20 minute hot chocolate puddings

We’ve all been there – that moment when dinner is over and the craving for pudding suddenly becomes overwhelming. In these times, a piece of fruit, a biscuit or a few chunks of chocolate just won’t cut it, I want a proper pudding – something hot, comforting and delicious.

Enter my super speedy, gooey, hot chocolate puddings, which are ready in just twenty minutes, from the moment your brain thinks ‘I need pudding’ to the moment these bad boiz are in front of you. So, there’s really no excuse for buying something ready-made.

FYI, these are very rich and gooey (not for the faint-hearted). And if you really want to do things properly, you should top these hot puds with a scoop of cold vanilla ice-cream. You won’t regret it.

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White chocolate & miso blondies

A friend of mine recently gave me a miso and white chocolate cookie and it was heavenly. The combination of intensely savoury miso and super sweet, creamy white chocolate is as much of a perfect match as salt & vinegar, fish & chips, or DOLCE & GOBBANA HUNNY. So, I just knew it needed to exist in a deliciously gooey blondie, ASAP. 

This recipe really couldn’t be simpler – the faffiest part, in my opinion, is lining the tin! 

Almond swirl chocolate brownies

This recipe was created for a very specific reason: to use up a jar of this delicious sweet almond paste, known in Italian as crema di mandorle. If you’ve never tried this kind of sweet Sicilian almond paste before (different brands available here and here and also available here) the best way I can describe it to you is a bit like an almond version of the inside of a Kinder Bueno – sweet, creamy and only mildly nutty, it tastes like melted white chocolate with a hint of natural almond nuttiness. In fact, it’s so good that I usually eat it straight from the jar with a spoon, but I felt it was time to try putting it to even better use by incorporating it into some brownies.

Since I was already using almond paste, I thought it might be nice to use almond in the brownie batter too, so I replaced flour with ground almonds and thus, a delicious gluten-free brownie recipe was born. SO whether you want to add the swirly almond topping or not, this is a great gluten-free brownie recipe, which makes super soft, delicate and rich brownies that taste like a good flourless chocolate cake. The swirly almond stuff just takes them up a notch further, if you so happen to have some knocking around.

Raspberry & almond cake

I think this recipe was originally passed on to my dad by my aunty, but I always think of it as dad’s cake, because he’s absolutely obsessed with it! It’s the one (and only) cake I remember him baking time and time again when I was a child. As I got older and started baking myself, it quickly became a bit of a tradition in our household that we’d have it on his birthday, Father’s Day, and to be honest a lot of times for no reason other than the fact we were craving it!

I’ve made it so many times now that the recipe is engrained in my brain, but I love the fact that if I do ever need to reference it, it’s jotted down in my dad’s messy hand-writing in a scuffed up, butter-stained old recipe book that he’s had for about as long as I’ve been alive! (I’ve included a pic at the bottom of the recipe)

In the book, he calls it a ‘cake (pudding)’ because it’s a bit of a hybrid – the top and outer edges cook to the consistency of a sponge, but the very centre always remains a bit gooey and pudding-like, because of the moisture of the raspberries. So don’t be alarmed if it seems verging on under-baked right in the middle – that’s what makes it so delicious!

Raspberry, almond & white chocolate blondies

Raspberry, almond and white chocolate is one of the best sweet flavour combinations out there and, seeing as I’m also a sucker for a good blondie, this just had to be done.

They’re super easy to make and a real crowd-pleaser. If you like them gooey, verging on underbaked, then you’ll want to take them out after 30-32 mins (depending on the strength of your oven!), but for a slightly firmer blondie, leave them in for about 35 (the raspberries keep them moist, which also means that they will go a tiny bit soggy after a day or two – so eating them fast is best, but that shouldn’t be a problem!)

Malted, salted chocolate chunk blondies

This is the recipe that made me want to start blogging again. When I made it last year, I was chuffed with how delicious it tasted, but the texture wasn’t quite right and it took me a while to perfect it. The trick is in the timing – after 25-27 minutes it will seem like it’s not cooked, but trust in the wobble because it will set as it cools.

So here they are – my salty, malty, gooey, brown butter blondies with chocolate chunks. Hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Instant berry fro-yo

My absolute go-to when the weather is HOT. This isn’t really a recipe, it’s 3 ingredients blended together. But I thought I’d write it down for anyone who likes the safety of a recipe to follow (and especially for those of you who just want to make one portion for yourself rather than a big batch!)

If you’re after a refreshing, summery dessert/snack to enjoy in the sunshine then this is the one. Takes less than 5 minutes to make and even less than that to devour.

My homemade granola

For me, most shop-bought granolas contain either too much sugar or too much dried fruit (get out), or both. So for years, I’ve been making my own, with a base of nuts, seeds and oats (obviously). It’s really easy and quick to prepare and makes the house smell amazing when it’s cooking. It’s also one of the things people seem to ask me how to make the most often, so here it is.