Time for Something New!

 I have always believed in the fact that trying new things is good and I've been thinking that in order to make my blog more accessible for different people I am going to start posting some of the crafty creations I do in my spare time.

If you have taken the time to read my 'About' page (and I can tell you now it won't have taken you much time as it is virtually non-existent!) then you will know that I briefly mentioned my passion for all things crafty! Therefore it won't come as a surprise to you that I am choosing to make this addition to my blog after such a short time of being here!

Most of these posts won't include a tutorial but they will be more about what I have made, why I have made it and who it is for. However that's not to say there won't ever be a little crafty tutorial here and there.

My name, despite it being 'Oven of Secrets' and therefore nothing to do with crafting, will be staying the same as the blog will continue to be mainly cooking/baking recipe style posts.

Another reason I have decided to make this change is because I am aware that I do not post on my blog much at all and this is probably because being able to find time to bake does not come as often as finding time to craft. Due to the fact you can start a craft project one day and finish it the next day, week or even month. Adding this little craft corner to my already 'DIY' style blog will simply enable me to be able to share more of my loves with you.

I hope you will share my opinion on this being a good opportunity for 'Oven of Secrets'.

I personally cannot wait to see where it takes us!

xxx

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Easter Cake

I will apologise now for how late this post is as I know Easter has now well and truly gone, however I still felt it would be nice to post this Easter Cake... After all there is always next year!

This cake is by no means a complicated one, in fact, it's very much the opposite. My mum, after giving up chocolate for Lent was desperately in need of a slice of chocolate cake...so, no prizes for guessing, I made one!

The only thing that makes my cake 'Eastery' is that i have decorated it using mini eggs therefore if you want to use this cake for another occasion it would be very simple to change and adapt the decoration to suit the situation.

Also I would not normally encourage using a mixer, however in this recipe, for the frosting I myself do. I don't believe there is anything wrong with mixers and they are perfectly good at their job but I do think it takes away the whole 'DIY' approach of baking which does after all add to the fun. The large quantity of frosting in this recipe, I feel requires the use of the dreaded mixer but at the end of the day it is up to you and your personal preferences. 

Makes: 1 large, round cake

Ingredients:

Cake:

2 18cm/7inch cake tins

225g self raising flour

225g caster sugar

225g butter

4 tbsp cocoa powder

1 tsp baking powder

4 eggs

Decoration:

600g Icing Sugar

200g Butter

80g Cocoa Powder

80ml Milk

Mini Eggs (enough to go round the outer edge of the cake)

Directions:

For the cake:

• Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4 
• Prepare the two tins by greasing with butter and then lining the bottom of the tins with baking paper.
• Add the flour, sugar, butter, cocoa and baking powder into a bowl.
• Mix together.
• Add the eggs (one at a time) stirring thoroughly each time.
• Once all the eggs have been added, keep stirring until the mixture is of a smooth consistency.
• Spoon equal amounts of the cake mixture into the prepared tins. 
• Cook in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer, when stuck into the cake, comes out clean.
• Once cooked, leave to cool on wire racks.

For the frosting:

• In a mixer place all the ingredients (from the decoration list-apart from the mini eggs)
• Turn on the mixer, slowly at first, and then gradually increase the speed. For this I cover the mixer with a tea towel to prevent a cloud of icing sugar and a mess!
• The frosting should be smooth and reasonably easy to mix.

For the assembly:

• Place one of the cakes onto a flat cake board, sandwich the cakes together using around half of the frosting.
• Use the other half of the frosting on the top of the cake, making sure it is spread smoothly and evenly.
• Place the mini eggs all around the edge of the cake.

Enjoy!

Rice Crispy Crunchie Bars

Another easy recipe! It appears that I am quite fond of the things that don't actually require use of the oven... despite the fact my blog is called 'Oven of Secrets'! I promise something that requires the use of the oven will be coming soon.

So, 'Rice Crispy Crunchie Bars' inspired by 'Rice Crispies Squares' that are actually cuboids which is something that I don't think I will ever understand!

Makes: 12 squares

Ingredients:

4oz butter

4oz marshmallows

4oz dairy toffees (I use the individually wrapped toffees that you can buy very                         cheaply at the supermarket)

7oz Rice Crispies

Directions:

• Line a tin with baking paper (I use a 10x6.5 inch tin)
• Put butter, marshmallows and toffees in a large pan and melt on a low heat stirring all the time.

• Once everything is fully melted, stir in the rice crispies.
• Press mixture down into the prepared tin and place in the fridge to set.
• Once set completely, turn out of the tin and cut into squares, a size of your choice-I do 12 squares.

Enjoy!

Oreo Tiffin

I've been making 'Chocolate Tiffin' for quite a while now, and I decided that I would quite like to create a variation on this favourite.

