Exams are coming....

Thankfully, I don't have any end of year exams for my Masters. *breathes sigh of relief* I always preferred essays to exams- mainly because my bad habit of leaving things to the last minute could be combatted by an all-nighter and good WiFi!! Unfortunately exams brought panicked mindmaps, post-its and coffee which just didn't keep me going! (I actually fell asleep for a few minutes during my last three-hour exam in first year college!)

So for all of you battling the study month blues here are some ideas for study-fuel food and also, comfort eating after a long day in the library!!

I also love College Candy's stress-busting guide! Number ten is always a winner, especially if you play B.O.B. ft. Rivers Cuomo, 'Magic'. Absolutely epic! So motivating!

More ideas:

• I love having a big bowl of fruit salad after going swimming/for a run, it'll make you feel really healthy and set you up for a good day's study!
• If you do sleep in, it's inevitable over the course of the month! Don't berate yourself, get up, shower, make an indulgent brunch- pancakes, or French toast! Or take an hour to bake muffins/granola that you can use for the week. Relax, and then tear into the revision!
• Buy coloured paper, and pens and make notes using imagery and mindmaps, this is a tried-and-tested method for people with dyslexia and I think it's great!
• Don't highlight an entire book, just buzzwords.
• Start revising by writing everything you know out on a page. Then reduce your notes to just sentences that lead to paragraphs, keep going reducing it down to buzzwords. 
• Have a sheet full of quotations (especially if you study English/History!) that you can cram into your head just before entering the exam hall!
• Get into a good sleeping pattern early on in the study month.
• Start studying early, that way you will actually get a seat in the library and be able to take the night off! It's a win-win! 
• For exams, I always brought water, a stimulant (Berocca/Coke/Lucozade/Red Bull), a six-square bar of Dairy Milk and a roll of Rowntree's Fruit Pastilles in with me. They are the perfect mix of stimulants! Also, don't forget tissues and coloured pens!
• Wear layers- it's not worth it being freezing/boiling over. No ballet flats- your feet will freeze!! Also, bring a hair tie.
• Keep money/car keys in your pencil case, I heard of too many peoples' belongings being stolen outside the hall to risk it!
• Most importantly arrive fifteen minutes early, find a quiet corner to study in, go to the toilet and straight in to your desk. :)

Best of luck, you'll do great!

Stay sweet! x

Blueberry Muffins

As you saw here, my sister gifted me Gwyneth Paltrow's cookbook for my birthday! Today I made her blueberry muffins, listed as Blythe's Blueberry Muffins.

These are so so yummy!

I had never used blueberries at home but when I saw them in store this week I knew I had to make these muffins! Here's the recipe online if you're not lucky enough to have the book- note the book has a healthier version... Let's be honest though, you won't be finding it on this blog! ;)

The blueberries I bought came in packs of 125g so although the recipe calls for 300g I thought there were still more than enough blueberries in this amount, feel free to cut it down further!

Bonus point- I had exactly 125g of unsalted butter leftover from the cookies I made recently! No waste! Perfect!

I made these in cupcake cases rather than muffin cases and the yield increased by 50%! Another win in my book! ;)

Hope you get the chance to make these! I had one right out of the oven with a glass of milk!

I'll let you know how well they last over the next few days... If there are any left! ;)

See you all on sUCCulent tomorrow at 11am on UCC 98.3!

Stay sweet! x

Banana and Cherry Muffins

I wanted something a little more fruity last weekend so I whipped up these little beauties! They were scrumptious! Succulent even! ;)

I used the recipe from the original banana muffins (albeit with a few shortcuts), but concocted my own crumb topping. I'll definitely be using this topping from now on, it was delicious!

Some Notes:

• I was lazy and ommitted any other raising agent bar the flour. The original recipe called for both baking powder, and baking soda. But this was after a long day of baking, I had bananas to use up, and I was ravenously hungry so I forewent this step. On the brightside, my version is bite-sized, and this leads to no leftovers. :) I didn't think it affected the taste at all, and the not-so-massive muffins were still quite light.
• If you don't have overly ripe bananas (read Brown/Black!), the muffins won't taste as nice. Instead of letting them go another few days and run the risk of not having the time to bake these treats then, pop the bananas on a waxed baking sheet, and roast in the oven for 15-20 mins at about 180degrees Celcius.
• Make the topping first, this way you won't be so panicked trying to get the muffins into the oven. Preparing your work bench before starting to bake-no matter how excited you are, will most definitely lead to a much happier baking experience, trust me I've made the mistake too many times!

