Chocolate Whirls

Ingredients:

180 g margarine

50 g caster sugar

180 g plain flour

few drops vanilla essence

2tbsp cocoa powder

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees.

2. Mix together butter & sugar until smooth

3. Add flour and vanilla essence & mix until smooth

4. Add cocoa powder (if you require chocolate flavoured whirls)

5. Put in the oven for about 15 minutes, then leave to cool.

For the filling I used half chocolate buttercream and half chocolate spread. If you're making plain whirls you can use half jam and half vanilla buttercream.

Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

200g butter , at room temperature

150g caster sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg

300g plain flour , sifted

1. Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer, or use a large bowl with a hand-held electric beater. Beat in the vanilla and egg, then add the flour. Beat until smooth, remove from the bowl, halve and shape into discs. Wrap with clingfilm and chill for about 40 minutes until firm. Heat oven to 180/fan 160C/gas 4.

2. Dust the work top with flour and roll out one portion of dough to 3mm thick. Cut stars or other shapes with cutters.

3. Line 2 baking sheets with non-stick baking paper (or butter & a sprinkle of flour) and lift the cookies onto it using a palette knife. Bake for 10-12 minutes until just turning golden at the edges. Cool on a baking rack. When cool, brush lightly with egg white then sprinkle with silver balls or sugar crystals - or decorate as desired.

Chocolate Cupcakes Topped With Fudge Pieces

Ingredients:

Ingredients:

175g butter

175g caster sugar

175g self raising flour

3 eggs

Vanilla essence

Chocolate chips

Cocoa Powder

1. Preheat oven to 180C - Beat sugar and butter in a bowl until creamy and soft.

2. Add eggs one at a time and beat until soft

3. Add vanilla if using.

4. Sift in flour, then fold in with a wooden spoon - then add the cocoa powder (I usually use 3 tablespoons)

5. Add chocolate chips

6. Pour mixture into muffin cases

7. Bake for about 15 / 20 minutes.

Buttercream Icing:

140g/5oz butter, softened

280g/10oz icing sugar

1-2 tbsp milk

few drops food colouring (if desired)

Top with whatever you like - In this case I used fudge pieces :)