I haad a dreaam...

And a really weird one too!! The night before I was looking up cupcake recipes to bake the next day. I fell asleep unsatisfied and exhausted, and had the strangest dream where I was baking this concoction..it was not really a cupcake or a brownie..kinda a mixture of both, I think it was just my sub-consciousness working in overdrive...but I decided to try it out! HAHA

I went online and found a somewhat similar recipe to what I remembered from my dream and followed it. The strange thing is this recipe didn't have any butter in it, I think that kinda affected the texture of my cakes, which honestly speaking have the strangest texture I have ever come across. However the taste is really good..So...here is the recipe if you are feeling a bit adventurous!

Chocolate cream cheese cupcakes
Makes 24 cupcakes

Cream cheese topping
230g cream cheese
1 egg
65g (1/3cup) sugar
3/4 cup chocolate chips (I used a mixture of chopped dark and semi sweet chocolate)

For the chocolate cake base
1/2 cup flour
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1 cup coffee

1. Preheat oven to 170°C. Line muffin tins with paper cups
2. Beat the cream cheese, egg, sugar together till smooth with no lumps. Stir in the chocolate chips and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon of salt together.
4. Add the coffee, oil, vinegar and vanilla and stir with a wooden spoon till well blended.
5. Fill muffin tins 1/3 full with the batter and add a layer of cream cheese mixture on top.
   
6. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30
   

So I discovered that it had a really strange chewy texture when it first comes out of the oven but after leaving it in the fridge for a day (covered) the texture improved greatly and the lovely chocolate-y flavour coupled with the cream cheese becomes more prominent. =)

This is the recipe I based it on (they call it black bottom cupcakes...interesting name..)
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Black-Bottom-Cupcakes-I/Detail.aspx

Unfortunately I forgot about my second batch and accidentally left it in the oven for an hour.
The end result:Looks kinda like chocolate cupcakes don't you think? It tasted incredibly awful though =(
I stupidly tried...

Note to self: no more eating burnt cupcakes

roti (wo)man

The price of an average tasting focaccia in a plastic wrappy at the supermarket will cost you about £2.30, and that's enough for only one meal. So lately I've gotten really into bread making, partly because I've been quite stressed with my uni giving me a ton of problems and I've discovered that kneading bread is incredibly therapeutic, it's like a soft smooth punching bag.
The other day I made foccacia bread to take to a friend's dinner. It's the second time I've made it and I'm starting to get used to the whole 'science' that bread making involves. If I were a chem teacher I would make my students bake bread. If my science teacher at high school had conducted experiments like that, there would probably have been a less likely chance of me failing.

This recipe is incredibly simple and so so yummy. You can make it the night before and refrigerate the dough, but I personally don't like the texture of refrigerated dough so i tend to bake it as soon as it has risen.

Easy Cheese and Herbs Focaccia Bread
Serves 8

• 230 g bread flour
  
• 170 ml warm water
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon white sugar
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
  
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano and/or thyme
• 1 teaspoon rosemary
  
• pinch of black pepper
• 1/2 cup cheese (i used a mixture of Parmesan and Edam but you can use any cheese of your preference)
• extra oil for greasing bowl
• extra flour for dusting
  
  

1. In small bowl put yeast, sugar and slowly add in water.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, salt, oregano, thyme, and black pepper. Make a well in the middle and slowly pour in the yeast mixture, pour in the oil. Stir with a wooden spoon, then use your hands to mix it all into a ball.
3. Sprinkle flour over a clean work surface and tip out the dough. Knead the dough for 10 minutes till smooth and elastic. (If you are unsure of how to knead, this video is very helpful: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWj8oHMPFm0)
4. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat with oil. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 220°C/428°F. Punch dough down; place on greased baking sheet. Pat into a 1/2 inch thick rectangle. Brush top with olive oil. Sprinkle with cheese, salt and rosemary. Bake for 15minutes or till golden brown.

Enjoy!

In conclusion: Make your own bread. It tastes so much better, it's marginally more cost-effecient and it relieves stress =)