Some of our favourite recipes......

Sweet Temptations

 

  Orange Brownies

 

This is one of Annabel Karmel’s creative recipes; brownies with a playful twist – yummy! Everything about these brownies oozes deliciousness.

From the smell when they are baking in the oven, to the fudgy texture and zesty taste when eating them. Enjoy!

 

Ingredients

 

-225g butter

-200g dark chocolate

-270g soft, light brown sugar

-4 eggs

-1 tsp pure vanilla extract

-A large pinch of salt

-Finely grated zest of one large orange

-110g plain flour

-30g cocoa powder

-100g white chocolate chips (or chopped white chocolate)

 

Method

 

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F (Gasmark 4). Line a 20 x 20cm (8 x 8in) square cake tin with baking parchment with the parchment coming up the sides of the tin.

 2. Put the butter, chocolate and sugar in a large heatproof bowl and set it over (but not in) a saucepan of warm water. Let the butter and chocolate melt, stirring occasionally, then remove the bowl from the pan and set aside to cool. Whisk together the eggs, vanilla, salt, orange zest and juice until well combined. Whisk the egg mixture into the melted cooled chocolate. Sift over the flour, cocoa and baking powder and fold in along with the white chocolate chips.

 3. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. 30 minutes gives a very fudgy brownie – some liquid batter will cling to a skewer inserted in the centre. 35 minutes gives a slightly more cakey brownie – damp crumbs cling to a skewer inserted into the centre.

 4. Allow to cool completely in the tin before removing. Remove from the tin by pulling the sides using the overhanging parchment paper.

Once cool, you can cut into squares.

 Makes 16 squares

Freezing suitable for freezing

 

 

Orange Drizzle Cake

 

This is a very versatile recipe - try it with lemon zest and juice, too. It makes a firm cake which means it’s an excellent base for decorating.

 

Ingredients serves 8

For the cake

250g unsalted butter, softened, plus more for tin

250g golden caster sugar

grated zest of 2 large oranges,

75ml orange juice

4 eggs, lightly beaten

250g self-raising flour, siftedFor the icing (optional)

200g icing sugar

juice of 1/2 orange

a few drops of orange flower wate

 

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 170C/fan 160C/350F/ gas mark 3.5

2. Butter a 20cm diameter, 7.5cm deep, round tin, then line the base with baking parchment.

2. Cream the butter, sugar and zest until very pale, light and fluffy (it will take at least 5 minutes in an electric mixer). Add the eggs gradually, beating between each addition, along with 1 tbsp of the flour to prevent curdling. Fold in the remaining flour and, lastly, slowly mix in the orange juice.

3. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 40-45 minutes until the cake springs back to the touch, or a skewer inserted into centre comes out clean.

Remove from the oven, leave for 1 minute, then turn out to cool on a wire rack.

4. Once the cake is absolutely cold, make the icing. Sift the icing sugar into a bowl and slowly add the orange juice and orange flower water, little by little, until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Pour the icing over the cake, letting it drizzle down the sides.

 

 

 

Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes

 

Ice-creams that won’t melt! A perfect addition to any children’s party or picnic, especially during the summer. These are decorated as the real things – flake 99, raspberry ripple

 or mint choc chip – but use your imagination and get the children to give you a hand.

 

Ingredients

1 x Orange Drizzle Cake batter

20-35 flat-based ice-cream cones

few drops of peppermint extract

green food colour

pink (or red) food colour

nylon piping bag

large star nozzle

7-8 chocolate flakes

7 tsp chocolate buttons

5 tsp coloured sugar sprinkles

 

1 x Buttercream recipe

300g unsalted butter, softened

400g icing sugar, sifted

 

In an electric mixer, beat the butter until really pale and fluffy. Add your flavour and the icing sugar and beat for at least 5 minutes, until light and fluffy.

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170C/fan 160C/340F/gas mark 3.5.

2. Place all the ice-cream cones on a baking sheet. Divide the cake batter evenly between them and bake for 15-17 minutes, or until they spring back to the touch. Leave to cool on a wire rack.

