The Most Chocolaty Cheesecake

Hi Guys

It was the boys birthday on Monday and as is tradition I made him a cake. I like baking or at least attempting to as I think its much more personal even if it does end you costing me more then actually buying one.

This year the boy who isn't on the same wave length as me usually when it comes to cake asked for a chocolate cheese cake, so I was more then happy to oblige.  

I got the recipe from the BBC website and is from Gina Brooks as a White and Milk Chocolate Cheesecake but I changed it just to use milk chocolate. Here's the link to the original recipe.

Warning: This Cheese Cake is ridiculously chocolatey!!

This is what you need 

12 Chocolate Digestive Biscuits 

50g of Butter

1 tbsp Honey

500g of Mascarpone cheese

1 tbsp of icing sugar

300g of Milk Chocolate

Extra Chocolate for topping

Step One: Brake the biscuits into small crumbs, the best way to do this is to but them into a zip lock bag and bash them with a rolling pin.

Only 12 Biscuits!

Step Two: Melt the butter, I did it in the microwave being careful not to burn it. Add it to the biscuit crumbs with the Honey and mix well. 

Calorie Counting 

Step Three: Place the biscuit mixture into a round 7in chefs tin pressing down with the back of a spoon to make sure its firm. Place in fridge for a good half an hour. 

Step Four:  Melt the chocolate in the usual way with a glass bowl over boiling water being careful not to let the glass touch the water.

Lick The Spoon

Step Five: Add the melted chocolate to a mixing bowl with the Mascarpone cheese and Icing Sugar mixing well until the mixture becomes creamy smooth. I'm not going to lie to you I got the boy to mix this for me as god it was hard work so be prepared to use them muscles. 

Heaven

Step Six: Add the chocolate mixture to the biscuit base covering well and evenly. For the extra chocolate for the top I used a vegetable peeler to add in curls all over. Next put back in the fridge for a good few hours.  

Ta Dah

Step Seven: Serve and enjoy! Add a little ice cream on the side and if your feeling very chocolatey a little bit of sauce. 

Please let me know if you try my version of this recipe and what you think as even I struggled with how chocolatey it is.

Thanks for reading

Ben Nevis

Hi All 

Hope your well because my legs are killing me! and yep I have no one to blame but myself. It was my choice to drive seven hours in a mini bus with seven other crazy people to walk up Ben Nevis for six hours and then drive the six hours home again.

Ok it was soo worth it! I had a great time and such an amazing sense of achievement. We were planning on doing the three peak challenge next year but after that I'm quickly changing my mind. For those who dont know the three peak challenge is to walk up the tallest mountains in England, Scotland and Whales in a mere 24 hours. That's Ben Nevis, Snowdon and Scafell Pike in 24 hours and each should take five hours and one will be in the dark. Yep its going to be as scary as it sounds. 

The Before Picture

I wanted to tell you all about the amount of stupid people we saw on our walk with trainers on, very little kids in toe, no bags so no water, no food, no waterproof clothing and not even a warm fleece. Now we were super lucky with the weather but if we hadn't been so many people would have created a nightmare situation for themselves and the amazing mountain rescue. I really couldn't get over it there was even people like that walking up at we were walking down going on six o'clock. 

Amazing Veiws

Here's just a few little facts about Ben Nevis and why people should take it as a very serious walk. And yes I did use good old Wikipedia for my lovely little facts. Its just over a 10 mile walk with a massive height of 1352m and trust me as soon as your on the path its straight up. Also the top of Ben Nevis is really strange and your literately are walking on rocks as its a collapsed dome of a volcano.

A Long Way Down

The most interesting thing I found out was the temperature change, the average high temperature for August is only 6.40c and the low a meagre 2.8c. Hence the importance of a waterproof and warm clothing.

Not Even Half Way

We Made It,

Ben Nevis is walked up and down almost 100,000 times a year, and I'm so glad I have added to that count have you?

Thanks for reading

V-Fest

Hi All

Has I have said just a few times I went to V-festival last weekend and had an amazing time! I thought I would share a few pictures of our antics with you. Obviously the pictures that are suitable for mass viewing.

Lovely Ladies

Times Are Rough

The Essentials 

Relaxing Festival Style

Girly Love

Tom Jones

Funny how we went from rain to this in a matter of an hour but hay ho that's the British weather for you and why I took so many clothes (or so I tell myself)

The Best Bit

Sunshine After a Rainy Day

High Flying Birds

I also said that I was going to try out the lovely Toxic Lips Tempory Tattoo I was very kindly sent and here's the results. I Must say I really love the Kiss ones as they lasted really well and were much more to my taste being quite subtle but still really fun.