After much thinking I came to the conclusion that it could be nothing other than 'Oreo Tiffin'. 

Tiffin, being one of the quickest things to make, does not require much effort or time...yet the results are somewhat fabulous! 

So let us embark into this mysterious world of tiffin!

Makes: 18 triangular pieces

Ingredients:

300g Oreo's

110g butter

2 tbsp golden syrup

2 tbsp caster sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

50g raisins

300g milk chocolate

30g white chocolate

Directions:

• Crush 200g of the Oreo's until they are extremely fine. (I use a food processor but you could use a potato masher)
• Break up the other 100g of the Oreo's so that they are in little chunks and add to finely crushed biscuits.

• Melt the butter, sugar and vanilla in a pan over a low heat, stirring continuously.
• Once melted add the raisins and stir.
• Add butter mixture to the Oreo's and mix until combined.
• Press down into an 8x8 inch tin.
• Melt milk chocolate in a glass bowl over a simmering pan of water.
• In a small microwave safe bowl put the white chocolate and as this is a much smaller quantity, I would melt it in the microwave, checking it every 20-25 seconds until smooth.
• Pour milk chocolate over biscuit base.
• Make a small piping bag from baking paper and fill it with the white chocolate.
• Pipe straight lines all the way across one direction of the tin.
• Drag a cocktail stick across the white chocolate lines to create an effective decorative look to the tiffin.

• Place in the fridge to set.
• Once set cut into 9 squares and then cut each square in half diagonally so you have 18 pieces of tiffin.
• Store in the fridge and Enjoy!

Quick and Easy Banana Milkshake

I absolutely love milkshake.

I therefore thought it would be a good idea for me to share my 'Quick and Easy Banana Milkshake'. 

It literally takes a minute to make this shake and the results are brilliant! 

This milkshake goes really nicely with some scotch pancakes topped with golden syrup and sliced banana.

Makes: 2 large or 4 small glasses of banana milkshake

Ingredients:

• 3 frozen bananas, halved and frozen the day before.
• 600ml milk
• 1 Tbsp of Golden Syrup

Directions:

• Put bananas, milk and golden syrup into a blender.
• Blitz the ingredients until they create a smooth consistency.
• Pour into glasses and Enjoy!

I think the milkshake is best if it is served when it is still really cold as this makes it seem like there is ice cream in it.

Scotch Pancakes

These simple pancakes can be made super quickly and make a great breakfast. I make a full batch and keep them in the fridge so that I can have them for breakfast for a couple of days. They will last up to 3 days if covered tightly with cling film and stored in the fridge.

Sliced banana topped pancakes drizzled with Golden Syrup is among my favourite toppings however I also love Nutella and banana on top of the scrummy little 'cakes!

I love the fact that when I make these you can tell they are not shop bought because every single one is uniquely misshapen! 

Makes: 12 Scotch Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 4oz Self Raising Flour
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 and 1/2oz Caster Sugar
•  1 egg
• 4floz milk
• Oil

Directions:

• Mix the flour, baking powder and sugar in a bowl.
• Crack in the egg and mix together.
• Gradually pour in the milk, a little at a time, until you have a thick batter.
• Lightly oil a large frying pan and allow to become hot.
• Once the pan is very hot, turn down to a low heat and spoon three small separate discs of batter into the pan.

• When bubbles begin to appear on the tops of the pancakes turn them over and cook the other side.
• Continue to do this until all the batter is used.
• Finish off with a topping of your choice! Enjoy!

If you are keeping some in the fridge, you can reheat them in the microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Quick and Easy Oreo Milkshake (With a Subtle Banana Flavour)

If you've had a look around you may have seen my 'Quick and Easy Banana Milkshake'. This Oreo milkshake is near enough identical to it, the twist being, not to state the obvious...Oreo!

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I'm a big fan of the classic Oreo (I'm sure I'd be a fan of the other varieties but I'm afraid we don't have many in England!)  

I'd be looking around and saw that a few people had made their own cookies and cream milkshake using Oreo's, I thought to myself that I just had to try this simple variation on a normal milkshake.

Now I must admit that my milkshake will not be as indulgent as some of the other recipes you can find for this milkshake as they use cream as well. However this is about ease and convenience and unfortunately cream is not something you will always have in the fridge.

Makes: 2 large or 4 small glasses of milkshake

Ingredients:

• 3 frozen bananas, halved and frozen the day before.
• 600ml of milk
• 1 Tbsp of Golden Syrup
• 3-4 Oreo's
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

Directions:

• Put bananas, Oreo's, milk, golden syrup and vanilla into a blender.
• Blitz the ingredients until they create a smooth consistency.
• Pour into glasses and Enjoy!

I've said to put the Oreo's into the blender however depending on how big you want the pieces of Oreo to be in your milkshake, you could just break them up by hand and then stir them into the milkshake at the end.