3. Divide the buttercream between 3 bowls. Add a little peppermint extract to the first, to taste, then a dash of green food colour, and mix until you achieve the desired shade. Add the vanilla to the second bowl and mix well. To the third bowl, swirl in a little pink food colour; do not blend it in as you are aiming for the marbled effect of raspberry ripple ice-cream.

4. Spoon the vanilla buttercream into the piping bag and swirl on a third of the ice-cream cones. Finish each with a chocolate flake. Wash the bag and nozzle and repeat with the green buttercream; sprinkling with chocolate buttons. Wash the bag and nozzle again. Finally pipe the raspberry ripple buttercream into the remaining cones and decorate with sprinkles.

5. Arrange on a serving dish or cake stand.

 

 

Rice Krispie Cakes

 I put these down as one of my favourite childhood party treats and it’s easy to see why! They takes no time to make and lasts for a good few days in an air tight container (if you can resist them!).

 

Ingredients:

375g Rice Krispies

1 bag marshmallows (the original pink and white ones!)

1 bag chewy toffee

175g butter

 

For topping:

6 Mars bars

2 tbsp milk

Hundreds & Thousands

Method:

1. In a large saucepan, melt the marshmallows, chewy toffees and butter together on a low heat.

2. Once melted and smooth, take off the heat and allow to cool slightly. Then add the Rice Krispies and gently stir together.

3. Pour into a shallow, non-stick baking tin and leave to one side.

4. For the topping, chop the Mars bars into small pieces and put into a non-stick saucepan. Add the milk and melt together on a low heat and stir.

5. Once melted, pour straight over the krispie cake. Use a knife to even out the topping and sprinkle with hundreds and thousands.

6. Leave in the fridge to set for at least 3 hours and then cut into squares

 

 

Pink Candied Popcorn

 

What party snack says more fun than popcorn? Throw some ‘wow’ into your child’s birthday party tea with some pink party popcorn, certain to delight and excite.

You can try dressing up your popcorn with other colours to match your theme.

 

Ingredients

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1/2 cup (110g) popping corn

2 cups (440g) caster sugar

1 cup (250ml) water

1/2 teaspoon pink food colouring

Method

1. Heat oil in large heavy-based saucepan; cook corn over high heat, covered with a tight-fitting lid, shaking pan occasionally, until popping stops. Transfer to large bowl.

2. Combine sugar, the water and colouring in medium heavy-based frying pan; stir over heat, without boiling, until sugar is dissolved. Bring to the boil; boil, uncovered,  without stirring, about 15 minutes or until a teaspoon of mixture cracks when dropped into a glass of cold water.

3. Remove pan from heat; when bubbles subside, add popcorn. Stir popcorn to coat with toffee mixture.

4. When popcorn mixture has candied, spread onto a foil-lined oven tray to cool.

 

Preparation time 5 minutes (+ cooling time)

Cooking time 25 minutes

Makes 6 cups

Note Popcorn can be made two days ahead; store in an airtight container.

 

 

 

Jam Starlets

 

Roll out the red carpet for these award winning jam starlets, perfect for an A-list party! Serve them on eye-catching gold paper stars for some added glamour and sprinkle the table with matching star confetti.

 

Ingredients

2 sheets ready-rolled shortcrust pastry

2/3 cup (220g) strawberry jam

 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F (Gasmark 4). Grease two 12-hole shallow round-based patty-pans.

2. Cut out 24 x 6cm stars and 24 x 1cm stars from pastry.

3. Place large stars into pans; drop level teaspoons of jam into pastry cases. Place small stars on patty pan in spaces between the holes.

4. Bake about 15 minutes. Remove tarts from pans onto wire rack while still hot; place small pastry stars on top of jam. Cool.

 

Preparation time 10 minutes

Cooking time 15 minutes

Makes 24

Note: Tarts can be made one day ahead; store, in a single layer, in an airtight container.

 

 

 

Chocolate Biscuit Cake

 

This recipe is delightfully naughty, crunchy and chocolately – a little slice of heaven that goes swimmingly well with some chocolate flavoured milk. Delicious!

