Coconut Hearts

VALENTINE'S DAY IS NEARLY HERE

Here is an easy recipe to woo your girlfriend or boyfriend. I think these Coconut Hearts look quite cute and are absolutely delicious. 

If you don't have a tin like the one I have used (see photo below)you can make them in a Madeleine tin.If you use the latter, bear in mind that they will be smaller and they will take less time to cook. They would still however look as beautiful with their shell design.

COCONUT HEARTS

Ingredients

80g golden caster sugar

2 eggs
100g butter plus extra for greasing the tin.

3 tbsp milk
100g plain flour

1/2 tsp baking powder
70g desiccated coconut

icing sugar

Melt the butter and cool.

Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sugar in a large bowl until frothy, about 4 minutes.

Then add the milk to the cooled melted butter and then mix this into the egg and sugar mixture.

Sift the flour and baking powder into another bowl and mix in the coconut. Fold this into the egg mixture.

Cover the bowl with cling-film and chill the batter for half an hour.

Brush the tin with melted butter and then fill each heart until it is two-thirds full.

I found this in TK-Maxx last year. 

Bake the hearts in a 160C to 170C oven until golden, about 15 minutes. They are ready when the tester comes out clean or when you touch the middle of the cake and it springs back.

Remove the hearts from the tin and cool on a wire rack. 

Lastly, dust with icing sugar and they are ready to enjoy. 

This made 13 hearts but if you use a madeleine tin it would make many more. 

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APPLE & CINNAMON MUFFINS

What horrible weather out there. Will it ever stop raining?

This is my latest Apple and cinnamon muffins recipe and so far the best. They are so delicious that I have to stop myself from eating the whole lot.

And best of all, it is super easy and super fast to make. No fuss- promise. This makes 8 muffins but you could stretch it to 9. 

Ingredients

180g plain flour

30g oats

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ginger

100g golden caster sugar

50g light brown sugar

90ml milk (semi or full fat)

80ml sunflower oil (or other vegetable oil)

1 large egg

2 large apples or 3 small ones

Topping: 1 tbsp demerara sugar and 1/4 tsp cinnamon

Start by sifting the flour, baking powder, salt and spices into a bowl. Then add the oats and sugars. 

In another bowl whisk the egg, add the milk and oil.

If you are using three apples, grate two and cut the third one into quite big cubes. 

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix it in with a big spoon. Do not over mix, the lumpy look is OK. Then quickly fold in the grated apple.

Divide the mix into 8 muffin cases. Top them with the cubes- press them in a little bit. 

Lastly sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar mix.

Bake in a 190C to 200C for about 20 minutes. They are ready when you touch them in the middle with your finger and it springs back. Every oven is different so keep an eye on them.

And voila! Just transfer them onto a wire rack to cool.

Enjoy!!!

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