I'm Sorry about the quality of these pictures, taking a picture in a big blue tent was not my finest moment but I thought I would share it anyway.  

These are the pink glitter temporary tattoos that are very very glittery and are quite fab. However the thickness of the transfer bugged me a little, The Kiss transfer is a much better texture and I couldn't really feel them after a while. 

Glitter Me Pink

The quality of these was a nice surprise as I thought that they would only be more of a sticker then a transfer.  The kiss ones defiantly lasted longer but mostly because the thickness of the pink glitter irritated me. They stayed on for a good four hours but under normal circumstances I.E. not stood in field in the rain and drinking from a cup they would of lasted a lot longer.

Ill defiantly be purchasing some of these and here's hoping they do some more wordy type one as for £5.95 they are worth it

Thanks for reading and I hope you have got to go to some of the amazing festivals that have seen on this summer.

A Feather In Your Cap

Hola!!

How are we all on this fine day? Ok I don't know why put I'm in an awfully good very chirpy mood. Yes I am one of them people that tend to over happy and enthusiastic and some how that isn't reliant on caffeine. 

I am meant to be on a little bit of a spending ban as its the boys birthday and its been V-fest this month oh and I'm going on holiday next week!! but as soon as I had seen this I just fell in love with it and had to have it.

With Love

I am also a proper sucker for packaging and all if the Estella Bartlett stuff is amazing. I have already added some of the bracelets to my wish list after pay day. The next best thing about this necklace is the price for £14 I thought I was getting and absolute bargain.

Feather Friends

Birds Of A Feather

Now what do we think peeps do we like? I don't think I've taken this off since I bought it and cant wait to wear it on my jolly holidays with a lovely brown tan.

Thanks for reading guys

Its A Small World

Boujour

How are we all today? I wanted to do a post about some of the little things Ill be taking to V-Festival next weekend. However when I started to get all my products together it appears that I have an unhealthy obsession with miniatures I have so many of them.

Now I will be taking more then just these bits but the other stuff is just the basics like my general make up and lots and lots of baby wipes.

A Small World

The main bonus for all the miniatures is really a given, its all about weight! the less you take the less you have to carry. 

Cosmetics Will Travel

Perfume Samples

Buiness Cards (You never know)

Denman Keyring Hairbrush 

Sample of Clinque Mascara & Lip Gloss

Samples of Estee Lauder Night Repair Serum, Idealist Even Skin Tone Illuminator, Hydrationinst

Sample Clinque Dramatically Different Moisturiser

Sample Bottle Filled With Avea Body Moisturiser

The Best Things Come In Small Packages

Toxic Lips Temporary Lip Tattoos

Mini Johnsons Baby Oil

Mini Asda's own Sun Tan Lotion (In Hope of Sunshine)

Scholl Instant Pain Relief Blister Plasters (Yes Wellies Can Cause Blisters)

Mini Nivea Antiperspirant

Mini Batiste Dry Shampoo

Mini Loreal Elnett Hairspray

I'm not going to go into the reason behind all these products as most of them are a given. I do want to mention that I got all the samples free by either very nicely asking for them are getting them a while a go from gift with purchase. Its always a great idea to get some small empties you can fill with your favourite products. 

Festival Fun

A few weeks ago the nice people at Toxic Lips asked me to have a look at their temporary lip tattoos and choose two designs for me to try. I picked the pink glitter and the ones that say kiss on them, they sent me two of each and I'm going to give them a go next week with my friends which I'm really looking forward to doing. If you want to have a look at the other deigns they do here's a link to the website and Ill let your all know next week how I get on.

The eye lashes are the ones I always wear from a brand called Dimples style E495. I love these and I get them from Home Bargains for £1.99 and you get two sets so these are perfect for whole weekend. I also, if I don't over do the glue or the mascara, use them several times and they always look great.

Id love to know what your Festival essentials are and how your save space and weight whilst travelling.

Thanks for reading

Peachy Keen Jelly Bean

Hi Guys

Ok are you getting fed up with me saying 'Hi Guys' as I'm getting a little fed up of saying it but never know what else to say, suggestions anyone?

Anyway onto actual important information like what I wore today, literally, normally I do these outfit posts and put them up a few days later but I'm actually wearing this now. 