 

 

Ingredients

-3/4 cup (180ml) sweetened condensed milk

-60g butter

-125g dark chocolate, roughly chopped

-125g plain sweet biscuits

-1/3 cup (50g) unsalted roasted peanuts

-1/3 cup (55g) sultanas or raisins

 

Method

1. Grease 8cm x 26cm deep rectangular baking tray; line base and long sides with baking paper, extending paper 5cm above edges.

2. Combine condensed milk and butter in small saucepan; stir over low heat until smooth. Remove from heat, add chocolate; stir until smooth.

3. Break biscuits into small pieces in a large bowl. Add nuts and sultanas; stir in the chocolate mixture.

4. Spread mixture into pan; refrigerate 3 hours or until firm. Remove from pan before slicing.

 

Preparation time 10 minutes (+ refrigeration time)

Cooking time 5 minutes

Makes 18

Note: Slice can be made three days ahead; store in an airtight container, in the refrigerator.

 

Savoury Bites

 

 

Sticky Salmon Skewers

 

These sticky salmon skewers are likely to make your little party friends sing sweetly for second helpings. The delicious marinade makes them extra tasty and the

 bite-size chunks are perfect for little mouths.

 

Ingredients:

1 tbsp sesame seeds (optional)

450g (1 lb) thick-cut salmon fillet, skin removed

2 tbsp plum sauce

2 tbsp clear honey

1/2 tsp grated fresh root ginger

1/2 tsp soy sauce

 

You will also need 8 wooden skewers, soaked in warm water for at least 20 minutes.

Method:

1. If using, toast the sesame seeds in a hot dry frying pan for 2-3 minutes, then spread out on a plate and leave to cool.

2. Pre-heat the grill to high. Cut the salmon into 1.5cm cubes and thread onto the wooden skewers. Lay the skewers on a grill pan lined with foil.

3. Mix together the plum sauce, honey, ginger, and soy sauce. Brush the salmon skewers with this glaze and grill for 2 minutes, then brush with the glaze again and grill for a further 2 minutes. Turn the skewers over and brush with the glaze again, grill for 2 minutes, brush with the glaze for a final time and grill for 2-4 minutes until the salmon is cooked through.

4. Transfer the skewers to a plate and sprinkle with the sesame seeds, if using. Serve warm.

 

makes 8 skewers / 4 main-course portions

 

 

Heart Shaped Hamwiches

 

Party girls will adore these delicate little snacks that look absolutely irresistible. You can always replace the fillings with their favourite treats and different shaped cutters to fit your theme

 

Ingredients

 

18 large slices white sandwich bread

1/3 (80g) spreadable cream cheese

100g shaved ham

 

Method

1. Using 7.5cm heart cutter, cut two hearts from each slice of bread. Using 4cm heart cutter, cut a small heart from the centre of half the large hearts.

2. Spread one side of the large uncut hearts with some of the cream cheese; top with ham. Spread the remaining cream cheese on one side of the remaining hearts; place them on top of the ham.

 

Preparation time 30 minutes

Makes 18

Notes: you need a loaf of the larger-sized bread (slices measure 12cm across). Sandwiches can be made three hours ahead; keep, covered, in the refrigerator. Use the heart cutter to cut-out heart shapes from ham for a really neat fit. Ham slices can be used instead of the shaved ham, if you like. The little cut-out hearts can be used to make fairy bread.

 

 

Butterfly Fairy Bread

 

 

Ingredients

 

-60g butter softened

-12 large slices white sandwich bread

-6cm butterfly cutter

-6 strawberry shoelaces, halved lengthways

-1/2 cup hundreds and thousands

 

Method

1. Spread butter on one side of each bread slice. Using butterfly cutter, cut out three butterflies from each slice.

2. Cut out musk stick into 2cm lengths; place one piece of shoelace in centre of each butterfly.

3. Sprinkle hundreds and thousands into small shallow dish; gently press each butterfly, buttered-side down, into hundreds and thousands. Place on serving plate.

 

Preparation time 15 mins

Makes 36

Note: Recipe can be made up to three hours ahead; keep covered