MILK CHOC CHIP CRUMBLE MUFFINS

Top Tip - HOMEMADE BUTTERMILK
No buttermilk? No problem! Simply whisk together 375ml of milk with 1.5tbsp of lemon juice and leave to thicken for roughly 15 minutes. There's homemade buttermilk!

Ingredients
CRUMBLE TOPPING:

• 75g Plain Flour
• 25g Fairtrade Caster Sugar
• 50g Cold unsalted butter
• 1tsp Fairtrade Cinnamon
• Pinch of salt

MUFFIN BATTER:

• 320g Buttermilk (or homemade) 
• 2 Large eggs
• 70ml Flavourless oil
• 70g Melted butter
• 270g Plain Flour
• 140g Fairtrade Caster Sugar
• 65g Fairtrade Light soft brown sugar
• 1.5tsp Baking Powder
• 200g Fairtrade Milk chocolate buttons

Method
CRUMBLE TOPPING

1. In a bowl add all the crumble ingredients: flour, sugar, butter, cinnamon and salt. Rub together between your fingertips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs with no lumps of butter remaining. 
2. Keep in the fridge until later.

MUFFINS

1. Preheat the oven to 170 degrees and line a 12 hole cupcake tray with large cupcake cases.
2. In a large mixing bowl add the wet ingredients: Buttermilk, eggs, oil, melted butter and whisk to combine.
3. In a separate bowl mix the dry ingredients together: plain flour, both sugars and baking powder and whisk to combine.
4. Next, chop the milk chocolate buttons into slightly smaller chunks and stir through the dry ingredients until fully coated. This will prevent the chocolate from sinking to the bottom of the muffins whilst baking.
5. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and fold together until fully combined being careful not to over mix. 
6. Distribute the batter evenly between the 12 cases using roughly 2tbsp per muffin case or filling up 3/4 of the way.
7. Sprinkle the chilled crumble topping generously over each muffin.
8. Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes until they turn a lovely golden brown or a skewer inserted comes out clean.
9. Leave to cool and enjoy!

Source: Cocoa Loco

VEGAN SWEET POTATO AND LENTIL CURRY

Serves 4-6
Ingredients

• 1 diced onion
• 1 diced clove of garlic
• 1 large, chopped carrot
• 1 chopped sweet potato
• ½ can of Ma’s Kitchen Organic Coconut Milk
• ½ jar Eswatini Kitchen Medium Curry Sauce
• Eswatini Flamin’ Hot Swazi Fire (optional)
• 340g lentils
• 600ml vegetable stock
• 400g Kilombero Brown Rice

Source: Traidcraft

Method

• Heat onion and garlic, stirring until browned
• Add ½ jar of Eswatini Kitchen Medium Curry Sauce
• Add one teaspoon of Eswatini Flamin’ Hot Swazi Fire (optional – but recommended if you like your curries with a kick!)
  
• Add the chopped carrot and sweet potato
• Add 340g of lentils and 600ml vegetable stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for 25 minutes
• Cook 400g Kilombero Brown Rice
• When lentils and sweet potato are tender, mix and stir in 200ml of Ma’s Organic Coconut milk, then serve with rice…

MEXICAN PASTA WITH AVOCADO

Ingredients

• 250g Fairtrade penne or fusilli pasta 
• 1 teaspoon Organic extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 pepper, deseeded and sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, grated/crushed
• 2 tsp mild chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 can chopped tomatoes
• 1 can kidney beans, drained
  
• 1 avocado, stone removed and sliced
• ½ lime, zest and juice
• Handful of fresh coriander, chopped

Method

1. Cook the penne or fusilli for 10-12 mins.
2. Meanwhile, heat the extra virgin oil in a pan, and fry the sliced onion and pepper until golden.
3. Stir the garlic and spices into the mixture, then tip in the canned tomatoes and kidney beans. Cover and simmer for 15 mins.
4. Drain the al dente pasta and add into the sauce with the coriander.
5. In a separate bowl, mix the sliced avocado with lime juice and zest.
6. Spoon the pasta into bowls, top with the avocado and finish with scattered coriander leaves.

Serves 5

FABULOUSLY DIVINE BROWNIES

Ingredients 

• 2 x 100g bars Divine 70% Dark Chocolate
• 100g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 200g caster sugar
• 4 large free-range eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 60g plain flour
• 60g Divine Cocoa Powder
• 50g pecan nuts, chopped
• 1 x 100g bar Divine White Chocolate chopped
• 150g fresh raspberries

Makes 24 pieces
Preheat the oven to 180°C, 350F, Gas 4, fan 160. 
Prepare a 28.x 18cm x 2.5cm deep brownie tin or baking tin. Grease tin and line with greaseproof paper. 

