Chocolate Fudge Brownies

September 7, 2015October 17, 2022 What Jessica Baked Next57 Comments

Chocolate fudge brownies made with cocoa powder and melted dark chocolate for a crisp, chewy exterior and divine, molten centre.

Everyone has their idea of certain qualities and characteristics the “perfect” brownie should have, this recipe produces a gorgeously fudgy and squidgy texture.

When I first tested this brownie recipe out I wasn’t entirely confident on how long to bake it for. Baking your brownies to the correct texture can prove a difficult task. A cake tester when inserted right into the centre of the brownie should when removed have a few moist crumbs attached. If the brownie is not fully baked then the cake tester will come out covered in raw batter. I find usually about 40-45 minutes in my oven is about the perfect timing.

You’ll need to leave the brownie once they’re baked for at least six hours or overnight. If I’m patient enough, I usually leave mine overnight and doing this makes slicing the brownies a lot easier and this time also allows the brownie to set. As hard as it might be, try to resist eating home-baked brownies until the next day, the flavour and texture improves the longer you leave them.

Though you’ll find there’s plenty of chocolate already in these brownies. Feel free to add chips or chunks of dark, milk or white chocolate or dried fruit and nuts. This is just a base recipe, go ahead and adapt it to make it your own!

When you’re ready to serve the brownies, slice them up and lightly dust with icing sugar. In our house we love brownies served with ice cream or whipped cream and fruit. You don’t really need any sauce as they’ll be rich enough on their own.

Serve these brownies at room temperature or warm them up in the microwave and they’ll go all deliciously gooey!

(Makes 16)

Ingredients:

200g butter, cut into small cubes

200g dark chocolate, coarsely chopped

3 large free-range eggs

2 large free-range egg yolks

115g plain flour

270g caster sugar

35g cocoa powder

Method:

Preheat oven to 160°C / 140°C Fan / 325°F / Gas Mark 4. Line a 20cm square tin with parchment paper and set aside.
Melt the butter and chocolate over a bain-marie or in the microwave in 20-second intervals until completely melted and smooth. Set this mixture aside and leave it to cool for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile beat the eggs and egg yolks together until combined. Once the chocolate mixture has cooled slightly, add the egg mixture and stir to combine.
In large mixing bowl, mix together the flour and sugar, sift the cocoa powder over the top and mix until thoroughly combined and no lumps of flour remain. Now add the chocolate mixture and stir until combined, try not to over mix otherwise this may result in your baked brownies being tough. Transfer the brownie batter to the prepared tin and smooth the surface. Bake the brownies for 40-45 minutes, they’ll be ready when they’re risen, the top has started to slightly crack and a cake tester when inserted into the centre comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached.
Leave the brownies to cool completely in the tin, then once cooled leave them to set for at least 6 hours or overnight for best results. When ready to serve, slice the brownies into 16 squares. Brownies will store in an airtight container for up to a fortnight.

Recipe from Taste

Keep up to date with me on:

Like my Facebook page here

Instagram: @whatjessicabakednext

Twitter: @jessbakednext

Pinterest: @jessbakednext

Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies

September 1, 2015January 7, 2017 What Jessica Baked Next72 Comments

Classic chocolate chip cookies. Soft, chewy and totally addictive!

Cookies are one of my food guilty pleasures, I love going back-to-basics and I thought it was about time share my go-to cookie recipe, jam packed full of gooey chocolate chips! I cannot think of anything more delicious!

Chocolate chip cookies are the ultimate treat. I think we can all pretty much agree on that? The perfect cookie in my opinion has to be soft and with chewiness to it. I’m not a fan of big cake-y cookies, I like a slight crisp outside, but a chewy interior.

I found the recipe for these delicious cookies when I was reading my friend Lilly’s blog post. She baked these cookies from Sally’s Baking Addiction (one of my fave blogs!) – they looked so delicious, that I had to try them out for myself! These cookies are simply the BEST chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever made and eaten.

I’m so happy to finally find a great chocolate chip cookie recipe! Most the cookies I’ve made before have either been dense, flat and greasy from too much butter and way too sweet. I once even added too much chocolate – yes, you can go overboard with the chocolate! I don’t even want to admit the amount of cookie dough and cookies I’ve munched my way through to find this brilliant recipe!

I love the addition of brown sugar in cookie dough – this brings a gorgeous caramel flavour to each bite. The other “secret” ingredient is cornflour (cornstarch), this guarantees the cookies are ultra chewy and soft – you must add it for the best CCC’s! Just a few teaspoons will make a whole lot of difference.

