Ooh...Chocolate cupcakes

The January blues have well and truly consumed my thoughts this week. Perhaps because for most of the week we had snow on the ground or because I have had a cold lurking that's raised it's ugly head So I needed a pick me up!

My stand by chocolate cupcakes always cheer me up (I'm sure I'm not alone!) they are based on an old weight watchers recipe with some added ooh!!

Chocolate Chip Cupcakes (makes 18 mini cupcakes)

Ingredients
Cake
60g Caster Sugar
60g Lurpak Lighter
50g Self Raising Flour
1.5 tbsp Cocoa Powder
1 Egg Beaten Slightly
25g Dark Choc Chips
Frosting
50g Choc Chips
25g Low Fat Soft Cheese

Method
Preheat oven to 160
Line a mini cupcake tin with 18 cupcake liners
Using electric mixer mix all the ingredients together except choc chips.

Once mixed fold in choc chips.
Spoon into cases and bake for 8-12 minutes or until baked.
Cool on wire racks

Melt chocolate and let cool
Meanwhile beat soft cheese in a bowl then mix in cooled chocolate.
Spread onto cupcakes forming a peak with back of spoon.
Dust with sprinkle of your choice

Enjoy xoxo

Ooh...Tuesday Tipple: My World Gordon Bennett

Whilst visiting Top Drawer and Home in London yesterday I visited my Friends at My World. They make the loveliest cards with one of the ranges features cocktails called Drink me.



They feature a cocktail on the front, ingredients are both written on the inside and the back ( handy for shopping) with the most delicious recipe printed inside. I think these would make a great addition to a gift basket full of ingredients for a friends birthday!

Drink Me Card

So having launched some new cards I decided to try one of their latest recipes out for my Tuesday Tipple.

Gordon Bennett Gin and Tonic Jellies



Ingredients

125g Sugar
200ml Water
175ml Tonic Water
125ml Gin
Squeeze of Lemon Juice
4 Gelatin leaves

Method

Heat the sugar with the water and boil for five minutes until it looks syrupy
Cover the Gelatin leaves with water and soak until spongy, remove and squeeze out any excess water
Take syrup off heat, add a squeeze of lemon and the spongy Gelatin and stir until its dissolved
Then add the tonic water and gin, stir and then pour into cups
Leave for 4-6 hours in the fridge to set



Enjoy xoxo

Ooh...Tuesday Tipple: The Citrus Marmalady

Whilst in Chester last year we stayed at the truly amazing Oddfellows hotel, a unique find in the Tudor town. The hotel has an eclectic mix of styles from indoor trees, dining tables on the ceiling, typewriters on the walls to the height chart in the garden.

Ooh...New Beginnings

                                           

The start of the new year is an exciting time, the talk of resolutions in the air and the diets to be undertaken! I for one have a few 'fresh start' ideas in my head but I have taken a leaf out of Emily Schuman's book (or rather blog) and decided to focus on the good and not the bad or the ugly!

Ooh...Tuesday Tipple: Snowball

Continuing my theme of easy recipes for when that unexpected guest arrives, my next festive treat is a classic Yuletide tipple that my boyfriend absolutely loves. For him it's not the festive season without his Snowball cocktail... and here's how you can make them a tradition in your home too!