Sweet Vanilla Custard Muffins

So good, an easy, simple recipe. Minimal effort, maximum enjoyment.
Put on the kettle and get ready for a nice big muffin cuddle!!

Vanilla Custard Muffins

3oz spelt flour or the same of plain flour
3oz custard powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
6oz softened salted butter
5oz vanilla caster sugar (if you don’t have this just add a touch more vanilla paste)
3 large eggs
4 tbsp milk or double cream
2 tsp vanilla bean paste
100g white chocolate chips
For the icing:
2 tbsp custard powder
3 tbsp icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
about 4-5 tbap cream ( depending on the thickness you want)

Preheat the oven to 180’C and line a 12 hole muffin tray with cases.
Place all the ingredients minus the chocolate chips into a large bowl or an electric mixer, and mix together until just combined. This is why you need really soft butter otherwise you will get small lumps in the mix!
In a small bowl mix the chocolate chips with 1 tbsp of flour and then fold through the muffin mix. (This step is really worth doing as it means that chips will be suspended in the batter rather than sinking to the bottom :))
Fill the case 2/3rds full and i like to refridgerate the mix for about 1/2 an hour before baking as it seems to make them rise evenly and just cook better, but you don’t have to do this.
Bake for 12-15 mins turing halfway. Take out of the tray and leave to cool on a wire rack for 30 mins before icing.
To make the icing mix the custard powder with the icing sugar and whisk in the cream a tbsp at a time until you have the thickness you want. add the vanilla and its ready.
Drizzle this over the muffins and away you go! Make sure you hide them, they might disappear otherwise 🙂

Meatzza

Now I know this sounds a bit out there, but trust me it’s worth stepping out of your culinary comfort zone and trying new ideas.
My mum has a wheat allergy so I try to modify all my recipes to suit her needs. It’s no fun being the odd one out-and missing out on delicious food that everyone is enjoying!!
Pizza is a favourite for my brother, usually it’s from a box in the freezer if he’s ‘cooking’ himself 🙂 so I thought that I would try making the base out of a sort of meatball base… And it worked! So here it is for all the allergy sufferers out there, this is for you 🙂

If you double the meat base for this recipe they make great meatballs. Keep an eye out for the meatball pasta bake, as i did make double so i could make it 🙂 Just freeze the leftovers if you didn’t want to make it straight away.

Meatzza

500g mince beef
1 large eggs
Small handful porridge oats (use gluten free to make this recipe suitable for coeliacs)
Small handful grated Parmesan
Half bunch chopped parsley
Salt and pepper, a pinch of each
1 tin chopped tomatoes, drained
Pinch dried oregano
1 tbsp garlic oil
Salt and pepper, pinch of each
Pinch of sugar
4-5 basil leaves
1 ball mozzarella
Handful grated chedder, or any tasty cheese you like

To start preheat your oven to 220’C and grease a 8 inch round baking dish.
Mix the mince with the eggs, parmesan, oats, parsley and salt and pepper. Squish this between your hands to break down the mince slightly and this will mix through the ingredients evenly.
Push this mix into the bottom if the prepared tin and spread to make a pizza ‘base’.
For the sauce strain the tomatoes and get rid of the juice. Mix into the tomatoes the garlic oil, oregano, salt, pepper and sugar. Spread this over the meat base and top with ripped bits of mozzarella, your cheese of choice and torn basil leaves. (I haven’t put the basil on, only because my brother is an extermely fussy eater and would turn his nose up at the ‘green bits’!) But i would if he wasn’t eating. Finally drizzle lightly with oil so the basil doesn’t burn and bake for 20-30 mins until nicely bubbly, browned and cooked through. Serve with a peppery rocket salad and tortilla chips and devour:)! Xx