Melting Moments With Chocolate and Hazelnut Buttercream

Well - these really did not take long to make, and they did not last long either. These cookies are buttery and melt in the mouth. Two of them sandwiched together with buttercream in the centre creates a cookie that is very like a yoyo in size and shape !

Rather than just make a normal vanilla buttercream, I vamped it up a bit and added a load of cocoa about 3 tablespoons of toasted and ground hazelnuts which worked beautifully.

They would make the perfect accompanyment to a cup of tea and a super size to pop on the top or centre tier of a cake stand. Or share as I did with a best friend over a cup of tea !

They're easy and quick to make and the recipe produces only 8 > 9 filled cookies - so not too many either. I had one with a friend the morning I made these and then too the rest into work.

Recipe - Melting Moments

170g salted butter

60g icing sugar

170g plain flour

60g corn flour (I used rice flour as had run out !)

2tsp vanilla extract

Beat butter and sugar until fluffy and then gently combine the flours.

Roll into walnut sized balls on to a baking tray prepared with baking parchment or a silicone baking sheet /tray liner. Flatten with a fork.

Bake for approx 12 mins at 160deg C fan until just starting to take on colour.

Once totally cooled, fill with your buttercream.

I had no real recipe for this. I started with a dollop of butter and some icin sugar, added some cocoa, a splash of milk and about 3 tablespoons of hazelnuts (ground and toasted).... then a bit more icing sugar to get the right consistency.

I piped the buttercream using a 1cm nozzle on to the cookies for neatness.

I've been really busy the last few weeks and am still VERY unorganised for the coming show. There is lots and lots of work to be done.

I'm honoured to have had some bloggers helping me out with some photos for my slideshow presentation to be part of our stand at the Ideal Home Exhibition at the SECC 27 > 30th May. Do come and say hello if you are there ! We'll be opposite the farmers market at the division between homewares and the food halls.

I'm dying to show you some of the photos - but need to get up to date with a load of work yet.... but they'll come soon :-)

The last few weekends have been rather packed. The week before last, we made a day trip to the seaside. I was upstairs in Oliver's room gathering some clothes and towels when suddenly it got very dark. There was a hot air ballon directly behind the back of our house and totally blocking out the light from the window.

I shouted down stairs and my husband quickly put some clothes on Oliver and they raced outside to see the balloon land. Unfortunately, from where I was, it was not possible to get a photo. Oliver is a bit wary of sitting high up on Daddy's shoulders and was gripping on just a bit too tight....

We all got to watch once Oliver relaxed a little !

Then it was off in the car to the seaside on the North Norfolk Coast with Victoria, Emma, Maurice, V's dad and nanny.

Looks lovely - doesn't it. Gloroiously sunny day - but VERY windy and bitterly cold !

You would never guess hwo cold it was. Oliver even took a dip (albeit accidentally) in the sea ! There is a video clip of Youtube. He really wasn't expecting what happened.

Emma having a cuddle with her mummy (Victoria) in an effort to warm up.

Sun, sea, sand and WIND !

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Two freezing children - by this time, Oliver was practically turning blue ! Still took a lot of effort to "remove" them from the sand and head home

On the way home, we spotted a tiny little bicycle for sale by the side of the road for just £5.00 - so Oliver now has his first real bike. He had to practise riding it with Daddy as soon as we got back.

Sarah-Jane Nash, http://www.siliconemoulds.com/ - silicone bakeware specialists May 11