Old fashioned Vanilla Fudge (or as I like to call it "Fuck Yeah! Fudge!"

A personal favorite of mine when I was growing up. Creamy vanilla fudge, not like the little hard bricks you buy in shops, but smooth, a little bit soft when you bite into them and a creamy vanilla aftertaste. Amazing! 

This recipe has very few ingredients and is simple to make, but you MUST follow the recipe and directions exactly to get the right results. Trust me on this. Exactly. 

Ingredients:

• 450g golden caster sugar
• 400g double cream
• 50g butter
• 1 tbsp glucose syrup
• 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
• Pinch of salt

Method:

• Line a 20 x 20cm cake tin with baking paper. Tip the sugar, cream, butter and glucose syrup into a medium to large saucepan. Heat to dissolve the sugar and melt the butter, stirring now and again.
• Once dissolved, put a sugar thermometer in the pan, making sure the end is completely covered by the syrup – if not, transfer the mixture to a smaller pan (with enough space for the syrup to bubble up). Increase the heat and bring the syrup to a steady boil. Keep bubbling, stirring occasionally to stop the sugar from catching, until the mixture reaches 116C – this is known as the soft ball stage.
• Remove the pan from the heat and leave to sit, undisturbed, for 5 mins, until the temperature drops to 110C. Stir in the vanilla and a good pinch of salt.
• Keep the sugar thermometer in the pan and begin beating the mixture with a wooden spoon, quite vigorously, until the temperature cools to about 60C. By this time the fudge will be really thick and will have lost it glossy shine. Remove the thermometer and continue beating for a few mins more. This process is very important when making fudge, as it creates small sugar crystals, which give the fudge its lovely smooth and creamy texture.
• Before it sets completely, quickly pour the fudge into your prepared tin and smooth over the surface. Leave to cool at room temperature overnight – don’t put the fudge in the fridge as it will become sticky and won’t set properly. Cut into bite-sized pieces and pop in a box to give as a present. It will keep in a sealed container for up to 2 months.

(Remember to follow the method exactly as discribed above & don't worry if it doesn't turn out as expected on your first attempt. It took me 3 tries to get this right)

Golden Flapjacks

Sometimes people can drop in for a chat & coffee unexpectedly. We don't usually keep any cakes or biscuits in our cupboards for such an event, but we don't really need them. This simple recipe will make you enough tasty flapjacks for 12 portions, and it takes exactly 25 minutes. You can start brewing the coffee then get stuck into these instructions....

Ingredients:

• 250g Porridge Oats
• 125g Butter
• 125g Brown Sugar
• 2-3 tbsps Golden Syrup (depends how gooey you want it)
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Method:

Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until fully mixed, but be careful not to overmix making sure the oats keep their texture.

Lightly grease a baking tin with butter and spoon in all the mixture.

Using the back of a spoon press into the corners so the mixture is flat and score the mixture into 12 squares.

Place in the oven and bake on 180 until golden brown (about 20 minutes).

Let cool slightly before serving. 

(Warning: these flapjacks are slightly addictive.)

Kanelbulle (aka Cinnamon Rolls) in 90 minutes!

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  So here in Sweden it's a day for eating kanelbulle (Cinnamon Rolls). Follow this recipe to be eating some tasty fresh Kanelbulle in 90 minutes! What you'll need: 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup margarine, softened
• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 (.25 ounce) package instant yeast
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 cup water
• 1 egg
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup margarine, softened
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• Directions:

Heat the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Mix in margarine; stir until melted. Let cool until lukewarm.

In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 1/4 cup flour, yeast, sugar and salt; mix well. Add water, egg and the milk mixture; beat well. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough has just pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes.

Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, cinnamon, softened margarine.

Roll out dough into a 12x9 inch rectangle. Spread dough with margarine/sugar mixture. Sprinkle with raisins if desired. Roll up dough and pinch seam to seal. Cut into 12 equal size rolls and place cut side up in 12 lightly greased muffin cups. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until browned. Remove from muffin cups to cool. Serve warm & enjoy! (p.s. The icing sugar is just a personal preference of mine)