The weather has been lovely this week or at least these last few days and today I thought Id wear something very summary and its started to rain but hay ho. 

Peachy Keen Jelly Bean

Summer Loving

I Got Chills

Sun Glasses - Ray Ban buy here

Dress - H & M

Belt- River Island

Jacket- Top Shop buy here

Shoes- Primark

Bag- Mulberry buy here (Just in case I haven't mentioned it before) 

I hope you have got to enjoy the sunshine this week and pray that it lasts for an least another week!!

Thanks for reading

Bread Is Not Your Friend

Hi guys

As my friends would know one of my favourite sayings in life is 'Bread is Not Your Friend' as someone once told me bread is almost impossible to digest for some people and I have a feeling I'm one of them people.
I try as much as possible not to eat bread and as I'm on a health kick I'm also trying to cut back on snacking particularly with chocolate. So on Friday when I was off work I was craving chocolate and thinking about baking cakes but I decided to go for a slightly healthier option and bake some bread.

I have tried this recipe a few times and it started life as a Hairy Bikers recipe from the BBC Food website, Which I must say has to be one of the best websites for recipes. You can check out the original recipe here but this is how I do it.

You will need

Ingredients

500g Strong White Bread Flour

1tps of Salt

30g of Butter

75ml of Milk

2tps of Dried Yeast

225ml of warm Water

To start place the flour into a large mixing, add the salt and yeast mixing it in well.

Add the butter to the mixture in small chunks making sure that it is softened to make life easier. Mix by rubbing the butter and flour mixture between your figures and thumb like your would make bread crumbs. The mixture should resemble bread crumbs but not as wet or rough. 

Step Two

Next add the warm milk and water bit by bit mixing with your thumbs and fingers until it resembles something like this. A tip to make this slightly less mess is to only use your fingers and thump to mix at this stage trying not to get any mixture on the palms of your hands. To remove any sticky bits once your happy its mixed well is to rub your hands with a very small piece of dough your not planning on using. 

Flour a hard flat surface and need the dough with the palms of your hands folding it over as you work it for at least 20 mins. You are looking for the dough to become smooth and elasticated, if you need to when your working the dough you can add a little more flour if you feel it is to wet but be very careful not to over do it.  

Step Three & Four

Now that's the hard work done, you need to leave the dough in the bowl and cover with either a damp tea tower of cling film. I use cling film and leave for around an hour and a half until the dough has doubled in size.   It should look something like this.

Step Five

This is when you can separate the dough into your eight rolls and I cut the top to add a little extra crispness. Next cover the rolls again like you did before with cling film or a damp towel and leave for an hour.

Step Six

This is what you should end up with, don't worry about them being perfect just make sure they have enough space in the tray or you will end up with more tear and share.

Step Seven

To bake preheat the oven to 220C making sure its properly hot before you put the rolls in for 8-10mins. Make sure you keep an eye on them as within seconds they can burn but resist temptation to open the oven unless you think they are ready. 

Enjoy

And now with plenty of butter eat whilst still warm, any that you are not planing to eat immediately place onto a wire rack to cool down and enjoy.

Tuck In

I love making bread there is something very therapeutic about it, plus if I am trying to force myself to stay in on a day off and to not spend any money you can pick up most of the ingredients very cheaply. There is also something very satisfying about making bread, working hard to need the dough and getting to enjoy your hard work.

Thanks for reading I hope you get chance to try this for yourself

Cowboys & Indians

H Guys

Hope your had a fab weekend and guess what? I finally got round to buying myself a tripod (crowd roars) And to make it better it only cost me £7.30 ok it isn't the best quality in the world but its still exactly what I need. Here's a link to it if you want a look and just to let you know postage is free and I ordered it last Sunday and it came by Tuesday so it really is amazing value.

Any away from my amazing new camera skills and on to my outfit of the day. I was planning on doing a post about the new Forever21 that has just opened in the Trafford centre but I kind of missed the boat on that one so here's one of my purchases to far. 

Cowboy Time

Howdie Partner

Whip Crack Away

Top -Forever21 £11.50

Jeans- River Island £30

Belt - River Island £5 Sale

Boots - River Island £7.50 Sale 

Bag - Mulberry £695

Well guys I must say that since I bought this shirt I don't think I've actually taken it off, I also wear it with a vest top underneath and leave either a few or all buttons undone. I love it when you find something that's a bargain, comfy and make you feel good.

Thanks for taking a look