Five on Friday: Favorite Five Chocolaty Things

It’s the end of the National Chocolate Week and there have been a lot of chocolate stuff going on in London.

I wish I could tell you about all the fun I was having in there in London, but I wasn't there! 

So, from the comfort of my couch and laptop I thought I’d share with you some of my favorite chocolaty things for my Five on Friday.

1. Brownies

In the early days of my blog I was going to have a whole thing about my quest to find the best brownie recipe ever! Then I sorta stopped. However I have found my favorite brownie recipe and I haven’t used another one since. I wrote about them in the post Bribe Worthy Brownies (I still haven't taken my driver's test O_o ) and a look here for more brownie recipes!

2. Paul A. Young

He could secretly be made of chocolate. When I got to meet him briefly at last years Cake & Bake Show, he was super friendly and happy to answer any questions. I love his book and I love his shop(s). His book is full of amazing chocolate things and his store is filled with amazing chocolate treats! (His brownies are freakin’ amazing! If you want to know about my visit to his shop I wrote about here and if you want to know more about his book I wrote about it here and more about when I meet him look here!

3. Hotel Chocolat

They have great chocolate and the range of flavors and products is astounding! It is a bit pricey, but it’s part of why I think of it as such a treat! One time when I was pregnant I bought one of the Caramel Slabs and I hid it in the back of a cupboard so my husband didn't know about it because I didn't want to share and in 3 days I had finished the whole thing. So, unless he reads this he'll never know about it. 

4. Blackout Cake

I don’t ever think I ate anything so chocolaty and so rich as this cake. It is the cake that I found myself sneaking to the fridge with a fork to steal bites of it. Then when the cake looked a bit funny, due to the fork marks in it, I had to have a few more bites to even it out. Why I didn't just cut myself a slice is beyond me. More about the blackout cake here! 

5. Galaxy Ripples

I know I like high-end chocolate from places like Paul A. Young and mid-end chocolate from places like Hotel Chocolate, but there is something to be said about a Galaxy Ripple. I mean sometimes you just want a creamy chocolaty treat! These are my go to chocolate in times of need. 

A couple other things that almost made my list where:

Eric Lanlard’s book Chocolat:

&

Oatly Chocolate Oat Drink 

notes: Pictures are my own, except the Hotel Chocolate logo, it is from their website. All opinions are my own, no compensation was given for this post. Please see my contact/policy page for further information. 

Oatly Chocolate Mini Donuts

Today I know at least 3 people who can’t have any dairy of any kind. It seems more and more people need to seek out alternatives to milk.

Oatly have been producing their oat drink since the1990’s at a time that people thought they were a bit ambitious and perhaps a bit crazy. 

It’s a good thing they didn't listen to the naysayers because today there is a need for milk alternatives. 

Baking is something that can be a bit tricky when trying to accommodate for people who have different food needs. 

Oatly not only tastes good, it has a very nice subtle oaty taste, but it also works great in baked goods!

I have already had success making cupcakes with Oatly’s Original Oat drink, so I thought I would try the Chocolate version. I thought of cupcakes again, but wasn't feeling it. Then I thought of cookies because of cookies and milk and all that. I dismissed that pretty quick as I have never baked cookies with milk in them.

Then I thought of donuts and it just felt right. I have started this new thing where I go with my gut instincts, because usually they are right. It’s actually pretty creepy how often I am right about something.

For instance these donuts. 

I was totally right about these donuts! They have a nice rich chocolaty flavor and just one feels pretty guilt free! Not that it is, its just mini so you know….

One thing before I get to the recipe: I used sour cream, but I think you could substitute a soya yogurt or similar to make it completely dairy free. However I had sour cream in my fridge and I wanted to use it up. Waste not and all that stuff. 

Anyway here’s how I made them in case you want to make them too!

Oatly Chocolate Mini Donuts:

160g plain flour

40g cocoa powder

2 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

1 medium egg

120g sugar

150ml The Original Oatly Oat Drink Chocolate

2 tbsp sunflower oil

2 tbsp sour cream or soya yogurt

½ tsp vanilla extract

Heat the oven to 180C/350F and grease the mini donut pan. I use silicone pastry brush and sunflower oil. If it’s not greased properly they will stick.

In a small bowl whisk all the dry ingredients together. Then in a bigger bowl whisk the egg and sugar together before adding the milk, oil, sour cream, and vanilla.
Then by hand gently beat the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined and smooth.

It can be spooned into the donut pan or piped. Piping is somewhat easier, but the batter is very smooth and can run out so it just depends on what’s easiest for you. I like piping because it’s a bit quicker. Fill the indents no more then ¾ full.