Muffin Ingredients:
1 and a half Cups self-raising flour
3ripe bananas
3/4 cup white sugar
1 lightly beaten egg
1/3 cup melted butter
3/4 cup glacé cherries, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 190degrees Celcius
2. Sieve flour into large bowl
3. In another bowl beat together rest of ingredients
4. Add this mixture gradually to flour while beating.
5. When just about combined, add chopped cherries and beat gently.
6. Spoon into cupcake cases.
7. Top with premade topping.
8. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until an inserted knife/toothpick comes out clean.

Topping:
2parts light brown sugar
2parts packed dark brown sugar
2parts flour
1part cinnamon 
1part butter

1. Mix the dry ingredients together with your fingers in a small bowl. 
2. Add the softened butter and pinch between your fingers to make very dainty crumbs, finer than breadcrumbs.

Et, voila!

These muffins packed a fruity punch and would be a lovely mid-week healthy treat.

Talk to you tomorrow on sUCCulent 98.3 at 11-12!

Stay sweet! x

Weekend Treats

Last night I visited the Arts and Crafts Fair in Cork City hall for the first time in years! My mom and I used to go every year when I was younger (the hight light being a Wizard of Oz ragdoll which featured Dorothy but when you turned her upside down the Lion, the Tinman and the Strawman appeared!) This year was a little different as I appreciated the food stands much more. I kept some self control however and only purchased these delicious lollipops from Eve Chocolates. At €1 each they were incredibly good value and oh so delicious!

If anybody is around Cork today, definitely pop in!

This morning was cold, wet and miserable. What better breakfast than pancakes? 

Find out how to make pancakes here.

This new addition to the kitchen, a le Creuset jug was perfect for beating the pancakes and really cut down on the clean up job after- it would make a great Christmas present for a pancake chef... and a good hint that you want more pancakes!!

Whatever you get up to, enjoy your weekend!

Stay sweet!

Friday Fave: French Toast

With the school back, depressing every father, mother and child, what better time to indulge? Despite our recent sunshine-filled days, we cannot deny that Autumn is well and truly here! French toast is the perfect comfort food, pick me-up, big breakfast or indeed, "I want to love every bite of my breakfast" breakfast!
Obviously only for special occasions, it's also a great way to use up stale bread!

Here I use a tint of vanilla essence to add some depth and flavour to the dish as well as a pinch of cinnamon which gives this breakfast a pop!

Read on, and salivate at the photos!, to discover how to make the best French Toast! 

For 2-3 people...
You will need:

• 2-3 slices of bread- white stale brioche is the best, but I prefer a healthier wholegrain!
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 1 pinch cinnamon

-Lightly whisk all of ingredients together in a bowl with a fork, before steeping the slices of bread into the mixture. Allow to rest in the mixture for a few moments; generally the longer it rests, the better! Some recipes even call for you to soak the bread overnight in the fridge but that's not necessary here.

-Melt butter in a hot pan.

-When fully coated, on both sides, place bread into the pan. Cook until golden and stiff on each side.

* For the sake of full disclosure, a Dutch guy I met once insisted that they invented this toast and the French stole their mouth-watering delicacy! He also served this dish with powdered cinnamon on top, which I find super festive and would be great come December!

With this in mind, I should add that my topping of choice is... You guessed it, golden syrup!! Nom nom nom!! However other delicious toppings include berries, bananas or any fruit of your choice, powdered confectioners sugar, maple syrup with bacon, or as my boyfriend eats- RELISH!! As you can see, taste is a varied thing!! Flourish this basic recipe however you want, just make sure to enjoy! 

