Easter Giveaway!!

 Would you like to win these Easter goodies?

You would?

There's an Easter card with a padded bunny motif...

There's a cotton treat bag - filled with chococolate ...

There's an emergency chocolate pocket - including chocolate of course...

And there's a very ugly, boggle eyed chicken.

But she does have a chocolate egg up her bum, so that's good.

(Her name is Ethel.)

So, what do you have to do to be a winner??

• You could leave a comment on this blog post and I will put your name in the proverbial hat.
• If you are a new follower to this blog you will get an extra entry. (Make sure you tell me in your comment.)
• You could like me on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/shazronniemakesstuff - all new likers from today will be in with a chance.
• If you visit my facebook page you will also be able to get more entries by sharing and commenting there.

(Disclaimer; all these items have been made by me, they are not toys and should not be given to children without supervision - they might choke on a little bead or scoff all the chocolate.)

The giveaway closes on the 26th March so that I can get the goodies posted by Easter.

(And if you live locally I will also give you 6 lovely free range eggs from my chickens!)

Linking up with handmade Thursday at White Lily Green.

Chocolate coconut cake

Cream 225g soft butter with 200g caster sugar.

Add 175g self raising flour, 25g cocoa powder, 25g coconut milk powder and 1 teaspoon baking powder.

Add 4 eggs and beat until smooth and well mixed.

Bake for 40 minutes at 180 degrees.

To make the icing mix 2 tablespoons chocolate spread with 100g icing sugar and enough hot water to make a smooth paste. Spread over cake and sprinkle with dessicated coconut.

White choc, almond and cranberry blondies

Possibly the most delicious cake combination ever.

Melt 200g unsalted butter, then leave in a large bowl until it is just warm.

Beat in 150g caster sugar and 2 tsp vanilla extract.

Beat in 2 eggs, then add 250g self raising flour and 1 tsp baking powder.

Mix well, then add 150g dried cranberries.

Stir in 100g chopped white chocolate and 100g chopped almonds (or other nuts.)

Spread mixture evenly in a square tin lined with non stick paper.

Dot 6 teaspoons of cranberry sauce over the top.

Bake at 160 degrees for 40 minutes until just set.

Allow to cool in the tin, the middle will sink a little, press down the edges with a spatula.

Cut into 16 squares when cool, try not to eat all 16 pieces at once.

Big Chocolate Buttons

This idea is from BBC Good Food Magazine November 2010 issue.

You need non-stick baking paper, a cup, a pencil, chocolate, sprinkles and sweets.

Draw around the cup onto the non-stick paper. Good for motor skills; Anthony actually found this quite difficult.

Spread melted chocolate inside the circles; it doesn't matter if they're not quite round!

Decorate with sprinkles and sweeties; Anthony favours the "chuck a bit of everything on" method.

Put them in the fridge to set.

Ta-dah! They look great and taste delicious!

Chocolate cupcakes

Mmmmmmm.........

Chocolate and Almond Biscotti

Mix 300g plain flour, 75g cocoa powder and 1 tsp baking powder in a large bowl.

Add 100g chopped plain chocolate and 50g chopped almonds.

In another bowl cream together 225g granulated sugar and 75g soft butter.

Gradually whisk in 2 eggs.

Stir the dry ingredients into the butter, sugar, egg mixture until you have a stiff dough.

With your hands make two logs about 12 inches long, flatten them slightly then place on a baking sheet.

Bake at 180 degrees for 45 minutes.

Leave to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then cut diagonally into slices, about 2cm thick.

Eat all of the yummy crumbs.

Arrange the slices on the baking tray and bake for a further 10 - 15 minutes until crisp.

Cool on a wire rack.

Enormous chocolate cookies with buttons

Melt 200g plain chocolate and 50g butter in a large bowl over a pan of simmering water.

Stir in 1 can (397g) of condensed milk and remove from the heat.

Allow to cool, then mix in 225g self raising flour.

