Let's talk about The Great British bake Off

Hello all,
As you are by now aware I am fortunate enough to count myself as one of the 12 amateur bakers to make it through to the Great British Bake Off.

If you watched the show on Tuesday night you would have seen me take a bit of a hammering for my choice of ingredients for my cupcakes!


If you didn't see it you can watch it here..GBBO Series Two Episode 1


I am not a bitter type of chap and thought I would open up my recipe for the cupcakes from the show, and give all of you the opportunity to try these little devils for yourself.


Please post your comments if you tried this recipe yourself and how you got on.

Chocolate and Guinness Cupcakes.

1. 250ml Guinness
2. 250g butter
3. 100g dark bitter chocolate, broken up
4. 400g caster sugar
5. 1 x small tub of creme fraiche
6. 2 medium eggs
7. 275g plain flour
8. 1 tbsp baking soda

Baileys Irish Cream and Cream Cheese Icing

• 75g butter
• 340g icing sugar
• 2 tbsp Baileys Irish Cream
• 150g cream cheese

Method

• Gently heat the Guinness, butter, chocolate and sugar together. 
• Mix in the eggs and combine until thoroughly mixed.
• Add sour cream and combine slowly over the heat until fully combined.
• Slowly add in the flour and baking soda. 
• Remove from heat and beat until mixture is smooth with no lumps.
• Place into 24 cases and bake at 160 degrees C for 18 minutes or until well risen and springy to the touch.
• Remove from muffin tin and allow to cool totally on a cooling rack.
• Cream the butter and cream cheese together until smooth.
• Add sufficient icing sugar to achieve a mixture that achieves a ribbon like consistency when whisked as it by it's nature is not as stiff as a buttercream.
• Place in the fridge if the mixture becomes runny or loose.
• Place icing in a piping bag and decorate each cupcake with a generous amount of icing in a style to suit you.

This is exactly how I did mine on the day and I want to know how your cakes turn out and whether you enjoyed them or not.

I have since made these cakes with Adnams Broadside and the flavour blew me away. It worked so much better than Guinness and it's a local product.

Have fun and let me know how you get on.

Here's a little teaser from next week's show..Teaser for episode 2

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