Bake for 7-9 minutes. Leave to cool slightly before carefully turning them out to cool completely. I suggest cleaning out each indentation and re-greasing between bakes. 

Oatly Chocolate Glaze

150g icing sugar

1 tsp cocoa powder

2-3 tbsp The Original Oatly Oat Drink Chocolate

Mix all the ingredients together. Start with two tablespoons of Oat Drink to see if it’s the right consistency before adding another one in. If you put your finger in the icing it should stick to your finger and leave a bit of a stiff trail. Once the donuts are cool, fill a baggie or piping bag and make a very small hole in the tip to pipe on the donuts or dunk them in to cover the tops completely. Then eat! Enjoy!

notes: In association with Oatly: visit their website here if you’d like to learn more. All opinions are my own – for more information please see my contact/policy. Check out my Oatly Espresso Cupcakes! This is being entered in Cakeyboi and The Baked Explorer’s monthly Treat Petite baking challenge.

Oatly Espresso Cupcakes - for a real Buzz

I attended Food Blogger Connect so that I could learn more about the online foodie world I have gotten myself into! I wouldn't be anywhere else I love it here!

I do love books though; sometimes I wonder if I had put a bit more time into my book blog I would be somewhere else right now?

There isn't enough time for what-ifs and I figured I might start combining my love for food and books anyway (see my side bar for what I’m reading now)!

I’m just getting off topic this post is about Oatly… wait I haven’t gotten there yet.

At Food Blogger Connect I learned a lot and I ate a lot! In-between all the learning we had snack breaks and one of the brands there was Oatly - they were serving these amazing Coffee Shakes and delicious cinnamon rolls.

The coffee shakes were so good I kept going back for more! Oatly has a subtle oat flavor that I found refreshing and delicious; even better when paired with espresso.

Oatly is a nutritious alternative to milk. It is full of oaty goodness and made of natural ingredients no crazy additives here.

On the second day of FBC14 I started chatting with the ladies who were at the table and when I said I was a baker and would be interested in using Oatly in my baking they loaded me up with some of the product to try!

I couldn't get the Coffee Shake out of my head and so I decided to make espresso cupcakes. They turned out beautifully and had a very subtly nutty taste that just added to the flavor. One of these cupcakes could easily replace my morning cup of coffee! 

Oatly Espresso Cupcakes

20g instant espresso powder

240ml oat drink

80g margarine

280g sugar

240g plain flour

1 tbsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

2 large eggs

Heat the oven to 190C. Line the muffin pan(s) with liners; this recipe makes more then 12.

Weigh out the espresso powder in a small saucepan then add the oat drink. Gently heat the mixture until the powder dissolves. Take off the heat.

Beat the margarine, sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt until it looks like breadcrumbs.

Add the eggs to the slightly cooled espresso oat drink and gently whisk. Combine about 1/3 of the espresso/egg mixture with the dry ingredients and beat on a low speed. Increase the speed to medium while gradually adding the rest of the milk until the batter is smooth. Using an ice cream scoop fill the liners with batter (about ¾ full) and bake for 18-20 minutes or until it springs back when gently prodded and if a skewer comes out clean. While they are cooling on a rack make the frosting.

frosting

50ml creamy oat

16g instant espresso powder

250g icing sugar

80g margarine

Like the cupcakes weigh out the espresso powder in a small saucepan before adding the cream and heat just long enough to dissolve the espresso powder without boiling it, like I did the first time because one of my children were bleeding from a small cut after stepping on a rock. It smells burnt if you boil it and then you have to start again. Once it’s done right set it aside to cool

Beat the icing sugar and margarine together to look like breadcrumbs, and then gradually add the espresso cream to taste. Once it’s to your liking increase the speed and beat until lighter in color and spread-able.

to finish

Optional toppings- chocolate covered coffee beans or chocolate sprinkles

Using a pallet knife scoop some frosting on top of the cooled cupcake and spread evenly and then top with chosen topping.

I still have some Chocolate Oatly and an alternative to single cream left to use up so who knows what I’ll make next? I mean really I haven’t thought of anything to use it for so it’ll be just as a surprise for me as it is for you!

If you’re looking for Oatly it’s found in Waitrose, big Sainsbury’s and Tesco, or Holland & Barrett. The full range of products can be found online. I really want to try the Chai Oat Drink. I love chai as much as I love espresso.

notes: If you want to see what I learned at FBC14 check my post here! If you follow me on Twitter you’ll have seen my love for books in my tweets for #bookadayuk or #fridayreads I love to talk books so tweet me if you’re reading a good one! If you are interested to learn more about Oatly visit their website they are nice people. I was given the product to try, but I was not asked to post about it. Please see my contact/policy page for further information. The recipe is adapted from hummingbird bakery Cake Days.