Grasshopper Pie

After looking through the Hummingbird Book I came accross this Grasshopper Pie which I thought looked really different and could potentially be really good.  It's got a chocolate biscuit base, marshmallowy minty centre with a whipped cream topping, so it's got loads of different flavours and textures and mint and chocolate always go really well together.

I had pretty high expectations for the pie, however, I must admit I was a bit disappointed with it although it's nothing that can't be improved next time.
1) The chocolate base is made just like a cheesecake base would be, the book doesn't tell you to grease the dish at all which I was a little bit sceptical about but thought i'd follow the recipe first time round and then ammend it next time.  The base stuck to the dish quite a bit so next time i'd reccommend greasing in some way. (As the base really stuck, it was really hard to cut slices that were worth photographing and left the cake looking not so pretty, so please excuse the photography on this one!)
2) The filling wasn't as minty as I was expecting, I personally, along with the other people who tried it, would prefer more mint in it. If you want a really subtle flavour then the amount they use in the book is fine but then depending on how flavoursome you want it I would reccommend adding more mint essence.
3) I found the whipped cream on top really overpowering and probably too much in ratio with the rest of the pie. I'm not a big cream lover, so would personally not put the cream on top next time. There are many different Grasshopper Pie versions, some with cream, some without, so depending on your preference you can try either.

Anyway, now the negatives are over and done with, the overall texture of the pie was really nice.  I loved the gooeyness of the filling against the crunch of the biscuit.  I really love the flavour of mint with chocolate and so with some small ammendments I think this could be a really good pie.  I will try this pie again adding more mint this time and maybe experimenting with some new topping ideas or even without a topping and will blog about it to let you all know how it went!

Recipe
(Cake Days - The Hummingbird Book)

Serves 10-12

For the Biscuit Base:
250g (9oz) chocolate-flavoured biscuits or double-chocolate cookies
175g (6oz) unsalted butter, melted

For the Filling:
180g (6.5oz) large white marshmallows
180ml (6.5fl oz) whole milk
1/4 tsp peppermint essence
1/4 tsp green food colouring 
700ml (1 pint 4fl oz) double cream
Chocolate shavings to decorate (optional)

one 23cm (9in) diameter pie dish or loose bottomed tart tin

Method:

• In a food processor with the blade attachment, blitz the chocolate biscuits into a fine crumb. Alternatively, place in a plastic bag, seal the bag shut and crush with a rolling pin. Pour the crumbs into a bowl and add the melted butter, mixing until all the crumbs are coated and can be squeezed together.
• Tip the crumb mixture into the pie dish or tart tin, pressing it into the base and sides, then place in the fridge and leave for 30-40 minutes to set completely. 
• Meanwhile, make the filling. In a saucepan over a low heat, melt the marshmallows in the milk. Remove from the heat, then add the peppermint essence and food colouring and stir into the marshmallow mixture until it is evenly green in colour. Set aside to cool for 10-15 minutes. 
• Pour 300ml (10.5fl oz) of the cream into a bowl and whip into soft peaks either by hand or using a hand-held whisk, then fold into the marshmallow mixture. Pour the filling into the chilled biscuit base and leave in the fridge for 1-2 hours to set completely. 
• Once set, whip the remaining cream and spoon on to the top of the pie. You can also sprinkle with chocolate shavings if you wish. 

Thanks for reading,

Olivia x x

Rocky Road Cupcakes

This cupcake recipe isn't from the Hummingbird book, but a friend and I really wanted to make them so I put the Hummingbird challenge on hold. These cakes are from the 'Making Cupcakes with Lola' book, which contains recipes from Lola's cupcakes, a cake business with various stores around London including one inside Topshop Oxford Street. All the cakes in the book look perfect, and vary from your standard flavours, with options such as Toffee Apple (which I want to try ASAP), maybe Olivia and I can bake our way through the Lola book when we eventually finish the Hummingbird one aha. 

I love rocky roads and I love cake, so when I came across the rocky road cupcake it was an immediate baking must. The sponge is a marbled vanilla and chocolate mix, which is then topped with a standard chocolate buttercream. That's not where it ends however, the next bit is the part where your inner child can be released, where the cupcake truly takes on its 'rocky road' title. The piling of marshmallows, almonds and chocolate chips allows complete creativity and then topping it with melted chocolate really does make it a cupcake dream. I was happy with how they turned out as they don't look too dissimilar to the ones in the book and they taste pretty good too! 


Recipe
(Making Cupcakes with Lola - Victoria Jossel & Romy Lewis)

Makes 12 cupcakes

For the sponge: 
          130g/1 cup self-raising flour
          100g/3/4 cup plain/all-purpose flour
          1 teaspoon baking powder
             1/4 teaspoon salt
          130g/1 stick plus 1 tablespoon butter, cubed and soft
          200g/1 cup (caster) sugar
             1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
          2 eggs
          120ml/1/2 cup milk
          1 tablespoon cocoa powder
          3 tablespoons flaked/slivered almonds
          25g/1/3 cup white mini marshmallows 
          40g/1/3 cup milk chocolate chips
          store bought chocolate sauce, to drizzle (or just melt chocolate as I did)

For the buttercream:
          135g/1 stick plus 1 tablespoon butter, cubed and soft
          410g3 cups icing/confectioners sugar
          45g/1/3 cup cocoa powder
          6 tablespoons milk 

muffin pan lined with 12 muffin cases

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4
• Sift together the flours, baking powder and salt in a bowl
• Put the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer until pale and fluffy. Stop occasionally to scrape down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the vanilla. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Slowly add the sifted dry ingredients in alternate batches with the milk ad beat no low speed until combined. 
• Transfer half the mixture to another bowl and stir in the cocoa powder. 
• Scoop 1 tablespoon of the vanilla mixture into each muffin case, followed by 1 tablespoon of the chocolate mixture. Repeat until you have used up all the mixture. 
• Bake in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until well risen and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack before decorating.
• While the cupcakes are cooling down, make the chocolate buttercream. 
• Put the butter in a bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer until very soft and smooth. Sift half the sugar and half the cocoa powder into the bowl, beating until incorporated. Add the second half of the sugar and cocoa and beat on low speed. 
• Slowly pour in the milk and when it is mixed in, beat for 3-5 minutes on a higher speed. 
• Spread the frosting over the cold cupcakes using a spatula. Cover with the almonds, mini marshmallows and chocolate chips. Finish by drizzling with chocolate sauce  (or melted chocolate). 

Thankies for reading,

Naomi ♥