Chocolate and Courgette Muffins

Once again it is the season of the courgette. We have so many growing on our allotment that we can't keep up with them; so in addition to making ratatouille and eating baby ones raw like carrot sticks, I adapted a muffin recipe to use up 300g of courgette or one medium large courgette.

300g courgette

200g light muscovado sugar

80ml sunflower oil

2 medium eggs

260g plain flour minus 4 tbsps

4 tbsps cocoa powder

2 tsps baking powder

1.5 tsps ground cinnamon

80ml natural yogurt

100g dark chocolate drops

12 hole muffin tin and muffin cases

1. Preheat oven to 170'C

2. Finely grate courgette and allow some of the juice to drain away.

3. Whisk together the sugar, oil and eggs using an electric whisk.

4. Sift together all of the dry ingredients. Add half of them to the sugar mixture and whisk again.

5. Add the yogurt, whisk, add the remaining dry ingredients and whisk until well mixed.

6. Using a spoon stir in the courgette and chocolate drops.

7. Divide mixture evenly between the 12 muffin cases and bake for approximately 20 minutes, until risen and the spongy to the touch.

The grated courgette makes the muffins moist, but they do not taste of courgette. :)

Apricot, Pistachio and Chocolate Cookies

140g plain flour

0.5 tsp baking powder

75g rolled oats

125g unsalted butter, softened*

75g dark muscovado sugar

100g caster sugar

1 medium egg

75g dried apricots, chopped

50g pistachios, chopped

150g milk or dark chocolate, chopped

* do not use margarine as mixture will be too soft.

1. Preheat oven to 170'C.

2. Using an electric whisk, beat together the butter and sugars.

3. Add the egg and whisk.

4. Mix together the flour, baking powder and oats and stir into the creamed mixture.

5. Add the apricots, pistachios and chocolate and mix well.

6. Place tablespoonfuls of the mixture onto a lined baking tray, allowing space for cookies to spread a little.

7. Bake in the centre of the oven for approximately 10 - 15 minutes, until lightly golden.

8. Allow to cool on tray for 5 minutes before removing to a rack.

White Christmas Slice

I have slightly adapted this Rocky Road recipe from a Sainsbury's recipe card.

200g Good Quality Dark Chocolate

150g unsalted butter

2 tbsps Runny Honey

400g Coconut Biscuits

400g Good Quality White Chocolate

50g Desiccated Coconut

1. Line a 23cm x 30cm baking tray with clingfilm.

2. In a large microwavable bowl, melt dark chocolate, butter and honey together.

3. Roughly crumble the coconut biscuits and stir into chocolate mixture until completely coated.

4. Press into lined tray.

5. Melt white chocolate in a microwave and pour evenly over the biscuit mixture.

6. Sprinkle desiccated coconut over the top.

7. Chill in a refrigerator.

8. Once set, cut into small squares. I found that I needed to remove it from the fridge for a short time before cutting.