Crispy M&Ms Chocolate Traybake

Readers, just a quick post from me tonight as it’s a Sunday evening and I really should be getting set for work.  I know my traybake posts are incredibly popular with all my readers, so I have a simple twist on a mars bar cake, to appeal to you all.  I added crunchy M&Ms.  It’s like the ultimate chocolate indulgence and the crisps shells on top, just add a little something.

This can be whipped up in half an hour and is an easy bake to try with youngsters – they’ll enjoy sticking the sweets on the top!

Happy Baking!

Crispy M&M Chocolate Traybake

Ingredients (serves 9)

75g butter
2 heaped dessert spoons golden syrup
3 full sized Mars Bars – chopped into a small pieces
2 cups puffed rice cereal
200g milk chocolate
Share sized bag of crispy M&Ms (the blue pack)

Method

1. Melt the butter, syrup and chopped mars bars on a medium heat, stir occasionally.  Keep an eye on the mix – you don’t want it burning, but it will start to bubble.   Whilst melting, prepare a silicone 8in x 8in square baking tin with baking parchment.  
2. Once melted, stir to combine all ingredients.  Stir in the cup of rice cereal, then stir in the second cup until fully coated.   Transfer the mix to the baking tin and spread out to form a flat top. 
3. Transfer to the fridge to set, for at least 1 hour.
4. Melt the milk chocolate in a microwave proof bowl at 30 second intervals until melted.  Stir every 30 seconds.  Remove the tray from the fridge and pour the chocolate on the top – spread evenly to form a topping.   Allow to cool for a few moments then finish off with the crispy M&Ms.  Allow to set in the fridge for around 30 minutes. 
5. Once set, return to room temperature and cut into 9 pieces, then serve. 

Bacon & Cheese Loaded Potato Skins

Readers, apologies to those of you who are the loyal cake fans.  I’ve been super busy these last few months and baking has become a special occasion thing, rather than regular.   I’m aware my posts have been more foodie related (and savoury) which I hope hasn’t turned you off reading?

I’d like to think I’m bringing some new home cooking ideas to your kitchens (or living rooms as you watch Eastenders) and that you’ve learnt something on this journey with me.

I apologise in advance – this is definitely not the healthiest recipe in the world.  But when you want comfort food, this ticks all the boxes.

Ready in around half an hour, they are easily prepared after work and fillings can be adapted to your desires.  I’m a huge fan of bacon and cheese… I’d have it with everything given half the chance.  If only it wasn’t as unhealthy.  But as a one off, get stuck in!

Cheese and Bacon Potato Skins

Ingredients

Serves 2 as a snack lunch (or starter)

2 large baking potatoes

4 slices of unsmoked bacon (chopped)

2 teaspoons soured cream – plus more to top

2 teaspoons chopped chives

Grated cheddar

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180c (fan).
2. Wash and dry your potatoes and prick the skins.
3. Cook individually in the microwave for 8-10 mins until almost cooked.
4. Cut each potato in half – watch, hot!! – and scoop out the filling into a bowl.
5. Stir in 2 teaspoons of soured cream to the potato filling and set aside.

   

   Mix in the soured cream 

6. Rub the outside of the skins with olive oil and season. Transfer to the oven for 10 minutes to crisp up.
7. Meanwhile, cut the bacon into small pieces and fry in a pan.  The fat will be enough – don’t add any oil. 
8. Once cooked, dry off on a paper towel and mix half into the potato filling and leave half to top once filled.

   

   Add the filling

9. Remove the skins from the oven and fill with the potato and bacon mix.  Top with grated cheese and return to the oven for 15 minutes to warm through.  

   

   Transfer back to the oven to melt the cheese and warm filling

10. Top with a dollop of soured cream and sprinkle the chopped chives on top.

(I also served this with a side salad of rocket drizzled in olive oil with a splash of lemon and black pepper) 

Homemade Falafel

Readers, I went off on a food adventure this week.  I attempted to make the humble falafel.  Mr WhatClaireBaked loves a falafel.  We aren’t sure of the origin of these – perhaps readers can help me out?

We believe these are middle eastern, but they also feature heavily within Greek restaurants.   Recently in Brussels, we uncovered an amazing Greek take out for late night wraps, which had falafel hidden in the bottom.

