Chocolate Biscuit Cake Pudding

12 December 2016 ~ cozebakes ~ 3 Comments

One of the most popular and ever prevailing recipes at Christmas is the chocolate biscuit cake and making it in a pudding bowl just adds a lovely touch and lets you decorate with fun, festive ideas.

You can make it in a bundt tin for something a little different or in smaller individual sized ramekins for a great gift idea. Using a plastic bowl means you only need the teeniest bit of greasing with a non flavoured oil just to help removal or if you’re using a tin, then you will need to line it with cling film.

This video was made in 2014 but I’m still making these as gifts so take a look at an easy way to get the “snow capped pudding” look : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8G3v5GkiEI&t=1s

Continue reading →

Cranberry & White Chocolate Gluten Free Cookies

26 November 2016 ~ cozebakes ~ Leave a comment

These went down a real treat with all the tasters and disappeared very quickly. I made half the original recipe thinking it might be too many but next time, I’ll be making the full batch! They make an ideal gift too!

I froze about 6 of them just to see how they behave and what I found worked was to let them defrost and then give them about 5 minutes in a moderate oven (150C) – just gave them a fresh feel. Remember to put a piece of parchment between each cookies before freezing.

These cookies are pretty irresistible and it’s an easy enough recipe to adapt so you can add your own favourites to it such as pecans, macadamia or other nuts. You can leave out the white chocolate and add milk or dark chocolate. Lots of options to explore so definitely a keeper!

Continue reading →

Christmas Cake Recipe

23 November 2016 ~ cozebakes ~ 2 Comments

This Christmas Cake Recipe is one I haven’t tried before, it was adapted from an Odlums booklet, but it’s very straightforward, it has lovely ingredients and it worked out perfectly. Can’t really ask for more than that! There’s very little skill needed in putting together a Christmas Cake. The preparation and baking times are the key to a successful result!

The ingredients are listed as usual but do take a look at my video on making this cake for alternatives to suit your own taste. Also there was a little blip regarding the brandy but it worked out really well so it will be up to you what way you proceed. Take a look at the video before starting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE8xFKTILyM – apologies if I go on a bit …. 😉

Continue reading →

Christmas Pudding – Gluten free

20 November 2016 ~ cozebakes ~ 6 Comments

What would Christmas be without the pudding and now with this gluten free recipe, everyone can share in the tradition.

The only question is do you add custard, cream or brandy butter for the full works?? This great recipe keeps for up to a year in a cupboard … would it last that long in your house?! Definitely not in mine!

Continue reading →

How to line a Christmas Cake Tin – Video Tutorial

lining a tin, lining a christmas cake tin, video hints and tips, baking hints and tips, cozebakes, line your christmas cake tin

1 November 2016 ~ cozebakes ~ Leave a comment

There are a few jobs when making cakes that we all wish we had our own little helper to do and lining a cake tin properly must be up there with them.

My own personal tedious jobs are having to sieve icing sugar (how long does it take …. really!) and zesting anything … not only does it take ages but I tend to lose skin off my knuckles at a worrying degree!

So I’ve made this little video to show you how to perfectly line your Christmas Cake tin so nothing is left to chance. Considering how expensive all those delicious ingredients are, why would you leave anything to chance and have things spoilt.

Not only does proper lining help to bake a cake evenly, it means you get perfect results after all the hours of baking and preparing.

So check out this video and take the extra few minutes to prepare.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkQER6pF0lc

Soraya x

Chocolate Meringue Roulade – Gluten Free

gluten free, desserts, gluten free desserts, meringue roulade, roulade, cozebakes, chocolate meringue roulade christmas dessert ideas, christmas baking ideas, dinner party desserts

29 August 2016 ~ cozebakes ~ Leave a comment

A great recipe to make beforehand and depending on the filling, can be frozen and let defrost when needed. I made a buttercream filling and kept it in the fridge overnight but it would be perfect with cream and the addition of your favourite berry swirled through. If you choose cream, then it would need to be eaten on the same day.

It’s relatively simple so don’t be afraid of the rolling. No meringue roulade is ever perfect or free of cracks so go ahead and roll away for your own special version of this classic dessert. The bonus of course is that there’s no flour used so it’s a perfect gluten free recipe.

Continue reading →

Rocky Road Cupcakes with Marshmallow Frosting

cupcakes, rocky road, marshmallow frosting, jo wheatley, kids parties, cupcake cones

19 May 2016 ~ cozebakes ~ Leave a comment

I made these very cute cupcakes to bring with me to a dinner party where there were going to be children so they wouldn’t feel left out while the adults had their “grown up” dessert . They went down a treat and the adults had to try them and loved them too! They are not made in the traditional cupcake method so end up having a lovely fudgy texture. The marshmallow frosting is simply gorgeous, very sweet and delicious and you can make the rocky road bark whatever way you like using what you have on hand. I adapted this recipe from Jo Wheatley who won the Great British Bake Off.

There are 3 stages to making these so my advice is to have the ingredients at the ready so you can smoothly move from one to stage to the next

Continue reading →

Rolo Caramel Cheesecake

cheesecake, rolo cheesecake, no bake cheesecake, fridge cheesecake, rolo, desserts

22 February 2016 ~ cozebakes ~ 1 Comment

A delicious, creamy dessert packed full of Rolos. It’s a no bake cheesecake so best to make it the day before you need it and let it set overnight in the fridge. They are a great dessert as you can make them well in advance which leaves you time for other things. I would recommend you leave it in the tin as long as you can as it doesn’t set totally solid like a baked cheesecake. It’s a little soft but just so gorgeous that it’s only a teeny issue.