Storm Emma and the Beast from the East are in full sway, here at If I Knew You Were Coming, we love a snow day, it’s a chance to light the fire, put on warm PJ’s and bake!

Here are a couple of our go to easy baking recipes for those times you just don’t have a wide range of ingredients and need the comforting smell and taste of a delicious homemade bake!

Fairy Buns

Ingredients

• 100 g (4 oz)Margarine
• 100 g (4 oz)caster sugar
• 2 medium Eggs
• 100 g (4 oz) Self Raising Flour

Method

• Heat oven to 180ºC, 350ºF, Gas Mark 4. Fill  a bun tray with 12 bun cases.
• Cream margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, adding a little flour with each.
• Gently fold in remaining flour.
• Spoon the mixture into pre-prepared bun cases and bake for around 15 mins.

We like to top with a delicious buttercream using 50g butter or margarine, creamed together with 100g sieved icing sugar, half a teaspoon of vanilla extract and a dash of milk. If you want a quicker topping melt 100g of milk chocolate in the microwave and simple spoon over the top of the fairy buns! Delicious and comforting for when you have returned from making a snowman!

Shortbread

Ingredients

• 125g/4oz butter
• 55g/2oz caster sugar, plus extra to finish
• 180g/6oz plain flour

Method

• Heat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.
• Cream the butter and the sugar together until smooth.
• Stir in the flour to get a smooth paste, empty on a worktop and roll out until the paste is 1cm/½in thick.
• Cut into shapes and place onto a baking tray. Sprinkle with caster sugar and place in the fridge for 20 minutes.
• Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until pale golden-brown.
• Set aside to cool on a wire rack.

For those times when you want to bake something a bit different that you may not have the ingredients for, our baking kits and baking subscriptions hit the spot.  We have tasty recipes for Brownies, Cookies and Muffins. Yum!

Continuing on from our chocolate brownie cheesecake recipe, if are looking for something different to make as a Christmas dessert then this Caramel muffin chocolate Tiramisu is just what the doctor ordered!

Recipe: Chocolate Tiramisu
Serves 10-12
1 ‘If I Knew You Were Coming’ caramel & chocolate muffin bake at home mix
568ml double cream
250g mascarpone
75ml Tia Maria
5tbsp golden caster sugar
300ml coffee (made with 2 tbsp coffee granules)
2 tbsp cocoa powder
Method:

• Make the caramel muffins as per the instructions card included in the baking kit and leave to cool.
• Whisk together the cream, mascarpone, Tia Maria and caster sugar until it’s the consistency of loosely whipped cream.
• Make the coffee
• Once the muffins are cool, thickly slice and layer half of the muffins over the bottom of a serving dish
• Generously spoon half of the coffee over each slice of muffin and allow to soak in.
• Use half of the cream mixture and spread evenly over the muffin layer.
• Layer the remaining muffin slices over the top of the cream mixture and generously spoon over the remaining coffee.
• Add the remaining cream mixture over the top of the muffins and spread evenly.
• Put the cocoa powder into a sieve and dust evenly over the surface of the cream.

If you make this recipe, why not post it facebook or twitter and tag us in it?!

If you are considering baking something a bit different this Christmas, then this Cheesecake with a brownie base is just the ticket. This recipe is courtesy of Feasting Is Fun. Thanks Sammie!

Recipe: Chocolate Brownie Raspberry Cheesecake serves 10-12

1 ‘If I Knew You Were Coming’ Classic brownie bake at home mix
2 large free range eggs
300g fresh or frozen raspberries
4tbsp caster sugar
2tbsp Framboise – raspberry liquer – can be substituted for fresh apple juice
150g dark chocolate
300ml double cream
500g tub mascapone cheese
100g white chocolate

Method: Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan, gas mark 6

Making the Brownie Base:
• Line the base of a 10″ (25cm) Springform cake tin with the parchment backed, tin foil provided.
• Follow the instruction card provided to make the brownies.
• Place the tin in the oven and bake according to the instructions – my brownie base took 15 minutes to bake.
• Once baked remove the tin from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely.

