12 ice pops

 Ingredients:

• 2 frozen bananas*
• 1 cup fullfat yogurt (plain or vanilla)
• ¾ cup whipping cream
• 180 g sof caramels (I used Soft Caramels Werther’s Original)
• 2 tablespoon milk
• 2 tablespoon crushed crackers
• 50 g  (1½ oz) dark chocolate

*Peel bananas and divide in three part each. Place in a plastic container and put into the freezer for 4-5 hours. 

Frozen bananas and yogurt place in a blender and blend until smooth. Melt caramels with milk over low heat.  In the bowl of a stand mixer whisk cream until stiff peaks forms. Pour the cream over banana-yogurt mixture and gently mix with rubber spatula until combined. Gradually add melted caramels still mixing. Caramels have to be warm and some of them will be combined with mixture and some will set creating pieces of caramel. That is fine. Spoon ice cream mixture into molds, put the stick in each and sprinkle with crashed crackers.  

Before serving melt the chocolate, set aside to cool slightly but do not let to set completely. Remove ice pops from molds. Place the chocolate  in a piping bag and drizzle over popsicles.

7x11 inch pan

 Ingredients:

• 1  cup minus 1 tablespoon (200 g) butter
• 7 oz (200 g) dark chocolate, chopped
• ¾  cup + 2 tablespoon (175 g) golden caster sugar          
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup (150 g) all purpose flour
• 1-2  tablespoon dark chocolate chips

 Caramel:

• ½ cup + 2 tablespoon (125 g) caster sugar
• 125 ml whipping cream
• 2 tablespoon (30 g) salted butter

Make caramel: place sugar in a heavy-based saucepan and heat over low heat, Do not stir, only swirl the pan to melt sugar evenly. When melted, increase the heat slightly and bubble until it turns a dark golden-brown colour. Remove from the heat and pour in half the cream, stirring as it bubbles, the return to a low heat. Add the remaining cream and butter and stir until glossy. Leave to cool and thicken.

Preheat oven to 350 °F (180°C) and grease and line the pan.

Fill a medium saucepan with a few inches of water and place it over medium-high heat. Place the heatproof bowl on top of the saucepan to create a double boiler. Pour butter and chocolate into the bowl and stir until melted. The bottom of the bowl should not touch the water. Once melted set aside to cool slightly. In the bowl of a stand mixer place eggs and sugar and whisk until pale and fluffy, then mix in chocolate mixture. Pour over the flour and mix just until combined.

Spoon half of the brownie mixture into the prepared pan and dollop over the cooled caramel swirling a little with fork, the pour over the remaining brownie mixture, swirling again. Sprinkle over the chocolate chips. Bake for 25 minutes until firm. Leave to cool in pan.

round pan 8 inch or 8x8 square

 Ingredients:

• ½  cup butter
• 3 oz dark chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup all purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• ½ cup semisweet chocolate pieces

 Caramel ganache:

• 20 vanilla caramels, unwrapped
• 1 tablespoon milk

Preheat oven to 350 °F (180°C) and line a baking pan with parchment.

In a medium saucepan heat and stir butter and chocolate over low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Set aside to cool slightly. Stir sugar, vanilla extract and the eggs, one at time, beating well after each addition. In a separated bowl stir together flour and baking soda. Add flour mixture to the chocolate mixture, stirring just until combined. Stir in ½ cup of the pecans and chocolate pieces. Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Cool in pan.

Ganache: in a small sauce pan heat and stir caramels and milk over medium-low heat until melted and smooth. Spread over cooled brownies and sprinkle with remaining ½ cup pecans.

about 20 pieces

Ingredients:

• 150 ml whipping cream
• 200 g dark chocolate (I used Belgian 72%)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped freeze-dried apples

Caramel glaze:

• 5 tablespoons dark brown sugar (muscovado)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 5 tablespoons whipping cream

Place the cream and cinnamon in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and stir in dark chocolate cut roughly. Set aside for 5 minutes. Mix together until the mixture is smooth. Mix in the chopped apples. Set aside to cool for 30 minutes. Line a baking tray with baking parchment. Take the small portion (walnut size) with a teaspoon and place onto the baking tray. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. Remove from the fridge and shape each portion into regular ball. Chill in the fridge for next 30 minutes.

Glaze: in a small sauce pan place the butter and brown sugar. Heat slowly until they melt. Add whipping cream, mix together. Bring to the boil. Boil few minutes until slightly thickens. Remove from the heat. Take truffles out the fridge. Deep each in caramel glaze. You may sprinkle with some sprinkles. Chill for few minutes in the fridge. Store in fridge.

about 100 pieces

Ingredients:

• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 3 cups whipping cream
• 1 ½ cups corn syrup
• ½ cup butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons Himalayan salt (or other coarsely chopped)

Grease and line with parchment paper 8 x 12 inch baking tray.

