Cake pops!

I am no baker, nor am i a photographer. This blog post proves just that!

This is my second attempt at cake pops (first lot went in the bin.)

They look totally ridiculous..... I was drinking pink champagne the whole time.

But they were HARD. I'm not going to lie.

They were damn EASY to eat though! Not sure if i will attempt these again.

These particular cake pops are not actually cake. They are cookies and cream. Oreo cookies crushed with cream cheese to be exact. I decided to try them again after a friend of mine made super amazing ones that we had for Jasmine's birthday. I failed. But they were YUMMY!!

Traditional cake pops are cake crumbs mixed with frosting. You can also make any type of truffle and stick them on a lolly pop i guess.

Here goes.... GOOD LUCK!

• 300g Oreos. (I used 3x single packets)
• 150g Cream cheese at room temperature. (I added bits slowly, you don't need it all and the mixture cant be too wet.)
• 1x pack chocolate melts. Milk or white. White looks good too!
• Lolly pop sticks. (I got mine of Ebay)

1. Crush oreos in a food processor. (Bahahahaaha oh i wish i had one!!)
2. Add cream cheese chunks at a time and process until the mixture comes together. (I smooshed it all around with a spoon.)
3. Roll into small balls - Approx 1 tbsp worth.
4. Melt a little of the chocolate and dip the end of the stick in to coat, then stick into the balls.
5. Put them in the fridge or freezer to firm.

6. Melt the remainder of the chocolate, make sure it is completely smooth. Holding the stick, dip the balls into the melted chocolate. Double coat them if you have to.  Tap the ball on the edge of the bowl to let the excess chocolate drip off and place into something to dry (I used an upside down colander)

7. Dip the pops in sprinkles or after they are dry decorate them with cachous, butterflied etc using the chocolate as glue.

8. Place back in the fridge to set and then EAT THEM!!!

Google image them for decorating ideas.

WARNING:
Do not consume champagne while attempting this recipe.

ANZAC Biscuits

Anzac biscuits are dated back to World War 1 and were as hard as rocks. Before being named Anzac biscuits, they were called soldiers biscuits. They were adapted by wives and mothers back home in an attempt to give them more nutrients using the oats. The sugar, flour, golden syrup, butter and bi-carb soda were added because they would be able to withstand the long journey via ship to reach the troops. Some soldiers used to grind them up and eat them like a sort of porridge.

This is a traditional recipe that i have been making for years and it has never fail on me. They have a wonderful taste and last a long time (if you hide them!)

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup plain flour
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup coconut
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 tbsp golden syrup (i always add more)
• 1 tbps water
• 1/2 tsp bi-carb soda

1. Combine oats, flour, sugar and coconut in a large bowl and set aside.
2. Combine butter, golden syrup and water in a small saucepan and stir over medium heat until melted.
3. Stir in soda. (mixture will foam)
4. Stir mixture into dry ingredients
5. Create small balls of mixture and place on lined baking trays 5cm apart
6. Bake in mod/slow oven 15-20 mins.

* I always need extra wet mixture and always add extra golden syrup!

* Biscuits will be soft when taking them out of the oven. Don't over cook them, they will harden as they cool.

*This mixture will produce chewy biscuits (yum) unless overcooked. 

Chocolate Peanut Brownies

Do you love Peanut m&m's? Snickers? Chocolate?

Same.

You get a whole peanut m&m in each bite of this amazing brownie.

A friend i used to work with 10 years ago gave me this recipe recently. I think that we met 10 years ago just so that, 10 years later she could give it to me!! She warned me it was addictive and lo and behold i was eating it for breakfast.

• 125 gm butter, melted
• 1 tin of condensed milk
• 1 cup SR flour sifted (i never sift :( )
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa
• 1/2 cup coconut ( optional - i didn't put it in.)
• 1 king size snickers cut into small pieces
• 1 family size packet of peanut m&m's, kept whole.

