A final festive post of 2017

Recipe of the week...
... Reindeer Christmas cupcakes

Ingredients: 225g butter, 175g caster sugar, 2 eggs, 200g self-raising flour, 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, 100ml milk, 150g dark chocolate, 2 tablespoons Irish cream liqueur (optional), 200g icing sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 24 white chocolate buttons, 6 glace cherries, and half a box of Matchmakers.

Makes: 12 Christmassy buns!

Time taken: 20 mins prep, 20 mins in the oven, half an hour to cool and then half an hour to decorate. (1hr 40mins total)

Hi readers,

It’s nearly Christmas!! We’re so near now! 3 sleeps to go and I’m beginning to get really excited! Are you??????????? SANTASCOMINGAHMAGAADDDDDDD!

And. On a not-so-hyperactive note, as this will be my last ChefBeHere blog post of the year, I’d just like to say thank you. To everyone who has been reading, been liking my posts, been mentioning my blog to others, been trying out the recipes at home… thank you for all your support!

I’d like to wish you all a very merry Christmas indeed. I hope we all have a safe, fun time celebrating with friends and family. And anyone who isn’t feeling so good this Christmas, or can’t spend it with friends and family, or if it feels like everyone on social media is having a bigger better time than you…

Everything is fine, and it’s going to be fine. Believe in yourself, take good care of yourself and 2018 will be the year for you. Talk to someone if you’re not so sure. I’m sending love.

Plus – obvs – I’m sending a recipe. One final festive recipe to see you through Christmastime! Here, readers, is one last ChefBeHere recipe of 2017… *drumroll please* … for Reindeer Christmas cupcakes! Based on a BBC Food recipe found here, they’re cute and easy to make and tasty and very very Christmassy!

Here’s the recipe in just ten simple steps…

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Recipe: Reindeer Christmas cupcakes

Ingredients: 225g butter, 175g caster sugar, 2 eggs, 200g self-raising flour, 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, 100ml milk, 150g dark chocolate, 2 tablespoons Irish cream liqueur (optional), 200g icing sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 24 white chocolate buttons, 6 glace cherries, and half a box of Matchmakers. 

1.     Whack on some Christmas tunes… tis the season! Get a drink of something mulled in your hand and take the time to enjoy yourself – simply have fun doing some baking.

2.     Heat the oven to 180C, line a muffin tray with 12 festive paper cases, and get all your ingredients out on the kitchen side.

3.     Melt 100g of your dark chocolate, either on the hob or in the microwave, and break your remaining 50g of dark chocolate up into pieces.  

ChefBeHere Top Tip: I say it every time but BE CAREFUL when melting chocolate – as it can very easily burn. Go slow and keep an eye on it at all times.

4.     Measure 100g of your butter and all of the caster sugar into a mixing bowl and cream together using a wooden spoon, until light-coloured and smooth.

5.     Gradually beat in your eggs, until well combined, and then sift your flour and cocoa powder into the bowl. Fold into the cupcake mix.

6.     Next, fold in the milk, your melted chocolate and Irish cream liqueur (if using), then spoon your cake mix into the muffin cases and carefully transport into the oven.

7.     Leave to bake for 20-25 minutes, or until well risen and lightly firm to the touch. Once they’re done, safely remove your buns from the oven and switch it off. Leave to cool on the side for at least half an hour.

8.     Once your buns feel cool to touch, melt the remaining chocolate and leave to cool for a few minutes. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, cream together the remaining butter, your icing sugar and vanilla extract. Fold in your melted chocolate and mix until smooth.

9.     To decorate the cupcakes, begin by chopping your glace cherries in half. Spread the cupcakes with icing and press half a glace cherry onto each cake as a nose, then two chocolate buttons on the cake as eyes.

10.  Use a tiny blob of melted chocolate to ice pupils on the button eyes, and then stick broken up Matchmakers in as the reindeers’ antlers… and you’re all done!

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What’s not to love about these Christmassy little cupcakes?? If you don’t like glace cherries, you can sub them for smarties or M&Ms. If you don’t like white chocolate, sub the buttons for sliced up marshmallows. If you don’t like Matchmakers, try pretzels or broken up bits of Curly Wurly.

If you don’t like chocolate or cupcakes or reindeers… you can piss right off and I’ll see you in January!! Merry Christmas everyone!

Celebrate safely,

Hayley

I finally got to use my
reindeer cupcake boxes - hurray!

A little love for Inside You.

Recipe of the week...
... Berry Banana Buns

Ingredients: 100g butter, 175g caster sugar, 2 large eggs, 2 ripe bananas, 225g self raising flour, 1 level teaspoon baking powder, 2 tablespoons milk, 2 couple of handfuls of frozen berries.

Time taken: around 20 mins to make and then 20 mins to bake.

Serves: 12 buns.

Hi readers,

How are things today? How’s the weekend ahead looking? I hope you have fun plans! And I hope your weekend’s so far off to a good start! I’m feeling quite cheerful about mine. Made it to yoga last night and then had a successful driving lesson this morning. I got out on a run and then baked some buns for a family do later on… for Saturday lunchtime I feel like I’m achieving quite a lot.

