

1. Beat the eggs in a small bowl with a whisk or a fork

2. Spoon the plain flour into a large separate bowl and add a pinch of salt

3. Create a small pool in the center of the flour and pour the eggs in to it - whisk this is up slowly whilst adding the milk.

NB: do this slowly otherwise you will end up lumpy pancakes!

4.  Keep adding milk until the pancake mix is at a consistency that you would like it to be.

NB: if you like thick puffy American style pancakes have the mixture quite thick and cook it in a smaller frying pan.  If you want thin crepe style pancake then use enough to make it a soupy consistency and cook it in a wider pan!


5. Pour oil or add a knob of butter in to your pan and ladel your pancake mix in to the pan!  Use a thin plastic spatula to flip the pancakes and remember to go around the edges so it doesn't stick.  Wait until the first side has gone a darker cream colour and flip it over!


6. Use a microwave safety plate over a lightly heated stove to put the pancakes on, it will keep them warm and it means you can all eat your pancakes together!

Enjoy pancake day everybody, please share your Lent stories below! :)
Here is a photo - by popular demand - of my own pancakes that I made on Shrove Tuesday....

One of my house mates was going to be late home so by putting a large plate on top of a cooling tray and over a slightly heated hob you can keep your pancakes warm and eat them altogether at the table. 

Baking Adventures - Allergies.

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Everyone learnt to bake cupcakes at primary or with their mums using the most simple recipe ever:

50g Self-Raising Flour

50g Caster Sugar

50g Butter 

1 egg

Ever since then I have been mucking around with the recipe and altering it to make fluffy, soft moist cakes that can withstand life outside a container for more than a day; mainly because my pet hate is dry cake.  I will assume there is a large portion of the world who are meticulous with their food and share my emotional inclinations towards cake.  

In recent months, I have been experimenting with cupcake toppings, I'm sure most of you know that there are very many frostings to choose from and that you can use any colours, and any flavourings in them.  My favourites are ganache, butter cream, royal icing, chocolate frosting and cream frosting.  Last week when I made cupcakes I wanted pink vanilla butter cream to top them, but I was cautioned by my mum as she is allergic to cochineal.  This next tip is handy if you want to make colourful cupcakes or topping but have friends and family with allergies.

I ended up using our coffee/cocktail syrup which is the 'Monin Organic Syrup'.  As an alternative to pink colouring I used grenadine syrup which is more commonly used in a 'Shirley Temple'.  The product is quite thick so it does not particularly alter the texture of the icing or frosting that you are making and you only need to use a cap full.  If you want to use the syrup as a flavouring as well as a colouring just keep adding cap fulls of the syrup until you can just about taste the flavour.  I say 'just about' because this is a syrup and too much of it will make for one sickly topping.  After the topping has been spread, piped or whatever you guys do to get your topping on to your cakes, add some sprinkles, slices of fruit, sweets or just simply dust some icing sugar on top for that classic cupcake look.  I went for sprinkles and some glace cherries.

I hope this was a handy tip for anyone who bakes. 

Natasha.