Preparing the cookie dough is really simple, it’s an all-in-one method with no mixer required! The hardest part is definitely resisting eating spoonful after spoonful of the uncooked dough! I’m sure we’re all guilty of doing this? 😉

I did my research and most sources suggested resting and allowing the cookie dough to chill in the refrigerator overnight. Overnight chilling not only adds to the flavour, but it will produce a thicker and far chewier cookie. It’s really tempting to bake the cookie dough straight away, but it is definitely worth the wait. Try it and you will see!

With this recipe I sometimes use a mix of milk and dark chocolate chips – this balances the sweetness and richness but if you prefer you can swap the chocolate chips for chunks of chocolate. When I visited New York last March, I was lucky enough to visit Jacques Torres chocolate factory in Brooklyn and have tour around the factory by Jacques himself. It was great to watch all the chocolate being crafted ready for Easter and see behind-the-scenes. I even got the chance to try his famous chocolate chip cookies. They were simply to die-for-good, the memories of biting into that chocolatey cookie…

I hope enjoying making and eating these as much as we did! Enjoy!

(Makes 16-20 depending on size)

Ingredients:

280g (2 and 1/4 cups) plain flour (all-purpose flour)

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

1 and 1/2 teaspoons cornflour

1/2 teaspoon salt

170g (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted (not boiling hot, cooled slightly)

135g (3/4 cup) light brown sugar

100g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

180g (1 cup) chocolate chips – I used a mix of milk and dark chocolate

Method:

In a small mixing bowl toss together the flour, baking soda, cornflour and salt until combined.
In a smaller bowl melt the butter. Add the sugars to the butter along with the vanilla and mix together until combined, this will take about 2 minutes.
Add the egg and egg yolk to the mixture and beat in to combine fully.
Fold the flour in, and mix until the dough starts to clump together. Finish by folding through the chocolate chips. Be careful not to over mix!
Place the cookie dough in a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap and leave to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. I made mine ahead of time and chilled the dough overnight – this is recommended.
When you’re ready to bake the cookies, preheat your oven to 325°/160 Fan assisted. Take the dough out of the refrigerator and allow to come up to room temperature – this will take about 10 minutes.
Portion the dough into balls – weigh for accuracy. Approx. 40g for each cookie. Now roll the cookie into an elongated shape – this will stop the cookie spreading out too much during baking.
Line 2-3 large baking sheets. Spread the cookies out on the baking sheets. Bake for 10-13 minutes, or until the cookies are a light golden colour.
Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 2-3 minutes, then carefully transport to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
Best enjoyed with a glass of milk or sandwiched together with ice cream! Enjoy!

Recipe Notes:

If using salted butter, reduce the salt to 1/4 tsp.
You can use a mix of milk and dark chocolate chips, if preferred.
Chill cookie dough for at least 2 hours prior to baking, overnight will produce the best results.

Recipe inspiration from Sally’s Baking Addiction

Serve with a glass of cold milk and you’re in chocolate chip cookie heaven!

Keep up to date with me on:

Like my Facebook page here

Instagram: @whatjessicabakednext

Twitter: @jessbakednext

Pinterest: @jessbakednext

Biscuits and Cookies · Cheesecake · Chocolate · No-Bake

Tim Tam Cheesecake

August 28, 2015March 24, 2016 What Jessica Baked Next55 Comments

Creamy, chocolatey Tim Tam cheesecake. The ultimate treat for any cheesecake lover. It’s easy to make and the best part is it’s completely no-bake!

The greatest thing about blogging is interacting with other bloggers and creating friendships with people who share the same passion as me. I started talking with my friend Lilly who writes the blog lillybites.com a while back. We have a lot in common and we both love food! When Lilly asked if I wanted to tart part in an ingredient swap and I was so excited because I’ve not had the chance to visit Australia yet and try Australian candy. We arranged to send each other a parcel containing favourite foods (like biscuits, chocolate bars etc…) from our countries.

Lilly is a big fan of my recipes, and she especially likes my Terry’s chocolate orange cookies even reviewing the recipe on her blog. If you’re from, live or are visiting Australia, Lilly reviews cafés, restaurants and bakeries mainly focussing around Sydney. Her blog is definitely worth taking a look at.

I cheekily mentioned to Lilly that I would love to try Tim Tams. We don’t get Tim Tams here in the UK and I’ve always been so eager to try them because everyone always says how tasty they are. When I received my parcel in the mail all the way from Sydney I was beyond excited to open it and see what was inside. Along with the Tim Tams I received vegemite chocolate. Yes you read it right, I said VEGEMITE. This was definitely the weirdest chocolate I’ve ever tasted. I also got to try traditional Aussie treats like Cherry Ripe (a coconut and cherry dark chocolate bar) and Milo which is a malt flavoured cocoa drink.

