Double Chocolate Mug Cake

This super quick, gooey, chocolate mug cake, is fun to make, easy and tastes so good!

A great way to start the Easter holidays or break your lent fast!

You can use a variety of chocolate - milk, dark or white 

You can add in some additional chocolate treats - M&M's, Maltese's, Crunchie Bar etc...

If you like coffee and chocolate add in half a teaspoon of coffee granules or if you prefer peanut butter add in a spoonful...or maple syrup....

Double Chocolate Mug Cake –

(makes 1 large mug-cake)

2 tbsp SR flour (sieved)

2 tbsp caster sugar

1 tbsp cocoa (sieved)

1 egg

1 tbsp chocolate chips

2 tbsp milk

1 tbsp syrup

1 Large Mug!

1.       Mix all the ingredients together in the bowl add into the mug

2.      Cook for 2 minutes and 20 seconds in a 900w microwave

3. Enjoy with crème fraiche (takes out some of the sweetness!) or ice- cream to add to the sweetness!

Happy Easter to all the Mix & Munch Cooks and their families

This will rise up and make double - so more than enough for 2-3 cooks!

Fruity Scones

In the winter months on a wet Sunday afternoon what better to eat than freshly made scones, strawberry jam and whipped cream ?

There's nothing better than gathering together around a fresh pot of tea with warm scones laden with cream and jam (or jam and cream!) Many of our young cooks do not like the sultanas in, so just leave them out!

If you are more of a savoury scone eater substitute the sugar with 50g of cheese and 1/2 tsp of grated nutmeg (and don't add the sultanas!)

Or add in some grated garlic and finely chopped herbs (chives/rosemary) for a little more flavour!

Fruity Scones

Makes 10 (medium sized)

·         75g margarine

·         200g strong white flour

·         150g self raising flour

·         1 1/2 tsp baking powder

·         30g caster sugar

·         80g sultanas

·         150ml milk

·         3 medium sized eggs

1.       Sieve both lots of flour with the baking powder

2. Add in the sugar and margarine

3. Then rub in the margarine using your finger tips (like you would do with pastry)

4. Add the sultanas and mix

5.      Add two of the eggs and mix

6.      Gradually add the milk so the dough is moist but not too sticky

7. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and pat down until about 2cm deep

8. Using a 6cm cutter cut out the scones and add onto a piece of

greaseproof paper on a tin

9. With the last egg - whisk and then brush onto all the scones

10. Put the tray of scones into a pre-heated oven at 220 degrees (fan

200 C) and bake for 10 minutes until golden brown.

Strong White Bread Flour works really well with scones as it gives them more structure and avoids them collapsing!

To see if a scone is cooked (or any bread) just tap the bottom and if it sounds hollow its ready to be eaten!

Pizza - Home-made Dough & Sauce

I cant believe I haven't added this recipe yet to the recipe blog and leading a class on Friday with 33 cooks who were so creative with their pizzas - in terms of flavour/decoration/shapes/crusts- it was a reminder how much fun pizza is to make and how creative you can be with it.

As I say to our cooks does pizza have to be circular ?

You don't have to kneed the dough with your hands - mix the dough for 5-10 minutes with a wooden spoon doing deep big stirs and it will save you getting the dough all on little fingers and your kitchen!

The garlic and basil stalks add great flavour to the sauce. In England we have been afraid to use the stalks of herbs but other cultures do - and thats where the flavour is often stored so use the basil stalks....coriander stalks...

Pizza Base

Makes 4 Pizzas (size 15-20cm)

·         250g plain flour

·         250g strong white flour

·         1 x 7g sachet of quick dissolving yeast

·         4 tbsp olive oil

·         1/2 tbsp caster sugar

·         1/2 tbsp sea salt

Pizza base

1.       Sieve both lots of flour and mix with salt – make a well

2.      Dissolve yeast in 400ml warm water (not hot) with the sugar

3.      Add the olive oil to the yeast and mix together – leave for a few minutes.

4. Add the yeast mixture to the flour and salt and mix well.

5.      If its too dry add a bit more water until you have a moist ball of dough. Knead for 10 minutes

6.      Put into an oiled bowl – cover and leave in a warm place for 1 hour

7.      After 1 hour - put flour on a board and divide into four.

8. Using the bottom of your hand stretch the dough into the shape you wish and with a crust (or not)

9.      Top with the tomato sauce (as outlined below)

10.    Add any of the toppings with generous pieces of mozzarella and sprinklings of parmesan

11.     Put into an oven at 220c fan for 8-12 minutes

Pizza sauce

·         1 tin of chopped tomatoes

·         4 garlic cloves (crushed)

·         1 basil plant

·         1 tsp olive oil

Pizza sauce

1.       Peel and mince the garlic cloves and put with the olive oil on a gentle heat

2.      Add tinned tomatoes

3.      Add chopped and washed stalks of the basil plant

4.      Leave to simmer for 10 minutes

5.      Add the basil leaves at the end

Suggested pizza toppings

·         Mushroom & Mozzarella

·         Red Pepper & Pepperoni & Mozzarella

·         Ham & Pineapple(!) & Mozzarella

·         Tomato & Olive & Basil leaves & Mozzarella

·         Salami, Tomato & Yellow Peppers & Mozzarella

·         Chicken strips & Sweetcorn & Mozzarella

Paul Hollywood says the stickier the dough the better - and we find that to be the case!