Method

1. Break up the dark chocolate into squares and put into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of hot, but not boiling, water, making sure the base of the bowl does not touch the water. Leave to melt stirring occasionally. Remove the bowl from the pan.
2. Whisk the butter and sugar together in a bowl using an electric whisk until light and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs, beating well after each addition.
3. Add vanilla extract, melted chocolate and stir in gently using a spatula. Sieve the flour and cocoa into the bowl then fold in the nuts and white chocolate pieces until the mixture is evenly blended.
4. Spoon half the mixture into the prepared tin and spread evenly. Scatter the raspberries over the top of the brownie mixture, top with remaining mixture and spread evenly.
5. Bake for 30-40 minutes until the mixture feels firm when pressed. Remove from the oven and cool in the tin on a wire rack. When cold cut the brownie into 24 squares.

HOT CROSS BUN BUTTER PUDDING

Enjoy the fantastic flavour of this luxury bread and butter pudding for an Easter treat.

Ingredients
50g (2oz) butter, plus extra for greasing
3 hot cross buns, split in half
50g (2oz) Fairtrade dates, roughly chopped
50g (2oz) Divine Dark Chocolate, roughly chopped
2 large eggs
45g (1 ½ oz) Fairtrade caster sugar
200ml (1/3 pint) whole Jersey milk
200ml (1/3 pint) single cream
Finely grated zest of 1 Fairtrade orange

Preparation time: 15 minutes, plus soaking
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Serves 4

Method

1. Use a little butter to grease a 1.2 litre (2 pint) baking dish.
   
2. Spread the remaining butter over the split hot cross buns, then cut these pieces in half. Arrange them in the baking dish, buttered sides up. Sprinkle the dates and chocolate on top.
   
3. Whisk the eggs and sugar together, then beat in the milk and cream.
   
4. Pour the mixture through a sieve into the baking dish and sprinkle the orange zest on top. Cover and leave to soak for 15-20 minutes.
   
5. Preheat the oven to 170°C/fan 150°C/Gas Mark 3.
   
6. Uncover the baking dish and put it into a roasting tin, then carefully pour enough hot water around the dish to come half way up its sides. Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes. When it is cooked the top will be golden brown and the custard mixture should be lightly set.
   

HOT CROSS BISCUITS

Ingredients
75g dried mixed fruit
50g fairtrade raw cane sugar
100g butter
80g fairtrade caster sugar
1 egg yolk
150g plain flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1 tsp milk (optional)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to Gas mark 4/180C
   
2. Put the dried mixed fruit and raw cane sugar in a food processor and blitz until evenly chopped. Or you can use a sharp knife to do this.
3. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy then beat in the egg yolk. Mix in the chopped fruit.
4. Sift together the flour, baking powder, mixed spice and a pinch of salt.
5. Work the flour mixture into the egg mixture a heaped tablespoon at a time. The mixture should be quite stiff but if it seems too dry and isn’t quite gathering together add a tsp of milk.
6. Roll out the biscuit dough between two sheets of non-stick baking parchment. Aim for around 3mm thick, these biscuits should be thin and crisp.
7. Use a 5cm cutter to stamp out biscuits and place on a non-stick baking sheet (or line with non-stick baking parchment). Bake for 8-10 minutes until just barely golden at the edges.

While the biscuits cool on a rack, make the icing.
225g icing sugar
1 egg white
1 tsp lemon juice

1.) Whisk the egg white until frothy.
2.) Beat together the sugar, egg white, lemon juice and glycerine until smooth and glossy and will stand in peaks when you remove the whisk.
3.) Spoon into a piping bag with an extra small plain nozzle fitted.
4.) Pipe crosses onto the biscuits.

DIVINE SIMNEL CAKE

This Easter Day cake is made from a light fruit-cake mixture plus Divine dark chocolate. There is a layer of marzipan in the middle of the cake plus another layer added to the top after baking. The cake is traditionally decorated with eleven balls of marzipan to represent the Apostles– the chocolate eggs and pretty ribbon are a lovely addition.

For one large cake:
230g plain flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
A good pinch of salt
175g unsalted butter, softened
175g soft light brown muscovado sugar
4 large free-range eggs, beaten to mix
50g ground almonds
350g mixed dried fruit
100g glace cherries, rinsed, dried and halved
100g bar Divine dark (70%) chocolate, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons milk
450g white marzipan
A little apricot jam or sherry for brushing