As soon as I received the Tim Tams I knew exactly what I wanted to make. It had to be a cheesecake!

This cheesecake starts like all my other cheesecake recipes, with a buttery biscuit base. This time I went for Bourbon biscuits, these are chocolate sandwich biscuits with chocolate buttercream filling. If you want you could substitute with chocolate Oreos or another of your favourite biscuit/cookie.

The cheesecake filling is made by folding white chocolate and a mix of chopped/crumbled Tim Tams into a simple no-bake vanilla white chocolate cheesecake.

Digging into each slice, the cheesecake is decadent and creamy smooth. You get a taste of Tim Tams in each bite! It’s quite a sweet and rich cheesecake so I recommend starting with a small slice and then going back for your next slice! 😉

(Serves 10-12)

Ingredients:

Biscuit Base –

140g (5 ounces) unsalted butter, melted

300g (11 ounces) Bourbon biscuits (you can use Oreos)

Cheesecake Filling –

500g (18 ounces) full-fat cream cheese

300ml/1/2 pint (1 and 1/4 cups) double/heavy cream

85g (3/4 cup) icing sugar, sifted

1 tsp vanilla extract

200g (7 ounces) white chocolate, melted and cooled slightly

Half a pack of TimTams (approx. 5-6) – chopped or crumbled

Method:

To prepare the base: Place the biscuits in food processor and blitz until fine crumbs. Or place the biscuits in a ziplock bag and crush with a rolling pin. Mix the biscuit crumbs with melted butter until combined. Press into the cheesecake tin until firm. Chill in the refrigerator.
To make the filling: Gently melt the white chocolate over a bain-marie or in the microwave in 20 second intervals. Once completely melted, leave to cool slightly. Whisk the cream with the vanilla and icing sugar until soft peaks form. In another mixing bowl, gently beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Fold through the cream and white chocolate. Then finish by folding in the chopped Tim Tams.
Spread the cheesecake filling over the biscuit base. Smooth over and level with a spatula or palette knife. Cover and leave in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight – I recommend overnight chilling.
Once set decorate in any way you like. I topped the cheesecake with chopped Tim Tams, but it would be great as it is!
Slice up and enjoy! The cheesecake will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

(Picture courtesy of lillybites.com)

Read Lilly’s review of my cookie recipe here

Enjoy!

Keep up to date with me on:

Like my Facebook page here

Instagram: @whatjessicabakednext

Twitter: @jessbakednext

Pinterest: @jessbakednext

Baking · Breakfast · Chocolate · Granola

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola

August 5, 2015October 17, 2022 What Jessica Baked Next58 Comments

Peanut butter and chocolate chip granola. The perfect mix of sweet ‘n’ salty flavour. If you love peanut butter, then this granola recipe is for you!

Peanut butter granola has to be one of my favourite breakfast recipes. PB + chocolate = amazing flavour combo! I have always loved making my own granola – when it’s homemade you know exactly what’s gone into it and you can easily control the sugar levels. It’s also a super fun activity baking your own. Plus, because of the chocolate chips, this granola definitely feels like you’re eating dessert for breakfast!

Ever since I shared this delicious vanilla almond granola, I’ve been hooked on creating and testing out new granola recipes. So many granola recipes, so little time!

The granola requires just a handful of ingredients, it’ll take you 30 minutes at tops to bake and makes a great breakfast treat any day of the week! You know it’s SO good because it even coerces me to get out of bed in the morning, which is usually a very hard thing to do! The granola makes a great snack too, you could easily add a handful of M&M’s or some roasted peanuts to the mix.

The recipe couldn’t be any simpler or easier to prepare. To start toss together oats and sugar. I also like to add a couple of tablespoons of brown sugar to this granola, I find it adds a yummy caramel flavour and gives the granola a slightly crunchy texture. Then all you need to do is melt together peanut butter, oil, honey/maple syrup and vanilla. Once melted, pour it over the oats and stir to coat. Spread out on a large baking tray and then bake until golden. I told you it was easy!

Once the granola is cooled I really like adding about a packet (100g / 1/2 cup of chocolate chips – I prefer adding dark chocolate chips or sometimes I even cut up chunks of chocolate if that’s what I have in my store cupboard.

Ingredients:

300g (3 cups) jumbo rolled oats

2 tablespoons dark or light brown sugar (optional)

60ml (1/4 cup) oil – I use rapeseed oil

125g (1/2 cup) smooth or crunchy peanut butter

125ml (1/2 cup) honey or maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

100g (1/2 cup) milk or dark chocolate chips

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 150°C / 130°C Fan / 300°F / Gas Mark 2. Line a large baking sheet with baking parchment or a silicone baking mat.

