Cherry Chocky Rocky Road

Chocolate and cherries, a pretty classic combination in my book and this is also the theme for this months We should cocoa challenge. Now I don't know about you but I like a occasional piece of chocolate tiffin, that delightfully decadent chocolate layered tray biscuit. This make (its not a bake as no is baking involved) is inspired by tiffin but also by rocky road as well.

Ingredients

• 200g Digestive biscuits - rough crushed
• 75g glace cherries - rinsed, dried and halved
• 75g dried sour cherries
• Handful of mini marshmallows
• 60g dessicated coconut
• 2 tbsp golden syrup
• 1 tbsp hot chocolate drink powder ( I used green and blacks)
• 125g butter
• Small bar of milk chocolate - bashed to break up
• Bar of White chocolate

Method

• Grease and line with baking paper a square deep cake tin approx 6" across
• Put the golden syrup, butter and hot chocolate powder in a small pan, melt and just bring to a gentle simmer, remove from heat.
• In a large bowl place all the other ingredients except the white chocolate, mix well and add the melted butter mixture, stir to mix until all is well coated
• Press firmly into the tin
• Now melt the white chocolate and drizzle onto the top of the biscuit mixture
• Place in the fridge to set firmly

I am also taking part in Maison Cupcake's Zero Baking Required blog link up 

And of course We should cocoa hosted this month by Farmersgirl blogspot 

Cherry and Almond Loaf

Feeling a autumnal nip in the air, I wanted to bake something comforting and homely. This is cake is the equivalent of a cosy snuggly jumper. Based on a recipe from the Domestic Goddess herself, Nigella, its a pretty easy bake. Glace cherries always remind me of when I was little and my Mum used to buy glace cherries in different colours (green, yellow, red) and other dried fruits for Christmas loose from a lovely shop in Southport, the shop is no longer there and loose dried fruits is something you don't see now. 

Ingredients

• 200g glace cherries, preferably the undyed if you can get hold of them
• 250g self raising flour
• 225g butter softened
• 175g caster sugar
• 3 eggs beaten
• 2-3 drops almond essence
• 100g ground almonds
• 6 tbsp milk

Method

Preheat your oven to 170c, grease and line your 2lb loaf tin

Firstly rinse your glace cherries,drain and dry and then tosh in a little flour. Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then gradually add your eggs and almond essence, until well mixed, now add the flour and ground almonds. Lastly mix in the milk and the cherries. Now spoon into your tin, bake for approximately 45 -60 minutes until golden and baked through when tested with a skewer. 

Allow to cool in the tin, stores very well in foil.