To Decorate:
Divine speckled eggs
A ribbon

Instructions:
1) 20.5cm/8in round, deep cake tin or springform, greased and lined
2) Heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas4.
3) Sift the flour, baking powder and salt on to a sheet of greaseproof paper
and set aside until needed.
4) Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy; you can use a wooden spoon
or an electric whisk or mixer.
5) Gradually beat in the eggs, beating well after each addition and adding
the ground almonds with the last egg.
6) Using a large metal spoon fold in the flour followed by the dried fruit, cherries,
chocolate and milk.
7) When thoroughly combined spoon half of the mixture into the prepared tin
and spread evenly.
8) Roll-out one third of the marzipan to a circle slightly smaller than the tin.
9) Set in on top of the cake the cover with the rest of the cake mixture.
10) Spread it evenly then make a slight hollow in the centre so the cake rises evenly.
11) Bake in the centre of the oven for 30 minutes then reduce the oven temperature
to 170C/325F/ Gas3 and bake for a further 60 to 70 minutes or until a skewer inserted
in to the centre of the cake, just down to the marzipan layer, comes out clean.
12 Leave to cool on a wire rack then remove from the tin and discard the lining paper.
13 Roll out two-thirds of the remaining marzipan to a circle to fit the top of the cake.
14 Brush the top of the cake with a little warm apricot jam or sherry and set the marzipan
disc on top.
15 Shape the rest of the marzipan into 11 balls and arrange around the edge.
16 Fill the centre with miniature Easter eggs and finish with a ribbon around the cake.

BANANA LOAF

You can eat the banana loaf as it is if you prefer, but the icing adds the finishing touch and makes it more of a treat.

Ingredients:
110g (4oz) softened butter
110g (4oz) fairtrade caster sugar – unrefined works well
175g (6oz) plain flour
2 level teaspoons cream of tartar
1 level teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
2 medium eggs
50g (2oz) ground almonds
150-175g (5-6oz) ripe Fairtrade bananas (but no more or the cake will be heavy) peeled weight, mashed to a puree but not liquidy

For the Lemon and Vanilla Glace Icing:
75g (3oz) icing sugar
Approximately 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
¼ - ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon glycerine

Method

1.) Preheat oven to 160C (fan oven) or equivalent
2.) You will need a greased 450g (1lb) loaf tin lined with a strip of greaseproof paper.  Line your loaf tin with a strip of double thickness greaseproof paper from end to end, with the paper ends sticking up: this will enable you to lift the loaf out easily.
3.) Whiz the butter and sugar together in a food processor until soft and fluffy.
4.) Add the raising agents to the weighed flour.
5.) Sieve a couple of tablespoons of the flour over the butter and sugar mixture and add the eggs on top. Sieve in the rest of the flour and whiz. Add the ground almonds and whiz again.
6.) Finally, add the banana and whiz until smooth and fully mixed.
7.) Spoon into the prepared tin, cover loosely with greaseproof paper and bake for about 40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.
8.) Leave in the tin to settle for a few moments then remove and cool on a wire rack.
9.) Store in an airtight tin.

For the Icing:
1.) The lemon and vanilla flavours work well together and with the banana. Don’t add too much vanilla as it can be overpowering. The consistency of the icing should be fairly thick and spreadable rather than runny.
2.) Sieve the icing sugar into a bowl and stir in the juice and glycerine.
3.) Alternatively, put the icing sugar into the clean, dry, bowl of your food processor and give it a few turns to eliminate any lumps. Add the juice and whiz until smooth. Add a drop more juice if necessary. Finally, add the glycerine and whiz again.
4.) Spread over the top of the cooled banana loaf.

BANANA & CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS

Makes 7-8 large muffins.

Ingredients
100g plain flour
40g cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
90g unrefined (golden) Fairtrade sugar
40g melted butter
1 egg, beaten
2 ripe Fairtrade bananas, well mashed
80ml buttermilk
50g Fairtrade milk chocolate, chopped into small chunks

Method

• Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6.
• Sieve flour, cornmeal, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda together into a large bowl.
• Stir in sugar.
• In a separate bowl, mix together the butter, egg, bananas and buttermilk.
• Add wet ingredients to dry and mix gently (do not over-mix).
• Fold in the chocolate chips.
• Fill a muffin tin (ideally lined with muffin cases) to just under the rim.
• Bake for about 30 minutes until golden-brown and firm to the touch.
• Allow to cool in the tin.
  

CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH CANDIED GINGER

Serves 8.

Ingredients
340g dark Fairtrade chocolate, broken into pieces
142g unsalted butter
125g Fairtrade sugar
50g crystallised or candied ginger, very finely chopped
4 large egg yolks
6 large egg whites
40g plain flour
Unsalted butter to grease tin

Method

• Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.
• Combine the chocolate, sugar, butter, and ginger in a double boiler (a bowl in a pan of hot water would do). Melt over a medium heat, stirring until the ingredients are thoroughly blended.
• Allow the mixture to cool, then whisk in the egg yolks, then the flour. Mix thoroughly.
• Beat the egg whites until they form firm peaks.
• Add one third of the egg whites to the chocolate batter and mix vigorously. Then gently fold in the remaining egg whites.
• Butter the tin and add the mixture. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the cake is firm.
• Allow the cake to cool for several hours before removing from the tin. Dust with powdered sugar.