2. In a large mixing bowl toss together the oats and brown sugar (if using).

3. In a small saucepan, on a medium heat melt together the oil, peanut butter and maple syrup/honey and vanilla. Don’t boil or get this mixture too hot.

4. Pour the melted peanut butter mixture over the oats and mix to combine. Make sure all the oats are completely moistened. Spread the mixture out over the baking sheet and bake for 35 minutes – stirring every 10 minutes or so. Once the granola is cooked it will be soft and lightly golden and toasted.

5. Leave the granola on the tray to cool. As it cools it will get crisp. Once completely cool, mix through the chocolate chips. Store in an airtight container or jar. Granola will keep for up to two weeks. Great eaten by the handful or served with milk or yoghurt.

Enjoy!

Keep up to date with me on:

Like my Facebook page here

Instagram: @whatjessicabakednext

Twitter: @jessbakednext

Pinterest: @jessbakednext

Baking · Candy and Sweets · Chocolate

Nutella Cupcakes

May 19, 2015October 19, 2021 What Jessica Baked Next85 Comments

Beautifully light and fluffy chocolate fudge cupcakes with decadent Nutella buttercream. Decorate these divine cupcakes with a choice of Ferrero Rocher chocolates, sprinkles or chopped toasted hazelnuts.

I shared a Nutella cupcake recipe in the first few months after starting my blog. I remember I spent years baking cupcakes and experimenting with buttercream recipes. This buttercream is pure heaven for any Nutella lover. It has an a gorgeous light Nutella flavour and it doesn’t distract or overpower chocolate flavour in the cupcakes, making this combo a heavenly match.

The Nutella buttercream recipe comes with a warning. You’ll probably devour it before you even get a chance to decorate the cupcakes.

After swirling each cupcake with the heavenly buttercream I decorated some of the cupcakes with rainbow sprinkles, Ferrero Rocher chocolates and with chopped toasted hazelnuts. If you want to take these cupcakes to the next level, why not scoop out the centre of each cupcake and fill with Nutella.

Decoration is totally optional, however I can never resist decorating cupcakes with sprinkles.

So here it is, my favourite chocolate fudge cupcake topped with dreamy Nutella buttercream. Now it’s time to grab your apron and get baking these amazing cupcakes!

(Makes 12)

Ingredients:

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes:

85g (3 ounces) dark chocolate, finely chopped

40g (1/3 cup) cocoa powder

1 teaspoon instant coffee granules or powder (optional)

180ml (3/4 cup) boiling water

105g (3/4 cup) bread flour (can be substituted with plain/all-purpose flour)

150g (3/4 cup) caster or granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

6 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 large free-range eggs, at room temperature

2 teaspoons white vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Nutella Buttercream:

150g (1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons) salted or unsalted butter, softened – I recommend using salted butter for buttercream

250-300g (2 and 1/2 – 3 cups) icing (confectioners’) sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

200g (1 cup) Nutella or other chocolate hazelnut spread

3-4 tablespoons double/heavy cream or milk

Method:

To make the cupcakes: Place the chopped chocolate, cocoa powder and coffee granules/powder (if using) in a medium mixing bowl. Pour the boiling water over and whisk until smooth and all the chocolate has melted. Place in the fridge for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 180°C / 160°C Fan / 350°F / Gas Mark 4. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt and bicarbonate of soda until thoroughly combined. Whisk the oil, eggs, vinegar and vanilla into the now cooled chocolate mixture. Finally, add the dry ingredients and whisk until you have a smooth batter.
Divide the batter between the paper cases – I find using an ice cream scoop best for doing this as it makes less mess. Bake for 17-19 minutes or until the cupcakes are well risen and a cake tester comes out clean when inserted into the centre. Leave to cool in the tin for 5-10 minutes then transport to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
To make the buttercream: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the softened butter, mix on a low speed to soften slightly.
Add the icing sugar and vanilla extract and starting on a low speed mix until the butter and sugar are combined. Then turn the speed up to medium and beat for 2-3 minutes or until creamy and fluffy. Make sure you scrape down the sides of the mixer halfway through to ensure even mixing.
Now add the Nutella and cream and beat until combined.
To decorate the cupcakes: Fit a disposable piping bag with your favourite piping nozzle. Fill the bag with the buttercream. Pipe the buttercream onto each cupcake.
Finish by decorating the top of each cupcake with a choice of sprinkles, Ferrero Rocher chocolates or chopped toasted hazelnuts. Store the cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Keep up to date with me on:

Like my Facebook page here

Instagram: @whatjessicabakednext

Twitter: @jessbakednext

Pinterest: @jessbakednext

Baking · Buttercream and Frosting · Chocolate · Cupcakes

Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

April 28, 2015July 28, 2018 What Jessica Baked Next87 Comments

Sweet and sticky banana cupcakes with classic tangy cream cheese frosting. A delicious treat topped with banana slices and milk chocolate chips!

