Showing posts with label St. Patrick's Day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label St. Patrick's Day. Show all posts

Sunday, March 16, 2014

Paddy's After Eight Brownies


Storm Darwin prevented me posting delicious Valentine's Day recipes, so I'm doubly excited for St. Patrick's Day! Last year's After Eight Cupcakes were such a hit, I decided to incorporate the mints into another classic dessert- the brownie.




These brownies are no-mixer, one-bowl, easy peasy so you've no excuse not to make them! You could probably melt down the After Eights but I decided to just layer them in between the brownie batter and they melted during the baking process anyway!

The brownie recipe was featured here and is a Picky Palate original! This has become my go-to brownie recipe as I have yet to find a more delicious one, but feel free to use your favourite recipe instead!





You will need:
1/2 cup butter
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup cream flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup cocoa powder
1 cup chocolate chips
1 small box After Eight mints
  1. Preheat oven to 165 degrees Celcius.
  2. Line 9x9 baking tray with baking parchment.
  3. Partially melt butter in microwaveable mixing bowl (40 seconds on high).
  4. Mix oil and sugar into the melted butter.
  5. Add eggs and vanilla, mix until incorporated.
  6. Sieve in the dry ingredients and mix well.
  7. Add chocolate chips and mix until the batter becomes thick.
  8. Pour two thirds of mixture into baking tray, and smooth out.
  9. Layer the After Eight Mints over the entire surface.
  10. Cover with the remaining batter, ensuring all of the mints are covered.
  11. Bake for 35-40 mins until baked through. To check this, lift the bottom of the brownies from the baking parchment, if they remove cleanly you're good to go! Be careful doing this, test only a corner so your brownies don't fall apart!
  12. Allow to cool before cutting.
  13. Enjoy!

Whatever you get up to have a fantastic St. Patrick's weekend!

Stay sweet! x

Sunday, March 17, 2013

After Eight Cupcakes


I love, love, love St. Patrick's Day! It's an excuse to indulge (as if I need any!) and you can be as tacky as you like with decorations and food colouring!


St. Patrick's Day = Green
Green = Mint
Mint + Chocolate = Win!








Although I stayed fairly calm with the flavours here, I used shamrock green cupcake cases which looked so cute and festive! 

Also, a 150g box of After Eights was the perfect size for these cupcakes, no need to buy a big box.

I used a chocolate batter, with a hidden After Eight baked inside, and kept the peppermint flavouring and green colouring for the icing. 


The results were delicious! Just like an After Eight in cupcake form!

Ingredients- Yields 12 Cupcakes
6oz self-raising flour
4oz caster sugar
4oz margarine
3 eggs
2 tablespoons cocoa
12 After Eight Mints

  1. Preheat oven to 180degrees Celcius.
  2. Line baking tray with cupcake cases (I used cute green polka-dot ones from Sainsburys)
  3. Mix all ingredients except for the After Eights until combined.
  4. Spoon half of mixture into cake tins.
  5. Place a whole After Eight on top of batter in each case.
  6. Cover each After Eight with more batter.
  7. Bake for 20 minutes or until the cupcakes are springy to touch (don't try the skewer test here!)
  8. Cool on a wire rack.

Icing:
About 1/2 a bag confectioners sugar
3 drops green food colouring
3 drops peppermint essence
2 knobs margarine
2 teaspoons hot water
6 After Eight mints

  1. Mix all ingredients, except After Eights until smooth.
  2. Add more green colouring or peppermint essence, to taste.
  3. Slice mints diagonally.
  4. Ice cupcakes, I used a small spatula and worked in a circular motion, picking up the icing from side to side and finishing in a small peak in the centre of the cupcake.
  5. Place the After Eight firmly into the cupcake, apex upwards.

Enjoy these beauties with a cup of tea in front of War of the Buttons!  
Let me know what you think of them in the comment box below, honestly, they're probably my favourite thing I've ever baked!


Happy St. Patrick's Day! Have a great one and see you back here next week!

Stay sweet! x

St. Patrick's Day Show!

Hope you're all having a great St. Patrick's Day! If you're still looking for some ideas for parties and munching, or just want to enjoy the best of Irish homegrown musical talent tune into this week's show!


Clover in a nearby forest recently

If you're in the mood for crashing on the couch, watching Darby O'Gill and the Little People, or laughing at the horrendous Irish accents in P.S. I Love You, try the new DairyMilk Bubbly Mint- amazing! 




Watch this space for scrumptious Paddy's Cupcakes! 


Bain taitneamh as La Fheile Padraig!

x