Orange and Chocolate Bread and Butter Pudding.

Inspired by Jaffa Cakes!
Originally it should be  made from stale, left over bread. So the irony of this recipe is, that I went shopping for a lovely brioche loaf and let it dry out. Best served warm.
400 gr brioche loaf (cut the crusts off)
3 egg yolks
300 ml of double cream
100 ml of milk
1 vanilla pod (optional)
orange marmalade (jam)
a handfull of dark chocolate chunks (about 70 gr)
30 gr of light brown sugar
50 gr unsalted butter
Firstly heat up cream and milk together to the scorching point, don't let it boil. Put the vanilla seeds and  pod in it, let it cool down.
Preheat the oven 180C/ gaz mark 4.
Butter the pie dish.
Make small butter and marmalade sandwiches, arrange them snugly in the dish , you might need a couple of layers . Sprinkle the dark chocolate chunks (if more then 1 layer, sprinkle between the layers).

Set aside.

Beat the egg yolks with 20 gr of sugar till light and fluffy, strain cream and milk(make sure it's cooled down) and add slowly to the eggs . Whisk for about 5 min. Pour the custard over the bread, sprinkle the rest of the sugar on top.

Bake for 30-40 min, untill the top has caramelised  and the custard is set.

Enjoy!

Chocolate and Raspberry Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting.

A couple of years ago a friend of mine gave me a book with cupcake recipes from a famous bakery, strangely, I have never actually made anything from this book... until now. I took a basic chocolate cupcake and cream cheese frosting recipe and added freeze-dried raspberries to both. The recipe should make 12 cupcakes, I made 11(!). Next time I will take smaller paper cases.
For cupcakes:
2-3 tbsp of cocoa
140 gr caster sugar
130 gr plain flour
1,5 tsp baking powder
40 gr soft butter
pinch of salt
120 ml milk
0,5 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
Preheat your oven gaz mark3/170C .
Whisk together in a bowl egg, milk and vanilla extract.
In a mixer bowl mix together the rest of the ingredients till well combined, slowly add the egg and milk mixture to it.Add half of freeze-dried raspberries. Mix for a further 2-3 min, don't overbeat it.

Spoon the mixture into the paper cases, 2/3 full.

Bake for 20-30 min, check after 20 min with a wooden skewer or a toothpick. When the cupcakes are ready it's clean.

Let them cool down in the oven for 15 min, then take them out.

Whilst the cakes are cooling make the frosting.

300 gr icing sugar(sifted)

50 gr soft butter

125 gr cream cheese

Beat the sugar and butter together, add the cream cheese and rest of the raspberries and mix for good 5 min.

Make sure your cupcakes have completely cooled down before decorating. 

Let the icing set for about 15 minutes, enjoy them fresh!