Say hello to my new favourite cupcake recipe! Sticky, buttery, moist and with a gorgeous banana flavour in each and every bite! A great bake to make when you have leftover over ripe bananas sat in your fruit bowl. These are extremely good topped with my go-to fluffy cream cheese frosting and scattered with milk chocolate chips!

These are definitely some the moistest cupcakes I’ve ever eaten and made. I much prefer banana cupcakes to homemade banana bread – which can have a drier texture. These cupcakes are just 100 x lighter and more enjoyable – plus they’re SO much easier to make, quick to bake and they taste even better! The 1/2 tsp addition of ground cinnamon in the cupcake batter is secret for the most incredibly flavoured banana cupcakes. I can’t imagine any banana bake without cinnamon added!

My sister made me chuckle she enjoyed these cupcakes so much and exclaimed “because these have banana in, it makes them healthy right?”. I couldn’t agree with that any more – so lets just forget about all the frosting and chocolate chips…I’ll take the whole tray quite happily!

This cream cheese frosting is pretty delicious too, so much so I could totally eat it straight from the bowl with a spoon. (Anyone else guilty of that?)

It’s fluffy and airy! I’m really happy to finally perfect cream cheese frosting. Before this recipe I’ve tried others and I always seemed to end up with lumpy or runny frosting. But this frosting recipe is great and the bonus is you cannot go wrong with it! I piped beautiful swirls on each cupcake but you can also just spread the frosting on each cupcake with a knife! If you fancy a twist add some Nutella or other chocolate spread to the top of the cupcake before icing.

Ingredients:

Banana Cupcakes:

120g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened

200g (1 cup) granulated or caster sugar

2 free-range eggs, at room temperature

120g (1/2 cup) sour cream – Greek yoghurt or buttermilk can be used too

2 medium ripe bananas, mashed

180g (1 and 1/2 cups plain (all-purpose) flour

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

Cream Cheese Frosting:

60g (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened

200g (1 3/4 cups) icing (confectioners’) sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

400g (14 oz) cream cheese, softened

Banana slices

Fudge cubes, chopped nuts or chocolate chips

Method:

1. To make the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C / 160°C Fan / Gas Mark 4. Line a 12-hole cupcake tin with paper liners.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment add the softened butter, sugar and vanilla. Cream on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Now add the eggs one by one, making each egg is incorporated before you add the next.

3. Now add the sour cream and mashed banana and mix again until combined. In a small bowl mix together the sifted flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Add to the mixer and mix on a medium speed for 1-2 minutes.

4. Take an ice cream scoop and distribute the cupcake batter between the paper liners. Make sure you fill 2/3 of the way up. Bake in the oven for 18-22 minutes or until a cake tester comes out completely clean of any uncooked batter. Once cooked through allow the cupcakes to cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then remove and leave to cool on a wire rack.

5. To make the cream cheese frosting: In a stand mixer add the softened butter. Cream on medium speed for about 2 minutes to soften. Now add the icing sugar and vanilla and starting on a low speed mix to combine. Continue to cream for 5 minutes or until really pale in colour – stop the mixer halfway through to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.

6. Once creamed add the softened cream cheese. Turn the mixer up and beat on high speed for approx. 2-3 minutes or until the frosting is thick, smooth and creamy. Once ready, fit a piping bag with your favourite nozzle. Fill the bag with the homemade frosting. Pipe onto each cupcake or simply spread two tablespoons of the frosting on each cupcake, if preferred.

7. Finish by decorating the cupcakes with a banana slice, chopped nuts or some chocolate chips.

Banana cupcake recipe adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod

Enjoy!

Keep up to date with me on:

Like my Facebook page here

Instagram: @whatjessicabakednext

Twitter: @jessbakednext

Pinterest: @jessbakednext

Baking · Buttercream and Frosting · Cakes · Chocolate · Cupcakes

Vanilla Sponge Cupcakes with White Chocolate Buttercream – Laura Ashley Blog Feature

April 2, 2015April 3, 2015 What Jessica Baked Next60 Comments

I’m featuring these cute cupcakes over at the Laura Ashley blog! They’re perfect for Easter, kids will have so much fun baking them and decorating with all the chocolate and sweets!

