Rich Chocolate Bundt Cake

So I wanted to bake something outstanding for a recent birthday celebration, the recipient is an out and out chocoholic...me! 

I figure that it should be something special - this is very important, it should be extremely easy to make and with minimal washing up - which this recipe is.

Also it had the added benefit allowing little hands to help with plenty of chocolate covered spoons to lick.  

This cake is alarmingly easy to make, no electric mixers involved, just good old fashioned saucepans and a mixing bowl. The method is simple and there is nothing fancy on the ingredient list.

I love that is isn't too sweet but so moist and moreish! I promise you that the bundt tin you bought -in my case, at our local German discount store in the reduced to clear basket! - and haven't really used will come to life with this perfect celebration cake.  

Cool Ice Lollies

There is nothing nicer than a cool ice pop on a hot day, especially if you've made them yourself. There is no special skill or equipment needed to make these tasty treats. If you have the molds (that are no doubt languishing at the back of your cupboard!), then root them out and have a crack at these quick and easy ice lollies. 

I have become somewhat of a fan of frozen yogurt recently, because it is so easy to work with. Just add the flavour or fruit of your choice, pour into molds and then freeze. That's it! In fact the only tricky bit is the weather!!    

*Recipe adapted from Kirbie's Cravings

Makes 6-8 depending on your molds

Ingredients

250ml Fresh pomegranate juice (about 2 pomegranates)

250g Greek yogurt

60g Caster sugar

A few drops of red food coloring

Hungry for more?

Vanilla Frozen Yogurt 

Blueberry Frozen Yogurt

Method

Squeeze the juice from the pomegranates through a sieve into a large bowl.

Add the greek yogurt and sugar and stir.

If necessary add the food coloring for a deeper shade of pink.

Pour the mixture into the molds and freeze for 3-4 hours or until firm. This frozen yogurt can be made with an ice-cream machine if you prefer, but the mix should be chilled overnight if possible beforehand to get the best results.

  

Blueberry Frozen Yogurt

Okay I'm on a roll, my ice-cream machine is on overtime these days!! I hoping that if I make enough ice-cream and frozen yogurt, the sunny weather will feel obliged to return forthwith.
I bought my ice-cream maker this time last year, thinking that if I used it five or six times throughout the year it would worth buying.  Little did I know that it would get so much use. I make David Lebovitz's Vanilla Frozen Yogurt most weeks, it has replaced tubs of shop bought ice-cream in this house. I think that if you can knock up a recipe with little or no effort, you will be far more likely to make it. This recipe is very similar. Make the blueberry coulis (which would be perfect as it is poured over ice-cream or pancakes), add it to the Greek yogurt, chill and hey presto you are good to go.
Now if you are brand new to making frozen yogurt at home, then this is as good a recipe as any to start with.  Blueberries are in season and good value at the moment, so go on impress your family and friends with this tasty (and healthy!?!) treat.

*Recipe translated and adapted from Gingerbread without Pepper Blog 

Serves 4-5

Ingredients
250g Fresh or frozen Blueberries
100g Caster sugar
2 tbsp Fresh lemon juice
500g Greek yogurt

Method
Place the bowl of your ice cream maker in the freezer 24 hours prior to making this recipe.

Place the blueberries, sugar and the lemon juice in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Stir until the sugar begins to dissolve, simmer gently for 5-8 minutes until the berries begin to burst. Remove from the heat, mash the blueberries with the back of a fork. Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, add the cooled blueberry coulis to the greek yogurt. Stir until combined.

Chill the mixture for at least 4 hours or overnight if possible.

Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and leave it to do it's magic for 20-30 minutes or as per your machines instructions. It should look something like this when it is finished. Transfer to a shallow container and continue to freeze for another 1-2 hours. Serve with fresh blueberries or in a wafer cone.

Now if you don't possess an ice cream maker (this method applies to all ice cream recipes if you don't have an ice cream maker), make as above then pour the blueberry coulis and yogurt mixture into a shallow airtight container. Freeze as normal, taking it out of the freezer every 2-3 hours and whisk with fork, do this a couple of times until all the hard lumps and crystals are gone, then leave to freeze. This will break up the ice crystals and should give you a smooth finish.

David Lebovitz's Vanilla Frozen Yogurt

Recently I bought a passive ice cream maker from Aldi for €24.99 and I have been experimenting with it ever since, this is the simplest recipe yet! It is very rich and creamy but it has less calories than ice cream, so it is a treat you can enjoy more often. I am planning to try his Strawberry Frozen Yogurt Recipe next, which looks equally easy and will go down a storm here I'm sure. If you have no ice cream maker then this post will help. Enjoy!

Recipe Note:
How to make strained yogurt
To make 240g of strained yogurt, line a mesh strainer with a few layers of cheese cloth/ muslin. Then scrape 480g of plain whole-milk yogurt into the cheesecloth. Gather the ends and fold them over the yogurt, then refrigerate for at least 6 hours. So, for the above recipe start with and strain 1.5kg of yogurt.

Recipe compliments of  The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz

Makes 900ml

Ingredients
720g - 750g Strained yogurt or Greek-style yogurt (I used Greek style yogurt)
150g White sugar
1tsp Vanilla extract

Method
Mix together the yogurt, sugar, and vanilla.

Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Refrigerate for 1 hour (as with any passive ice cream maker your ingredients need to be completely chilled, so I usually leave it overnight)

Freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions (usually about a half an hour or until it begins to click) .