Friday 1 March 2013

And my favourite food is... GRUFFALO CRUMBLE!

Gruffalo Crumble Bars:

These little bars are my new favourite recipe - they're supereasy to make and absolutely delicious. A friend of mine is hosting a Gruffalo themed party for her son this weekend, and it suddenly hit me that they could definitely pass for the Gruffalo Crumble in the book; with their brown chocolate fudge centres and crumble-esque topping; so it clearly had to be done. So I did. And I'm not sorry, either.


Please note that I only have an edible-ink paper and crappy card with a sheen that immediately fades on printing - I'm sure if you used normal card and proper ink, you'll get a much better little sign! The perfectionist in me is seething right now. I'm just going to have to try to let it go. But it pains me, just so you know.

Anyhoo, here's the incredibly simple recipe:

For the Chocolate fudge:
200g Milk Chocolate
200g Dark Chocolate
400g tin of Light Condensed Milk

Melt chocolate (I tend to do mine full power in the microwave for 2 minutes, then stir and leave to rest for a moment before stirring again). Add condensed milk, stir well.


For the Crumble Cookie mix:
1 1/4 cups Butter (approx 250g)
1 1/4 cups Granulated Sugar
1 Egg
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract (Neilsen Massey- oh yeah, baby)
1 1/2 cups Plain flour
1 teaspoon Bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
3 cups oats
1.5 cups desiccated coconut

Preheat oven to approx. 170 C degrees, fan assisted.

Beat butter and sugars until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt and cinnamon; mix well. Stir in oats and coconut. Press half the mixture into the bottom of a baking sheet
(preferably at least 2 inches deep - mine is 10x13 inches) that's been lined with baking parchment for easy removal of your crumble bars.

Add the fudge and spread to cover the base. Crumble the rest of the cookie mixture over the top - no need to press down, and little gaps are fine so as to reveal the Gruffalo goodness contained within. Bake for approx 25-30 minutes until edges are golden brown. Leave to cool completely, before turning out and cutting into small bars.


Just out of the oven. Must not nibble, must not nibble.


Makes A LOT, but will depend on the size of the bar you cut - I favour bite-size for parties, as there are other things to nibble on too. You can always go back for more. And you will, oh.. you will. Muahahahah *cough cough* hahahaha! Mine cut into 42 pieces, but if anyone asks, it was 32, okay?

Have shared the image I used to make the tags (could also be cut out and attached to a stick to make a sign for your dessert table): please note that the original image is not mine, so please just stick to personal use. Note: font is called 'Thicket' and available for free download here if you wanted to make coordinating invitations or stationery.




Saturday 12 January 2013

Very late makes to share - post 2

Here is the second and final installment in my rather-late-makes-to-share post. As it happens, some of these are actually quite recent. Hope you like them! x

Alice in Wonderland cake pops - mad hatter hat

Lucha mask / cape / Mexican Wrestling cake pops

Kidney cake pops

Poppet - Moshi Monster cake pops

Brussels Sprouts cake pops (Brussel Sprout cake pops)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) cake pops

Personalised sandcastle cake pops

Beach body and beach ball cake pops - Bikini

Sea / Beach themed cake pops

How to make Penguin cake pops

Alice in Wonderland cake pops - Drink Me bottle & Cheshire cat

Gruesome eye /eye ball cake pops

Festive Penguin cake pops

Freeflyer / Skydiver cake pops

Gnomeo and Juliet -inspired cake pops

Indian wedding Elephant cake pops

Jessie Toy Story cake pops

LalaLoopsy cake pops

One Direction (1D) cake pops

William Shakespeare cake pops with doily ruffle

Spice Girls / Spice Girl cake pops

Very late makes to share - post 1!

Fuschia pops for an engagement party

Angry Birds / Angry Bird cake pops

Panda cake pops

Raoul ca Roule cake pops - Cars 2

Finn McMissile cake pops - Cars 2

Custom Bride and Groom - wedding cake pops


Captain America - Patriotic cake pops

Tea pot and slice of cake - cake pops

Invader Zim & Robot Gir cake pops

McFly cake pops

More custom bride and groom - wedding cake pops


Clown cake pops - prototype

Belle (Beauty and the Beast) cake pops - Disney Princess

Batman's The Joker cake pops

Merida and Angus - Disney's Brave -inspired cake pops


Bob the Builder cake pops

Cath Kidston  -inspired cake pops

Rainbow Leopard cake pops


Cornish /Cornwall / Surf themed cake pops

Horse racing cake pops

Handpainted Corporate logo cake pops

Digger / Excavator cake pops


Rapunzel / Tangled / Aurora Disney Princess -inspired cake pops

Facebook cake pops!

Baby Blue elephant cake pops

Giraffe cake pops

Hen / Chicken cake pops

Tiger cake pops with matching tags

Jungle themed cake pops - Monkey, Tiger, Crocodile, Elephant

Roaring Leopard cake pops - for Jimmy Choo

Merida and Brothers - Brave inspired cake pops

Winnie the Pooh with message, cake pops

Minion cake pops - with message

Mike & Sully Monsters Inc -inspired cake pops

' Owls in love ' cake pops

Pong, Dash & Wallop Moshi Monster cake pops

Custom Porsche cake pops

Simple sunflower cake pops for a wedding


T-Rex /Dinosaur cake pops