I’m so happy to be working with the Laura Ashley blog again. It’s such a beautiful and luxurious British company and I’m a frequent buyer of their products. These cute cupcake cases and bunny ear toppers are so perfect for any Easter celebration.

I decided to keep the recipe simple and share a classic sponge cupcake. They’re light, super buttery and this recipe never lets me down – I’ve been making these sponge cakes since I was tiny with my mum so it’s a recipe that’s very close to me. I’ve topped each cupcake with a swirl of the most divine white chocolate buttercream. These cupcakes are always a massive hit with anyone who tries one – they always go down a storm with my taste testers! I will definitely be making these again and again over Easter! They would also make a brilliant tasty addition to an Easter-inspired afternoon tea party!

As well as baking with the cute cupcake cases and bunny ear toppers I also received some gorgeously delicious Easter mini chocolate eggs. They’re extremely tasty too and would be great to decorate and top each cupcake with! I really love the cupcake stand from the Laura Ashley blog too – it’s pretty and the perfect reminder of springtime!

Makes 10-12 cupcakes –

Vanilla Sponge Cupcakes –

150g of unsalted butter, softened

150g of sugar – you can light brown or granulated/caster

1 tsp of vanilla extract or 1/2 tsp of vanilla bean paste

3 large free-range eggs, at room temperature

150g of self-raising flour, sifted

2-4 tbsp of water or milk, enough to loosen the cake batter

White Chocolate Buttercream –

150g of unsalted butter, must be really softened

250-300g of icing sugar, sifted

1 tsp of vanilla extract or 1/2 tsp of vanilla bean paste

150g of white chocolate, melted and cooled slightly

2-3 tbsp of milk or double cream

Decoration –

Bunny easter cupcake cases and ear toppers, to bake and decorate with

White chocolate chips or curls

Mini chocolate easter eggs

Method –

1. To make the cupcakes: Preheat your oven to 180 degrees C Fan / 200 degrees C / 400 F / Gas mark 6. Line your cupcake tin with the paper liners and set aside.

2. In a stand mixer or in a large mixing bowl with a wooden spoon cream the butter, sugar and vanilla together until light and fluffy. This will take about 5 minutes (a lot of elbow grease!). Then beat in the eggs one by one. Add the flour and fold in gently to combine fully. Loosen the batter with water or milk and then evenly distribute into the cupcake cases. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean of any uncooked batter. Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then remove and leave to cool on a wire rack.

3. For the white chocolate buttercream: In stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream the butter, icing sugar together – starting on low speed until it’s just combined. Then gradually turn the speed up and cream for a further 5-7 minutes until light and extremely creamy. Add the melted and now cooled white chocolate along with the milk or cream and beat until smooth for another few seconds.

4. To decorate: Fit a piping bag with your favourite nozzle – I used my favourite Wilton large star tip. Fill the piping bag with your buttercream. Pipe swirls onto the top of each cupcake, then finish decorating with easter chocolate or sprinkles you like!

(Photo from lauraashley.com) Buy some of these baking goodies and try these delicious cupcakes just in time for Easter!

Enjoy the recipe everyone! Wishing you all a beautiful Easter and brilliant weekend!

Baking · Bread · Chocolate · Vegan

Vegan Chocolate Orange Hot Cross Buns

March 31, 2015March 5, 2022 What Jessica Baked Next37 Comments

A traditional Easter bake with a chocolatey twist. These hot cross buns are packed full of chocolate chips and orange zest and spice for a delicious treat. A good Friday favourite brought to your kitchen!

Easter is all about the chocolate right? I’ve been inspired to make chocolate filled hot cross buns for so long now! All the supermarkets here are putting a modern twist on the traditional recipe – which I think is really great. As chocolate orange is one of my favourite flavour combo’s I thought it would make a great hot cross bun recipe!

The chocolate chips bring a bit of indulgence to the traditional hot cross bun and their great to bake with if you’re like me and aren’t too fond of raisins and sultanas. The orange brings a delicious zesty and fresh addition and makes these buns the perfect breakfast treat with a coffee. Each bun also has a lovely mix of spice – the recipe includes both ground cinnamon and mixed spice. Both of my favourite spices in my pantry!

Making hot cross buns or any enriched dough is time consuming, but once you taste the final bake, all the work and time waiting will be worth it!

The original photo I shared back in March 2015!

Once baked, the buns are brushed with orange syrup which keeps the buns extra moist and adds even more orange flavour. Alternatively, you can brush the buns with warm marmalade, apricot jam or golden/maple syrup.

Vegan Chocolate Orange Hot Cross Buns

These hot cross buns are packed full of chocolate chips and orange zest and spice for a delicious treat. A good Friday favourite brought to your kitchen!

