My Three Favourite Easy Sweet Recipes

Let me start by saying these are NOT my recipes. I did not make them up myself. Although I'd love to say they are. If you read my previous blog you will know I am not skilled enough to start creating or experimenting with food.

God help my poor kids and boyfriend if I did.

I have three of my all time favourite recipes that I have made time and time again that always turn out delicious. All thanks to one, nothing short of a genius, woman. Her name is Gemma Stafford. She is a professional chef on YouTube. Her channel is called Bigger Bolder Baking. When I found her channel I cracked the art of cooking.

Everything I have attempted to make from her was a success. I get requests after requests to make them from my family. When I do they don't last a day in the house. Now that is saying something with a fussy eating toddler and weak stomached man. The baby will eat play dough and think its delicious so I don't take notes from him.

I have tried many different recipes from other chefs and Gemma is by FAR the best. The woman needs a medal! I follow her religiously on YouTube and I suggest you do to if you want to be the mum who makes the best cookies. I will always check to see if Gemma has a recipe for me before I cook something nowadays.

Her recipes are Jade proof!

Although I love to cook I'm a lazy cook. If there's a short cut I would have tried it. Also I don't always have the correct equipment. Cooking is expensive! I'm lucky though as my mother and grandmother are cooks, so I usually borrow (and never give back) their equipment. Here's a great tip for you if your starting off. Keep borrowing your mothers. She will get so fed up in the end she will buy you your own. 

So here are my three all time favourite sweet recipes. I will advise you on where to buy some of the items because I always food shop on a budget. I'm now a pro at food shopping (sad I know). If you'd like a blog post on meal planning, shopping lists, budgeting and healthy but nice easy food just leave me a comment below.  My independent know it all brother even seeks my help in this department. My food shopping lists and meal plans would give an OCD an orgasm.

1. Gronola

Breakfast. Worst meal of the day for me. The baby is like a wild zoo animal in the morning and my toddler seems to always be nursing a hangover. He cant move without moaning and needs a good two hours to come around. So I either skip it but then I'm like a raving lunatic by 11am. Or I eat cold toast...lovely and boring. I had to find a new easy quick breakfast that I will enjoy. No one wakes up thinking 'www I cant wait for my Weetabix.'

I wanted to find something that I look forward to eating and by god this is it. It tastes like crushed cookies. My Toddler snacks on it like a pack of crisps. Better yet its healthy but doesn't taste it. Put some on Greek Yoghurt, Fresh fruit and honey.

AMAZING! Its nothing like the stuff you can buy. Don't say you don't like granola until you have tried this one.

Ingredients:

2 cups of Rolled Oats porridge oats I use, Aldies

1/4 cup of brown sugar Aldies

200g Pecan nuts you will find these in the cooking isle, Morrison's are the cheapest

1/4 Maple Syrup Aldies is where it wint cost you and arm and a leg but also good quality or use GOOD quality honey which I have done before. Tastes amazing either way. Cheap honey is watery.

1/4 vegetable oil

2 tbsp warm water

Pinch of salt

Method:

Preheat Oven to gas mark 4/ 160

In a large bowl combine oats, nuts, and brown sugar.

She also added shredded coconut in hers, I didn't because I don't like it.

In a separate bowl combine maple syrup, oil and salt.


I have been lazy once and thrown everything in one bowl, saves dishes. No!
For some reason it doesn't taste the same. Stick to the two bowl method.

Combine both mixtures and pour onto a baking sheet on a baking tray.

Cook for around 45/55 mins. Turning every 20mins. Until brown all over.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool before placing in an air tight container.
Try it warm... It will last for 2months there. It doesn't last a day in mine so I always double up on the recipe.

Enjoy x

2. No Machine Ice Cream

Three Ingredients and no machine. Nothing short of a genius like I said. I challenge you to try this and try not to say it tastes like a Joes Ice Cream. So creamy. I can't make this enough for my family. My mother even bought me ice cream containers so id have no excuse but to make her some when I'm making some for us. You don't need a mixer machine, a  whisk will do. But be warned you will need some arm muscle.

Ingredients:

1 can of sweetened Condensed milk put in fridge over night, farmfoods or home bargins.  

2 Pots/ 450ml of double cream or whipping cream Farmfoods 2 for £1

1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract (not essence) I  advise the one will the vanilla seeds in wroth the extra cost Tesco

Method:

In your mixer beat the cream on high until it forms stiff peaks.

Turn down speed, add cold condensed milk until combined.

Stir in vanilla extract
Place in a container suitable, I used an old ice cream container or you can use them plastic takeaway boxes. Put in freezer for at least 4 hours before you eat.
Pull out of freezer at least 10 minutes before you want to eat it. I have broken a spoon trying to dig it out. After 10 minutes it  will not only tastes likes a Joes but has the same texture.

Enjoy x









3. Short Bread Biscuits

I'm usually a chocolate covered biscuit kind of person. But I tried this recipe off Gemma when I wanted to make Sponge Bob Biscuits for Harry. They are unbelievably buttery, moist and oh no satisfying. You can't buy a nicer biscuit even a Fox Biscuit would be put to shame. It's no easy and simple to make...just try it! You wont regret it.
Before you start your butter needs to be room temperature. I forgot once and thought that it wont make much difference. Almost breaking my mothers precious expensive machine gave me a mini heart attack. I didn't mam. No damage!
You will need an electric mixer
You will need to place dough into fridge for an hour before cooking.

Ingredients:
3/4 pounds/ 1 1/12 cups butter Clover, Asda
1 cup of sugar Adlies
1 tsp. vanilla extract Tesco
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour Adlies
1/4 tsp. salt or a pinch

Method:
Preheat oven to gas mark 5/ 180

In the electric mixer fitted with a paddle, mix butter and sugar until light and pale.

Add the vanilla and stir.

In a bowl sift together the flour and salt. No sift, skip. I have before or use a food drainer.

Add them to the butter and sugar mixture.

Mix on a low speed until dough forms.

Flour the work top and roll into a disk shape No rolling pin? use a bottle of water.

Wrap in cling film and place in fridge for an hour. Or sandwhich bag.

Unwrap and roll out onto floured work top 1/2 inch thick take a guess

Cut out any shape with cookie cutters or use a knife.

Place onto baking sheet onto baking tray Must use baking sheet

Sprinkle with sugar

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes in the middle of the oven.

Allow to cook down before transferring to cooking rack.

Decorate as you like.

Enjoy x

Please let me know if you try out any of these.

Thanks for reading.

Jade
xxx