Chill in fridge for 10 minutes or so.

Place large teaspoonfuls on a baking tray. Leave plenty of space to allow them to spread.

Press 2 or 3 chocolate buttons (stolen from children's lingering Easter chocolate stash) into each cookie.

Bake at 180 degrees for 15 minutes; the cookies will still be quite soft but will harden up when cooled.

Easter Egg Stash-busting Milk Chocolate Cake

Cream 150g margarine with 250g caster sugar.

Blend in 75g melted milk chocolate (easter egg!) and 3 egg yolks.

Gradually add 250g sifted self raising flour and 180ml milk and mix until smooth.

Beat the 3 egg whites until stiff, and carefully fold into the mixture.

Bake at 180 degrees for 35 - 40 minutes.

Allow to cool, then cover with more melted easter egg, and sweets as desired.

Happy Easter

Home made hot cross buns for Good Friday.

Cornflake nests.

Let's go on an egg hunt!

Happy Easter everybody!

Malteser no bake fridge cake

Melt 75g butter and 2 tbsp golden syrup in a saucepan.

Weigh 150g of digestive biscuits...

 ... and bash them up!

Mix the crumbs into the melted butter and syrup, add 2 tbsp cocoa and 100g of bashed up maltesers.

Allow to cool slightly then add 50g of whole maltesers. (Or the rest of the box after you have sampled a few!)

Press the mixture down in a cling film lined container and leave to set in the fridge for 2 hours.

Chocolate fudge cake

My first cake of 2010!

I got a new book for Christmas and this is the first recipe I've taken from it.

Mary Berry's Baking Bible

As now is the time for resolutions I have decided in 2010 I will purchase no more processed shop bought cake. Only home made, delicious, fresh cake for us from now on.

Chocolate and cherry oat cookies

I have decided I need to perfect my biscuit making. For some reason I've never really made cookies and things, but these were pretty easy so I'm inspired to try some more recipes.

Cream 125g unsalted butter (although I didn't have enough butter so used 75g butter and 50g margarine) with 125g caster sugar.

Add 1 egg, half tsp baking powder, 150g sifted plain flour and 125g porridge oats. Mix until evenly combined. Stir in 10g chocolate chunks and 100g choped glace cherries.

Put dessertspoonfuls of the mixture on a lined baking tray and flatten slightly. Space them out to allow for some spreading.

Bake for 12 - 15 minutes at 180 degrees. Cool on wire rack - they are soft when they come out of the oven but crisp up when cooled.

Apparently these are good for freezing, but I can't see many of them being left by the end of tomorrow!

Chocolate fudge - not for dieters.

This is my first foray into confectionery, and it is pretty good. I think I will be making up a batch for teacher's gifts closer to Christmas, and maybe for some non-weightwatching friends and relatives.

Here's the recipe. (Makes loads - about 1 1/2 lb)

In a medium, heavy based saucepan put 225g granulated sugar, 50g unsalted butter, a 397g tin of condensed milk, 1 tbsp clear honey and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Heat gently until the sugar dissolves - keep stirring all the time.

Bring to the boil, and boil for 6 - 8 minutes - keep stirring all the time!

Remove pan from heat and beat in 100g grated dark chocolate until smooth and glossy.

Pour mixture into square cake tin (lined with baking parchment) and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Chop into squares. Store in an airtight container.

I've put some in an old jam jar, and it looks quite attractive. I might also try wrapping some in cellophane and tying up with ribbon.

Take some boring biscuits....

...and make them into Tiffin!

This is the only way I like to eat digestives! (Or rich tea!)

Melt 100g butter, 3 dessert spoons drinking chocolate, 1 dessert spoon caster sugar, 2 tablespoons golden syrup.

Stir in 200g bashed up boring biscuits and 100g raisins. (Actually I used 50g raisins and 50g choped prunes.)

Squash into square tin, top with melted chocolate (about 200g) and leave to set in the fridge.