Amaretto Fudge

Mmmmmm fudge. Possibly my favourite sweet. I wanted to jazz up a classic and give it an adult note, and amaretto seemed the perfect complement. The marzipan-like flavour really enhanced the fudge :) Instead of amaretto you could use whatever you favourite spirit is, for example a spiced rum or something like chambord or cointreau.

Pieces of this in a pretty bag/box would be a brilliant gift to take along to a dinner party or just to show off your baking skills :)

Makes around 20 pieces

Ingredients:

• 200g (1 cup & 1 tbsp) brown sugar
• 75ml (1/3 cup) double cream
• 50ml (1/5 cup) milk
• 30g (2 tbsp) butter
• 45ml (3 tbsp) amaretto
• 1 tsp golden syrup
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

1. Grease and line the base of a 1lb/500g loaf tin with baking parchment.

2. Place the sugar, double cream, milk, butter and golden syrup in a medium saucepan and place on a low heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved and the butter melted, then turn the heat up to bring the mixture to a boil.

2. Once at a boil, reduce the heat slightly and keep stirring until the mixture reads 110c/230f on a sugar thermometer. This will take between 8 and 12 minutes, depending on the pan/hob heat.

3. Once at temperature, take off the heat and leave for 5 minutes.

4. Add the vanilla extract and amaretto, and beat in. Keep stirring the fudge as it cools (around 15-20 minutes), and it will become very thick. Once cool, tip into the prepared tin and smooth out. Use a fork to draw diagonal lines across the fudge, then leave to set (for at least 1 hour).

5. Cut into cubes.

6. Enjoy!

This fudge should ideally be kept in the fridge (because of the cream), and will last up to a week.

Gluten-Free Fudgy Coconut Brownies

Hi everyone! This recipe is super simple and will delight any gluten-free people you know, or anyone else for that matter! They have an intense chocolate kick, surrounded by a crisp outside and the centre just melts in your mouth. These brownies are epic. To make them even better for a coconut lover such as myself, I used coconut oil instead of butter and added desiccated coconut to the mix. These are at least 10 x better than any store bought brownie I've bought, and the bad rep of gluten free baking ends with this recipe.

If you're not a huge coconut lover, you can either use an unflavoured coconut oil or use butter :)

These are brilliant served at room temperature as an afternoon snack, or warmed up and served with some cream, custard or ice cream as dessert.

Hope you enjoy them as much I do!

Ingredients:

• 125g (1 cup) coconut oil, melted
• 250g (1 cup and 2 tbsp) light soft brown sugar
• 50g (1/2 cup) cocoa powder (the best quality you can afford), plus 1 tbsp for dusting
• 50g (1/3 cup and 2 tsp) ground almonds
• 50g (1/2 cup) desiccated coconut
• 2 medium eggs

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 180c (160c fan)/355f/gas mark 4. Grease the base of a 20cm square cake tin (I use a silicon baking tray but any should work), then dust with cocoa powder.

2. Break the brown sugar into a fine crumb (it has a tendency to clump), then combine with the melted coconut oil. Whisk until smooth, then add the eggs, cocoa, ground almonds and dessicated coconut.

3. Beat until all of the dry ingredients have been incorporated, then pour into the prepared tray.

4. Bake for 18-22 minutes, until the top feels crisp and when you lightly move the brownies, only the very centre wobbles slightly.

5. Remove from the oven and leave to cool fully before slicing.

6. Serve cold, or hot with cream/custard/ice cream. YUM.

7. Enjoy!

Gluten-Free Millionaire's Shortbread

As you may have gathered, I hate to bake things for a group of people when at least one of them can't eat said product. That's why I've really made efforts recently at making gluten free bakes :) This one was actually one of my first, but I've only just now gotten around to writing up the recipe. It's a beaut - millionaire's shortbread - layers of shortbread, homemade caramel, and a marbled chocolate topping. The shortbread is the only aspect that needed gluten removing from, but I ended up with a really good biscuity result! And don't worry, my caramel is foolproof :)

Makes 16-20 squares (fills a 20 x 20cm square tin prior to baking/setting)

Ingredients:

For the shortbread:

• 225g (1 cup) butter, softened
• 115g (1/2 cup) golden caster sugar
• 225g (1 & 1/2 cups) plain gluten free flour (I use Dove's Farm), plus an extra tablespoon for dusting
• 115g  (1 cup) corn flour

For the (salted) caramel:

• 150g (2/3 cup) butter
• 1 x 397g tin sweetened condensed milk
• 100g (1/3 cup minus 1 tbsp) golden syrup
• 1/2 tsp salt (optional)

For the chocolate:

• 150g (1 cup) milk chocolate
• 150g (1 cup) white chocolate

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 160c (150c fan)/ 355f/ gas mark 3. Grease and flour (using gluten free flour) the base of a 20cm square cake tin.

2. For the shortbread beat the butter in a large mixing bowl until it is very soft and spreadable. Add the sugar and "cream" (i.e. beat the sugar into the butter), until all of the sugar has been incorporated and the mixture has lightened in colour. This will only take a few minutes.

3. Sift in the flour and corn flour, and use a wooden spoon or your hand to beat the flours into the butter/sugar to create a dough (there shouldn't be many crumbs remaining in the bowl if you lift the dough out). As soon as the ball of dough is formed, stop working the dough.

4. Lay out a sheet of clingfilm, and lay the dough on top of it. Cover with another layer of clingfilm, and roll out the dough to a 20cm square (it will be about 1cm thick).

5. Transfer to the cake tin (minus the cling film), and prick all over with a fork.

6. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden on top, and the top feels crisp to the touch (i.e. it doesn't feel soft when pressed). Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

7. Make the caramel. Add the butter, condensed milk and golden syrup to a saucepan and place on a low heat. Stir until the butter has melted.

8. Turn up the heat to bring the mixture to a boil. At this point keep stirring the mixture as the base may catch otherwise. Keep stirring and boiling until the mixture turns a deep caramel colour - this will take 3-5 minutes, depending on the heat of your hob. Once ready, take off the heat and pour on top of the cooled shortbread. If you want salted caramel, add the salt to the caramel at this stage. Leave to cool.

9. To make the chocolate topping, melt the milk and white chocolate separately in bowls in a microwave, heating for 10-20 second bursts, stirring well between each addition. Once both chocolates have melted, place a layer of clingfilm on a baking tray/rectangular chopping board. Place spoonfuls of milk or white chocolate over the clingfilm, and use a spoon to lightly marble the chocolates together, to make a square about 22cm in size. Place in the fridge to set.

10. Once set, trim the chocolate with a sharp knife to 20cm, and place on top of the cooled caramel shortbread. Place the whole millionaire's shortbread in the fridge for at least half an hour, then slice into squares.

11. Enjoy!