Making the Chocolate Ganache:
• In a heatproof bowl add 100g dark chocolate and 100ml of double cream, place the bowl on top of a small saucepan that contains approximately an inch of barely simmering water
• Stir the chocolate and cream together until the chocolate has completely melted and the mixture is thick and glossy, pour the chocolate ganache over the cooled brownie base and smooth to an even layer
• Place in the fridge until the ganache has set.

Making the Raspberry Cheesecake layer:
• Place the raspberries, caster sugar and framboise (or apple juice) into a blender.
• Pulse until you have a smooth, deep cerise, thick raspberry coulis. Set to one side.
• Break up the white chocolate and place into a heatproof microwaveable bowl and zap for 20 seconds at a time, stirring in between, until the chocolate has almost melted.
• Remove from the microwave and continue stirring until completely melted. Set to one side.
• In a large bowl add the tub of mascarpone cheese and 200mls of double cream, whisk until fully combined.
• Pour the raspberry coulis into the cheesecake mix and whisk until fully incorporated.
• Next pour in the melted white chocolate.
• Whisk all of the cheesecake ingredients together until light and creamy.
• Spoon the raspberry cheesecake on to the cold, set, chocolate ganache covered brownie base in the springform tin, smooth the top of the raspberry cheesecake to ensure a flat, even finish.
• Cover the cheesecake with cling film and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours to allow to set.

Decorating the Cheesecake:
• Remove the cheesecake from the fridge.
• Run a palette knife between the outside edge of the cheesecake and the inside of the springform tin.
• Place the springform tin centrally on a large tin of beans (or something equally as sturdy).
• Release the springform catch and gently encourage the sides of the tin to fall away from the base.
• Place onto a serving plate or cake stand – the base will still be attached, don’t worry that’s fine.
• Use a palette knife, that has been kept in a jug of boiling water, to smooth the top and sides of the cheesecake.
• Melt 50g of dark chocolate in a microwaveable, heat proof bowl, as before.
• Pour the melted chocolate into a small, disposable piping bag.
• Snip off the very end of the piping bag to create a small hole, then pipe swirls of chocolate all around the edge of the cheesecake and larger loops in the centre. Continue piping over the swirls around the edge until the chocolate is all used.

If you make this recipe, why not post it facebook or twitter and tag us in it?!

Don’t be in the dark about Black Friday – 5 facts about the biggest shopping day of the year (and a special offer from us!)
Here at If I Knew You Were Coming, we enjoy the occasional day when we shop ‘til we drop.
Though to be honest, we’re not quite so keen on braving the massive crowds when it’s the last Friday of November – otherwise known as Black Friday.
If you feel the same way and are indulging in a spot of keyboard Christmas shopping this week, we’ve got a Black Friday deal just for you!
Have reduced our 6 and 12-month gift subscriptions no need to use a code! We have also reduced the free shipping amount to £20.
And in case you’ve ever wondered how this epic celebration of all things retail came about, here are five fascinating facts that shed some light on the history of Black Friday.
1. The phrase was first coined in the 1869 in America when the stock market crashed.
2. The term ‘Black Friday’ in relation to frenetic shopping began in Philadelphia in the 1970s before becoming widespread in the mid-90s.
3. Black Friday is now observed in countless countries throughout the world including Colombia, Nigeria, Lebanon and the UAE.
4. In the UK, it replaced the Saturday before Christmas as the busiest shopping day of the year in 2001.
5. It is estimated that Brits will spend more than £4.5 billion during this year’s Black Friday which falls on 24 November.
But if you don’t have the energy to battle the crowds for your early Christmas shopping this year, we can offer a far less exhausting gift idea – one of our fabulous baking subscription gifts.
It’s the gift that keeps on giving…literally. And it’s just a couple of keyboard clicks away. Our kits make a perfect Christmas present for anyone who likes to have their cake and eat it too.
Take a look at our range of subscription gifts – and don’t forget, no need to add any Black Friday code (offer closes on 2359 on Monday!).