This is a sharp contrast with last weekend though. I spent what felt like the entire of last weekend trekking around Sheffield doing house viewings trying to find somewhere new to live – very stressful! All sorted now but, when I went into work on Monday, it didn’t really feel like I’d had a weekend. Do you get that sometimes, readers? When your chores take charge and you don’t have the time for the things you really wanted to do.

I did find a fun new place to live
but it was TOUGH GOING

Like sleep in. And a cook a proper recipe. Run a bath. Read your book in peace! These hopes aren’t often top of the To Do list… but they are important. Very important for the you on the inside. Imagine if the Inside You was a flower, and this flower either bloomed or wilted based on how you felt. And other people could see that flower.

I think, if people could see your flower drooping, they’d be encouraging you to bin the chores and do something to look after yourself. They’d make you want to really look after that flower, and you’d help each other to all have wonderfully blooming flowers. And, just because in real life it isn’t so clear to people around you how you’re feeling, that doesn’t mean that Inside You is any less important.

If you want to slurp a smoothie
in the garden... doooo it!

What I’m trying to say, readers, is that we should put our feelings first sometimes.. and probably more often. Stick up for Inside You, make their wellbeing a priority, and consider the people around you and what their flowers might look like this weekend. Are they blooming, or do they need a helping hand? A nudge in the right direction?

All it can take, readers, to boost yourself up, is something as simple as lighting a candle. Or catching a sunset. A spritz of perfume, or some mindful breathing. A smile from a stranger, or a burst of sunshine. Those things are very important. I hope you can make time for them over the weekend, readers, and I hope you feel good for it.

Here's a wonderful sunset on Thursday
where I live in Heeley, Sheffield

And why not – while we’re embracing a little love for Inside You – treat yourself to some time well spent baking in the kitchen? C’mon! When was the last time you had a proper bake?? It doesn’t matter whether there’s any occasion. If you haven’t eaten cake in the last hour then it’s probably time, and I’m sure there are friends and family of yours also crying out for cake right now.

See sense and get your bake on! If you can make the time this weekend, readers, like I did this morning, then I humbly encourage you to find your way to the kitchen and bake up a storm. Need a little recipe inspiration? Then why not follow in my footsteps and give some Berry Banana Buns a try. Here’s the recipe in just ten simple steps…

1.     Let some fresh air in, pour yourself a cool drink and stick Smooth Radio on for classic tunes to sing-a-long to while you bake. I insist.

2.     Heat your oven to 180C.

3.     Line the holes of a muffin tray with 12 paper cases.

4.     Peel your two bananas onto a plate and mash using a fork.

ChefBeHere Top Tip: The riper your bananas are then the more banana-y your buns will taste. Have your housemate’s bananas gone way past their best? Have said bananas been annoying you, for days, sitting there on the side turning brown? Why not buy your flatmate a couple of new bananas and trade them for their over-ripe ones? … then everybody wins!

5.     Measure all ingredients (minus the frozen berries) into a large mixing bowl.

6.     Beat together using a wooden spoon until your mix is maybe a little lumpy, but mostly mixed together.

7.     Spoon your mix evenly between the twelve bun cases, and then pop a few frozen berries on top of each.

8.     Safely transport into the oven and leave your buns to bake for around twenty minutes, until they’re risen, baked through and golden brown.

ChefBeHere Top Tip: Use this time wisely! While your buns are baking you could get some laundry in the machine, wash your dishes and have a wipe round. Or you could top up that drink and work on your tan in the garden?? Either way, remember to keep checking on your buns in the oven, so they don’t burn.

9.     When your buns smell good and look deliciously baked, then carefully remove from the oven and leave on the side to cool for half an hour or so.

10.  Once your buns are nicely cooled, remove from the bun tin and either serve up, gobble them yourself, or Tupperware for later on.

And that’s all there is to it, readers! What do you think? I know this recipe isn’t anything revelatory, it’s just my old favourite for Banana Loaf, from ‘Mary Berry’s 100 Cakes and Bakes’, divided into bun cases and with some berries thrown on top. But, isn’t it lovely? I think so! I like that little extra fruity taste the berries bring to each bun, and they add a pretty pink and purple splash of colour.

Aren't they lovely to look at!

What do you think, readers? Would you give this recipe a go? And, if you have, how did you get on in the kitchen? Did your buns come out well? Were their compliments to the chef, from adoring friends and family?? I hope there were! This is a simple recipe, with few ingredients and easy-to-follow steps (you’re just chucking everything together in a bowl, really!), to bake a pretty batch of buns for everyone to enjoy over the weekend. What’s not to like??

I’m hoping my family will like the buns, readers, when I see them later this afternoon. And I hope there are some left to take along by then! I’m certainly enjoying the buns, readers, just trying not to eat them all before they make it out the door. Remember: don’t be too hard on yourself this weekend. I say, if there’s one thing not to forget, it should be to look after Inside You. If she wants to eat multiple buns?? Then.. feed her! Quickly!

Take care this weekend, readers, and take the time to enjoy it.

Bake safely,

Hayley

Also, I gave blood again this week!
if you don't already... go along and save a life