Last week we had our own theme night, with homemade tzatziki, chicken gyros in pittas and the falafel as an accompaniment.

These are quite time consuming, although I did manage these on a Monday night and we had dinner by 8pm, so not the worst.

Please, please, please don’t skip the chilling or freezing part – they won’t work.  Also, make sure the oil temperature is always at 350F or they won’t cook.  You could make these in the oven, but I wanted to push the boat out and deep fry them, the proper way.

Happy Falafeling!

Falafel Balls

Ingredients (makes around 18 pieces)

1 can chickpeas

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon cumin

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Zest and Juice of 1 lime

½ red onion

1 teapsoon parlsley

1 teaspoon coriander

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/6 cup plain flour

Method

1. In a food processor, blitz chickpeas, garlic, cumin, cayenne pepper, lime juice and zest and the chopped onion.  Start to pulse.  Add in the herbs and pulse some more.  The mix may need scraped from the sides of the processor.  Blitz until paste like.

   

   Start to blitz, then add herbs

   
   

   

   Make a paste, then add the remaining dry ingredients and mix

2. Transfer to a bowl and add the baking powder, salt and flour.  Thoroughly mix in.
3. Refrigerate the mix for 2 hours or if pushed for time, freeze for around 50 minutes.
4. When time is up, remove from the freezer and shape into 18 equally sized round pieces.  I used a melon baller to help with this.
   
5. Pour sunflower oil into a deep, heavy based pan, to around 2.5in up from the base and heat.  Using a sugar thermometer, keep an eye on the temperature until it reaches 350F.  Don’t put the falafel in before this.
   
6. Cook in batches of 6.  Drop into the oil and cook for 3 minutes, then turn falafel and cook for another 3 minutes.
7. Drain on kitchen towel to mop up excess oil and serve immediately, with tzatziki. 
   

Product Review - The Foodie Market at Aldi

Readers, tonight’s post is a review of some tasty snacks found over at Aldi.  Yes, you heard right… Aldi.

No longer said quietly, under your breath, Aldi lead the movement in taking your own bags to the supermarket (or leaving with cardboard boxes).  Aldi is the new middle class supermarket of choice.  At weekend’s the Audi and Range Rover brigade squeeze themselves into the parking spaces and attack the middle aisle baskets with gusto. Picking up everything from discounted cookware, to a welder and coordinating safety accessories (yes that was my Dad).

Whilst on the way round, shoppers can pick up some of the new Foodie Market snack range – located at the checkout, just so you know.

The lovely people at Aldi’s PR team sent me some samples of the 5 fruit and seed bars in various flavours, as well as some of their oat and seed crackers.

Aldi - The Foodie Market Snacks

The fruit and seed bars come in a range of flavours and the selection I have are all less than 100kcal per bar.  I’ve been trying my best not to get carried away with snacking, so these are great for a mid morning snack at work.  I feel they fill me up too – and  I don’t feel too guilty about eating them.  Coming In at £1.49 a box for 5 bars, these are kind of the purse and would do a week’s worth of office snacks.

My least favourite was the apple, carrot and seed bars – they weren’t bad, just a little too bland for my liking.

So far, my favourite is the blackcurrant and seed bars (they are the the ones in the purple box).   I love the packaging of these bars – it’s fun, bright and appealing.   Also, the coloured wrappers are good for bottomless handbags.  Unlikely to get lost.

My favourite of the three sent

Next up, I enjoyed some of the chia and oat crispbreads.  I’m not normally one for things resembling cardboard, but I have to say, these were really good. Mr WhatClaireBaked was sent off to the office with a pack for snacking and soup accompaniment.

I also took mine to work and enjoyed a healthy packed lunch.  I topped mine with reduced fat red pepper humus and finished with cooked chicken breast.   It was easily assembled at work and was healthier than a sandwich. 3 of these filled me up curbed my afternoon snacking.

My lunch!

All in all, I enjoyed my snack selection.  The items are good value, the packaging appeals to the person on the go – whether it’s post workout fruit and seed bars, or just to keep in the car for between meetings, I’d buy these again.

Disclaimer: I was send a selection of samples from Aldi, to review.  Any opinions expressed are my own.