1. Mix everything together together except the m&m's and snickers.
2. Pour into a lined baking tray - it will rise
3. Sprinkle with cut pieces of snickers and push m&m's into the mixture until the packet is empty. (I ate quite a few....)
4. Crushed nuts can be sprinkled on the top  for an extra peanutty taste
5. Bake 30 mins at 180
6. Don't remove from the tray until completely cooled or it will fall apart.

I made it at night and cut it in the morning. Yes, it made a fantastic breakfast!

Just try stopping at one!!!

 

Apricot and Coconut Slice

This slice was also made for a work morning tea and it was another favourite. I have to admit, i ate more of this then the amazing Anzac Slice that i love so much.

Another no bake slice because i am lazy. These are just so simple and effective and when you have 2 kids and work full time, you just don't have time much time to create whizzbang recipes. These taste just as good anyway.

• 250g pain sweet biscuits, crushed
• 1 cup chopped dried apricots
• 1 1/2 cups desiccated coconut
• 1 can condensed milk
• 125g butter
• 1 1/4 cups chocolate milk melts, melted.

1. Line a tray/container with baking paper
2. Combine biscuits, apricots and coconut in a mixing bowl
3. Melt condensed milk and butter together in a saucepan
4. Stir in to dry ingredients
5. Press mixture in prepared tray
6. Pour over melted chocolate, allow to set and cut into squares. :)

Cherry Ripe Slice

I made this slice for a morning tea at work and everyone loved it! Its a really easy version and does not require cooking at all!

I didn't tell anyone what was in it....

• Red/pink food colouring
• 1 can of condensed milk
• 125g melted copha
• 250g milk coffee biscuits, crushed
• 200g glace cherries, chopped
• 175g desiccated coconut
• 250g dark chocolate

Colour the condensed milk dark pink (this is fun!). Combine with the melted copha and mix with the crushed biscuits, cherries and coconut.

It is that easy.

Press into a lined baking tray/container and refrigerate. When set, pour melted dark chocolate over the top. You can sprinkle coconut and chopped cherries over the top but i had run out.

Place back in the fridge and cut when set.

Place in a container labeled 'stewed plums' so your kids don't find it!

White Christmas Bites

My mother used to make white Christmas. Although i love it, I'm not a huge fan of dried fruit so i have adapted this recipe to suit, well, me.

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup icing sugar
• 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
• 1 1/2 cups rice bubbles
• 125g copha (i had to use more)
• 90g white chocolate
• 1 cup mini marshmallows
• 1 turkish delight chocolate bar, chopped finely
• Any decoration: cachous, sprinkles, stars etc.

1. Put 24 patty cases on 1 - 2 baking trays
2. Combine powdered milk, icing sugar, coconut and rice bubbles in a large bowl
3. Melt copha in saucepan and remove from heat. Stir in white chocolate. Add to dry ingredients and mix until combined. Add mini marshmallows and turkish delight.
4. Spoon into cases and top with decoration. Refrigerate until set.

Caramel Brownie Cakes

Every time i attempt to make brownies, i fail. For some reason these worked and i was so excited! I think it was because i made individual ones instead of a large pan of them.

These did not last, i had to hide this heart shaped brownie so that i could take a picture of it!

They have Rollo's pressed into them. YUM!

• 1/2 cup macadamia nuts, chopped  (i just used chocolate that contained macadamias.)
• 80g butter
• 150g dark eating chocolate, chopped
• 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup plain flour
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 x packets Rollo's

1. Preheat oven 180c. Grease mini muffin pans/cupcake pan, heart shaped silicone mould or whatever you have :)
2. Melt butter and chocolate in saucepan over low heat, do not boil. (i used the microwave) Cool slightly.
3. Stir sugar and egg into mixture, then sifted flour and sour cream. Spoon mixture into pans. Press one Rollo into each if using mini muffin pans or 2 or 3 Rollo's depending on the size of your brownies.
4. Bake in oven approx 15 mins for mini or 30 mins for for large.

Cool in pans and eat while warm!!