Bank Holiday Brunch

Some mornings cereal just doesn't cut it, toast is too meagre and fruit far too healthy!! Mornings like this call for pancakes!! Bank holiday weekends are the best times for this, as you can have a lie-in and then impress everyone at home, who would normally be at work, with your fantastic culinary skills! Plus they keep you feeling full all day long, so you're free to go for a walk, take a trip or simply lounge around for the day without having to worry about lunch! Pancakes are the ultimate bank holiday brunch feast!!

I like my pancakes big enough to hold a whole lotta filling, and thick enough that the filling isn't too overpowering! The fluffier the pancake, the nicer, so watch them intently while cooking! As long as they're golden, that's long enough! If making small, thick, American-style pancakes, make sure to cook until more brown to ensure that the egg is cooked. 

A good tip is to grease the pan (by melting a knob of butter) every second pancake, if cooking a few at a time. This way they are less greasy! Also, don't try to spread the butter evenly by tilting the pan- this is how the pancake sticks to the bottom :( Instead, make sure the centre is covered and the butter drizzles off randomly to the side. This way, you can use your spatula to lift up the sides of the pancake as it cooks, ensuring it doesn't stick, while the middle can be picked up when you're ready to flip!

A mess-reducing way of measuring the batter into the pan is to use a ladle! They are usually deep enough to fill a large pan and (I find) are a more accurate means of measuring than a jug.

I use Darina Allen's savoury pancake recipe (because my Mom used it every Pancake Tuesday since I can remember!!) and it never fails! The recipe says it makes 12 pancakes, but you can reduce this to six at the minimum, depending on how thick you want your pancakes to be.

6oz white flour
Pinch salt
2 large eggs and 1 egg yolk (I usually throw in three eggs)
3/4 pint of milk (I use fat free milk so the pancakes are a little lighter, and more crispy!)
3-4 dessert spoons of butter for melting

Sieve the flour and salt into a bowl, make a well in the centre and drop in the lightly beaten eggs. With a wooden spoon, starting in the centre, mix the egg and gradually bring in the flour. Add the liquid slowly and beat with a mixer until the batter is covered with bubbles.
Let the batter stand in a cold place for an hour or longer (I usually put it in the fridge while cleaning my workspace and cook the batter straight away, although if you can wait a few hours you will have better pancakes!) 
*Add the melted butter into the batter just before cooking so you can cook the pancakes without greasing the pan each time...Disclosure: I have never been brave enough/been too excited this late in the game to try this, so I usually lob a knob of butter onto the pan!

I like to enjoy these pancakes with Nutella, golden syrup, sugar, strawberries, ice cream, chocolate chips, bananas, I've even tried marshmallows! Absolutely anything I can get my hands on tastes delicious with pancakes so enjoy!!

Go on, have a flip! ;)

My gazillionth pancake (as you can see from the plate!)

Banana Crumb Muffins

I love muffins. I also love bananas. When I saw three increasingly ripening bananas in our fruit bowl I immediately thought those babies needed to be baked!! Usually I’d make banana bread, but I didn’t have the time to grease tins, measure out a ton of ingredients and wait for the loaf to cool. Up until now I couldn’t find a straightforward banana muffin recipe that is until I asked old reliable, Mr. Google. He did not disappoint!

The recipe (found here) can be converted into metric quantities so it doesn’t take too much arithmetic for an Irish baker. These really are as simple to make as they sound. The mashed banana acts as a binding agent and is durable so everything else can be mixed in until batter is formed. Melting the butter is the crucial part, definitely a job for adults! It really does add to the flavour of the muffin though, so don’t skip the step!

I had never made a crumb topping before, but I had binged on crumb muffins in Boston last year and was looking for a good recipe everywhere since! Don’t skimp on the butter, as the crumb will be too floury and unpalatable.

All in all these muffins were delicious, absolutely scrumptious. Plus the guilt factor is lower, as you can justify the banana constitutes part of your twelve a day! 

I made these early on a gloomy July morning in Ireland, and they were the ultimate comfort food which made the day feel a whole lot better! 

They kept for three days in a sealed container (thanks to the moisture from the bananas).They are really impressive looking (the power of the crumb!), you’ll be deemed a domestic god/goddess after one bite! 

P.S. Recently I made these with the adition of chocolate chips! Milis ar fad! x