Treats for Pirates!

I decided to make these special treats for my special pirate friends, and made them especially for a piratey occasion..a gig at Barnsley Folk Club with Harry Bird and the Rubberwellies! http://www.hotdroprecords.com/index.php/harry-bird-general

I had a think about what kind of bun recipe to do, and I came up with this one..

Ingredients

3 cups wholemeal self raising flour

2 tbsp cacao powder

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 cup dark muscavado sugar

1 cup cold brewed barley cup

 ( http://www.goodnessdirect.co.uk/cgi-local/frameset/detail/310146_Barleycup_Powder_200g.html )

(or coffee if you prefer)

1 cup soya marg

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp freshly grated ginger

Preheat oven to 180oC. In a small pan melt together the soya marg and muscavado sugar. In a seperate bowl mix together all the dry ingredients, then add the melted marg mix, barley, vanilla and ginger. Mix well until all combined, being careful not to over mix. 

Then transfer the mix into bun cases (pirate bun cases!) and bake for 15mins.

Allow to cool on a wire rack and then, if you like, top with a topping of your choice, or leave buns plain if desired.

I topped mine with a chocolate and hazelnut spread which I'd made a couple of days ago, I found it a little too sickly just spread on toast, so I thought it would be a great topping for these little fellows!

Here's how I made the topping..

Ingredients

200g hazelnuts

2 tbsp sunflower oil

1 tbsp tahini

3/4 cup almond milk

3 tbsp agaive syrup

3 tbsp fruit sugar

3/4 cup cacao powder

Pop the hazelnuts into a cake/oven tin and pour over the sunflower oil, roast in the oven for 8minutes, stirring them half way to prevent from burning.

Pop them into a blender and wizz for 3 minutes, then add rest of the ingredients and blend until you have a smooth paste. Mine was still a little chunky which was fine, but think it would be much nice spread on toast if you can get a smoother consistency.

It was quite fun topping them with the mix, very relaxing for a Sunday afty in the house. I also popped a little cranberry on each one then plunged the tiny pirate stick into the top of them..which funnily enough looked like they were bleeding!

I was quite pleased with how these little fellows turned out..and I reckon they look quite pleased too..

All ready and packed up to head off to a fun and folky night in Barnsley!

With the lovely Harry Bird and his lovely wellies..