Prep Time 3 20

Cook Time 20

Total Time 3 40

Servings 12 buns

Ingredients

Hot Cross Bun Dough:

300 ml plant milk
50 g dairy-free spread or baking block
500 g strong white bread flour
7 g sachet fast-action dried yeast
65 g caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons mixed spice
150 g dark chocolate chips
Zest from 1 large orange

Flour Crosses:

70 g plain flour

Orange Sugar Syrup:

50 g caster sugar
Juice from one large orange

Instructions

Place the plant milk and dairy-free spread/baking block in a small pan and heat gently until simmering. Take off the heat and allow to cool slightly to hand temperature.
Mix the flour, sachet of yeast, sugar, salt, and spices in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre and pour in the lukewarm milk/butter mixture. Combine with a spoon until a dough forms. Knead the dough by hand on a floured surface or in a mixer fitted with a dough hook for 5-7 minutes until smooth and elasticated. Shape the dough into a ball and place in well buttered/oiled bowl, cover and leave to rise for an approx. 1 and 1/2 - 2 hours) or until doubled in size.
Now add the chocolate chips and orange zest to the dough and knead these ingredients into the dough until evenly distributed. Divide the dough into 12 equally sized pieces and roll each into a ball. Arrange the buns on a large baking tray that's been lined with parchment paper, leaving about a 2cm gap between each bun. Cover lightly and leave the buns to rise for 45-60 minutes or until joined up doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 200°C / 180°C Fan / 400°F / Gas Mark 6. To make the crosses for the buns, place the plain flour in a small bowl, adding one tablespoon of water at a time until you have a thick paste that can be piped. Spoon it into a piping bag that's fitted with a small round nozzle and pipe crosses on top of the buns.
Bake the buns for 15-20 minutes - do watch them as they pick up colour very quickly. They're ready to take out of the oven when they've turned a light golden colour on the outside.
Once the buns have come out the oven, while they're still warm, make the orange syrup by combining the orange juice and sugar in a small pan. Heat until all the sugar has dissolved and mixture has started to bubble. Brush the hot syrup over the warm buns.
Allow the buns to cool slightly, then they're ready to eat. They'll keep for up to 3 days. Best eaten on the day of baking, but a blast in the microwave or toasting revives them.

If you want to make traditional hot cross buns, swap the chocolate for the same amount of dried fruit. The chocolate chip hot cross buns are our favourite!

Easter bakes to try!

Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Mini Cheesecakes

Chocolate Traybake

Carrot Cake Traybake

Keep up to date with me on:

Like my Facebook page here

Instagram: @whatjessicabakednext

Twitter: @jessbakednext

Pinterest: @jessbakednext

Cheesecake · Chocolate · No-Bake

No-Bake Crunchie Cheesecake

February 28, 2015January 29, 2023 What Jessica Baked Next40 Comments

Milk chocolate cheesecake studded with crushed Cadbury Crunchie chocolate bars. These chocolate-coated honeycomb bars are the star of the show, in this sensational no-bake cheesecake.

This is actually a recipe-redo from a little while back. This cheesecake recipe has been requested through emails from many readers and I finally got round to making one and I’m really happy to share (and eat) it all over again!

I have always loved no-bake cheesecakes more than the baked varieties. No-bake cheesecakes are always great because they can be made ahead of time and look really impressive. The hardest part is always waiting for the cheesecake to chill and set.

This cheesecake is one of my favourites to date. Chocolate coated honeycomb is one of the best types of chocolate bars and, when combined with this easy, fluffy milk chocolate cheesecake, it makes a delicious showstopper dessert.

If you’re a lover of Cadbury Crunchie bars, then why not give this cheesecake recipe a whirl! You’ll love all aspects of it, the buttery biscuit base, and the milk chocolate cheesecake layer full of Crunchie pieces.

The Crunchie bar inside the cheesecake will lose its crunchiness a little, and will slightly ooze/weep, but it’s still amazing nonetheless! Also, decorate the top of the cheesecake as close to serving, otherwise the Crunchie topping will soften too.

Grab the ingredients and head to your kitchen to make this fabulous cheesecake. You won’t regret doing it!

No-Bake Crunchie Cheesecake

Milk chocolate cheesecake studded with crushed Cadbury Crunchie chocolate bars. The divine chocolate-coated honeycomb bar is the star of the show, in this sensational no-bake cheesecake.

