Author: barmac5

I am a mum and wife to a lovely caring family. I’ve suffered with chronic back pain for over 30 years and started writing my first blog in 2007 which covered back and chronic pain. Since then I have written many more blogs for myself and customers. I find it takes me away from my pain to another place. I love it so much I think it should be part of a recovery process after illness or surgery. I hope you enjoy reading through my blogs.

MY FAVOURITE 5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE RECIPE…

When I am trying to lose weight I do not have any chocolate in the fridge as I cannot resist it but if I get absolutely desperate then I have to admit I make my favourite 5 minute chocolate mug cake recipe.

I will put my slight adaptions which make it less calories in brackets. Using the adaptions I made your chocolate mug cake is around 177 – 190 calories Enjoy…

Ingredients

2 tbsp. self-raising flour
2 tbsp caster sugar ( 1 heaped tbsp Canderel or alternative sweetener)
2 tbsp. cocoa powder
1 egg
2 tbsp. milk (skimmed)
1 tbsp sunflower oil ( one cal spray 1 tsp)
A small splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug

Method

  1. Put the 2 tablespoons of sugar into a medium sized mug, then add the 2 tablespoons of self-raising flour
  2. Add the cocoa powder, then the egg and mix well.
  3. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well.
  4. Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 2.5 mins. Take it out of the microwave when you see the cake rising over the cup. Enjoy

HOW TO MAKE CARALAMISED SUGAR…

Have your always wanted to know to make caramelised sugar. Well, its easy when you know how.

Caramelised sugar can upgrade a dessert to a new level of lusciousness.

Many people are apprehensive about trying to make caramelised sugar, but while the technique might seem daunting, the process itself is actually very simple – and watching snow white sugar transform into a golden brown liquid is pretty magical. Once you master it, you can use it in many different ways and your dessert repertoire will be considerably more alluring. You can practise by making salted caramel sauce, or this beautiful chocolate caramel tart. 

To make caramel, just pour golden caster sugar into a solid saucepan. Place the pan on a medium heat, and leave it for around four to six minutes until the sugar starts to melt and liquefy around the edges. Don’t be tempted to stir it before this, but once it starts to melt around the sides, give the pan a shake and leave it again until around a quarter of the sugar has melted. Then, use a wooden spoon to stir it gently until the sugar crystals have liquefied and there’s nothing stuck to the back of the spoon.

Continue to stir now and then until the melted sugar turns the colour of dark honey – this should take around 10-15 minutes. Then, remove the pan from the heat and add two tablespoons of water (it might splutter a bit here, so be very careful!). Finally, put the pan back on a gentle heat and stir to remove any lumps that form. And that’s it – a perfect caramel sauce! You can find out more about the science behind caramelising sugar, the exact measurements, and different ways you can use it, here .

Source: Rest Less