Place sugar, cream, corn syrup and butter in a large, deep pan and heat on medium heat until sugar dissolved and butter melted. Then turn the heat to high and cook the mixture until the candy thermometer reached 248°F. The mixture will bubble and should be placed in  big pan as it increases its volume. It is very important  to bring the mixture to signed temperature, if it will be lower candies will fail, if it will be higher they become burnt in taste. When the mixture is ready remove it from the heat and add salt and vanilla, mix. Pour over the prepared pan and sprinkle with coarse salt. Leave to cool then place for 3-4 hours in the freezer. When the caramel is set remove the whole bark from the tray. Cut into small squares (it is not easy, use long chef knife).

2 x 2 round sandwich pan 8 inch

• 1 ¼ cups + 1 tablespoon cake flour
• 7 tablespoons plain malted drink (powder)
• 1 tablespoon cocoa
• ½  teaspoon baking soda
• 1 2/3 teaspoon baking powder
• 2/3 teaspoon salt
• 100 ml  canola oil
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1egg
• 1i ½  teaspoon vanilla ekstract
• 240 ml milk
• 160 ml strong hot brewed coffee

Pumpkin sponge

• 1 ½ cups + 1 tablespoon cake flour
• 2/3 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/3 teaspoon salt
• 140 ml  canola oil
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 eggs
• 320 ml pumpkin puree

Frosting:

• 5 white eggs
• 1 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
• 500 g mascarpone cheese at room temperature

Coffee sponge: grease and line baking pans. Preheat oven to 325°F.

In a medium bowl mix together flour, malted drink powder, cocoa, baking powder, soda and salt.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat oil and sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract, mix. Gradually add flour mixture to oil mixture alternately with milk, in three batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition. On the end add hot brewed coffee and mix together only 30 seconds. Divide the dough evenly between prepared pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes (until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean). Cool sponges in pans for 15 minutes then transfer to a wire rack.

Pumpkin sponge: grease and line baking pans. Preheat oven to 325°F.

In a medium bowl mix together flour, baking powder, salt and spices. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat oil and sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs and egg yolk, one at the time. Mix until combined. Add flour mixture in two batches, mix together. Add the pumpkin puree, mix until incorporated. Divide the dough evenly between prepared pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes (until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean). Cool sponges in pans for 15 minutes then transfer to a wire rack.

Frosting: place egg whites and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk together by hand until combined. Heat the saucepan with small amount of water and place the bowl on top of the saucepan to create double-boiler. The bottom of the bowl should not touch the water. Whisk the mixture in the bowl by hand electric mixer until the mixture reaches the temperature of 168°F. Transfer the bowl to the stand mixer and beat meringue on high speed until the bowl returns to the room temperature (about 8-10 minutes). The mixture should be stiff and glossy. Add mascarpone cheese, one tablespoon at the time, still mixing. When the frosting is ready set aside 2 tablespoons of meringue buttercream. Place the first layer of the cake on the serving plate and spread ¼ of the frosting on it. Cover with second cake layer alternate coffee and pumpkin sponges. Repeat with the remaining frosting and sponges. Last ¼ part of the frosting spread on the top and sides of the cake. Place in a piping bag previously hold 2 tablespoons of frosting and make decorations on the top. The bottom part of sides finish with chopped pecans or walnuts.

spring pan ø 8 inch

 Ingredients:

• ¾ cup butter
• 1 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 180 ml sour cream
• 2 cups minus 2 tablespoons  all purpose or cake flour
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon instant coffee powder (you can omit it if do not like)

Apricot layer:

• 500 g apricots
• 1/3 cup butter
• ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar

Preheat oven to 340°F (170°C). Line bottom of the pan with parchment paper.

Prepare apricots: in a medium saucepan place butter and sugar and heat until butter melted and sugar dissolved. Wash, halve and pit apricots. Add fruits to the caramel syrup and cook for 3 minutes until soften. Transfer apricots to the spring pan and place on the bottom cut side down. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons caramel syrup. Reserve remaining syrup.

In the bowl of an electric mixer beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs (one at the time) and mix together. Add sour cream, mix together. In another bowl mix together flour, baking powder and coffee powder. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until all ingredients well incorporated. Spoon the cake mixture to the pan over apricots layer. Work carefully in order not to move fruits. Bake for 1 hour and 25 minutes (until the wooden skewer inserted into center comes out clean). Remove from the oven, leave in pans for 1 hour then transfer to a plate upside down (apricots now must be on the top). Before serving pour remaining caramel syrup over the top.