Prep Time 6 15

Total Time 6 15

Servings 12

Author What Jessica Baked Next

Ingredients

Biscuit Base:

155 g butter (salted or unsalted)
360 g digestives I use a mixture of plain and milk chocolate digestives

Chocolate Cheesecake:

300 g dark or milk chocolate I use 100g dark chocolate and 200g milk chocolate
600 g full-fat cream cheese softened - I leave mine out at room temperature for about an hour
3 tablespoons icing sugar
300 ml double cream
4 Cadbury Crunchie Bars cut into small pieces - add more if you like

Decoration:

Melted chocolate
Whipped cream
Cadbury Crunchie Bars

Instructions

To prepare the biscuit base: Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Blitz the biscuits in a food processor to a fine crumb. Add the melted butter and mix until well combined. Tip the biscuit crumbs into a 23cm springform cake tin and press down until firm. Use the back of a spoon to smooth over, place in the fridge to chill whilst you make the filling.
To make the cheesecake filling: Melt the chocolate over a bain-marie or in the microwave in 20 second intervals. Leave to cool for a few minutes - chocolate stills needs to be slightly warm before adding the remaining cheesecake ingredients later to avoid lumps forming. In a medium mixing bowl beat together the cream cheese with the icing sugar until combined.
In another mixing bowl whisk the cream until soft peaks form. Fold through the melted chocolate into the cream cheese mixture. Now gently fold the cream into the cream cheese mix. Finally, fold through the chopped Crunchie chocolate bars.
Spoon the cheesecake mixture over the biscuit base and smooth over with a spatula or palette knife. Cover and leave to chill for at least 6 hours, or preferably overnight.
When ready to serve, remove the cheesecake from the tin and decorate as desired. I drizzled mine with extra melted milk chocolate, piped some more whipped cream around the edge and sprinkled over more crushed Crunchie bars.
The cheesecake can be made ahead of time, leave it in the tin, covered with cling film for up to 3 days. Leftover slices can be stored in an airtight container in a fridge.

More cheesecake recipes to try next!

No-Bake White Cheesecake with Raspberry Coulis

Vegan Oreo Cheesecake

No-Bake Terry’s Chocolate Orange Cheesecake

Keep up to date with me on:

Like my Facebook page here

Instagram: @whatjessicabakednext

Twitter: @jessbakednext

Pinterest: @jessbakednext

Baking · Biscuits and Cookies · Chocolate · No-Bake

Oreo Cookies ‘n’ Cream Chocolate Tart

January 17, 2015June 17, 2016 What Jessica Baked Next57 Comments

This recipe is hands down one of my favourite no-bake recipes to date. I absolutely love it! Pure chocolaty deliciousness, this dessert is sure to be any chocoholics paradise. This delicious no-bake recipe is quick to make and will certainly impress anyone who tries it.

Like I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I’ve been super excited to create more no-bake recipes since I posted this no-bake Biscoff Chocolate Tart. Like that tart recipe, this Oreo tart was a breeze to make and tasted divine. A crunchy, sweet and buttery Oreo base is followed by the easiest ever chocolate filling (using just 4 ingredients to make!) and then the finishing touches are pretty swirls of whipped cream and even more Oreos to decorate.

(Serves 8-10)

Ingredients:

Oreo Crust –

250g Oreos (or other chocolate sandwich biscuit/cookie)

90g unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

No-Bake Chocolate Filling –

100g dark chocolate

100g milk chocolate

200ml double cream, chilled

2 tablespoons icing sugar, add more or less to taste

Decoration –

Whipped cream

Oreos or mini Oreos

Method:

1. To make the tart crust: Blitz the Oreos until they’ve reached a fine “breadcrumb” texture and then transfer into a mixing bowl. Mix through and combine with the melted butter. Line/grease a 23cm loose-bottomed tart tin, tip the biscuit crumbs into the tin and press down to compact, also press up the sides too. Once prepared, place in the fridge to chill whilst you make the filling.

2. For the tart filling: Break the chocolate up into small pieces and add to a heatproof bowl. Melt either one of two ways in the microwave for 20 seconds intervals on medium heat, keep stirring until the chocolate is nearly fully melted- KEEP you eye on chocolate, it can quickly overheat and be ruined! Or simply melt using the bain-marie method. Leave to cool.

3. Whilst the chocolate is cooling whip the cream. Whip until soft peaks form and then fold in the icing sugar. Then pour in the melted chocolate and fold in completely to mix. Pour/spread the filling over the prepared crust, smooth over a spatula or palate knife. Finish by drizzling over some melted dark chocolate if you like. Then cover and chill for at least 6 hours or overnight.

4. To decorate: Pipe swirls of whipped cream over the tart. Finish by sprinkling over crushed Oreos. Slice up. The tart can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Enjoy!

Keep up to date with me on:

Like my Facebook page here

Instagram: @whatjessicabakednext

Twitter: @jessbakednext

Pinterest: @jessbakednext