Shape Sifter

Never in my life have I wanted a flour sifter more than right now. I reckon this Tala sifter would make a cracking gift for any keen bakers out there. The Cook's Dry Measure would just top it off, one for the Christmas thinking caps.

Harrop & Penny stock loads of products you didn't know you wanted as well as  take some of the best product photography I've come across in ages. Definitely the find of the week (thanks to Hollie).

I just need to learn to bake something other than cookies.

Peanut Butter & Nutella Cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (I used maple syrup instead)
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
Approx. 1/4 cup Nutella

I saw this recipe a few weeks ago on Delightful Bitefuls and decided to try it, what a way to spend my Friday night hey! Anyways it turned out really well, they taste great (everyone at my work can back me up on this one as they whole tray I took in was gone in a bout 2 hours). The only thing is, they didn't go hard enough, they sort of fall apart if you hold them too long. Does anyone know how to stop this or what I did wrong?

I've been getting into cooking/baking a lot more over the past year but this was my first attempt at cookies. Big pat on the back for me.

Mississippi Mud Pie

I was all out of good ideas for Hollies birthday, seems as I have used up all my good ideas! So I decided to bake her a cake, Mississippi Mud Pie to be exact, one of her favs. If you're interested here is there recipe I used:

Ingredients,

For the base

300g bourbon biscuits, crushed

85g butter, melted

For the filling

85g dark chocolate, minimum 70 per cent cocoa solids for sure

95g/ butter

2 free-range egg

85gmuscovado sugar

100ml double cream

For the fudge sauce

150g dark chocolate

150ml double cream, plus extra to serve

3 tbsp golden syrup

175g icing sugar, sieved

On to the fun bit

Preheat the oven to 180C/365F/Gas 4.

-Mix the biscuits and melted butter together in a bowl. Press the mixture into the base and sides of a 23cm/9in springfrom tin. Chill in the fridge for 10 minutes.
-For the filling, melt the chocolate and butter together in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. (Do not let the base of the bowl touch the water).
-Meanwhile, whisk the eggs and sugar together in a bowl for 5-6 minutes, or until thick and creamy. Fold in the cream and melted chocolate mixture. Pour into the chilled springform tin and bake in the oven for 40-50 minutes, or until just set. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool completely.
-Then for the fudge sauce, heat all of the fudge sauce ingredients in a saucepan, stirring regularly, over a medium heat until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Set aside till cool.

Spread the sauce over the cooled pie and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes. Serve with tones of double cream!

Simple as that and I can safely say it tasted brilliant. Not too shabby for my first ever cake hey!
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Also, I was tagged by Ella Master's the other week, if you haven't visited her blog you really should. She does the sweetest water colours and illustrations. Here goes:

10 things I like( in no particular order)

1. Nature

2. Furniture and architecture

3. Strong coffee with cake

4. Anything to do with space

5. 50s/60s rock/pop/blues music

6. Workwear/Heritage

7. Improvised comedy

8. My girlfriend

9. Art and photography

10. Cheese and beans on toast with brown sauce and black pepper