Chocolate and Horlicks Cupcakes

Hellooo!
So I know I've been away a while... like a few months a while but I promise a post is coming soon explaining why. So today while I was bored and probably meant to be doing college work I decided to make some of my chocolate and Horlicks cupcakes to... you know... get me through my work. Summer body fail or what. Oh well they're delicious and I love them so I'll make them if I want god dammit. This recipe makes 10 cupcakes in total.

For this you'll need: 

100g self raising flour

40g cocoa powder (I use Bourneville)

40g butter

3 tablespoons of Horlicks powder

120ml milk

1 egg

140g caster sugar

a pinch of salt

1. Preheat your oven to 180°c.
2. Put the flour,cocoa powder, Horlicks powder, butter, sugar and salt into a large mixing bowl and beat with a mixer until it is a fine, even mixture. 
3. Whisk the egg and milk together and add about half to the mixture and mix again with the electric mixer. Add the other half once it is thoroughly mixed through. 
4. Once the mixture is smooth with no lumps spoon it out into cases and sprinkle on some Horlicks powder to give it a little crispy top.
5. Bake in your oven for about 20-25 minutes. 

Tah-Dah! You have some delicious little cupcakes for you to enjoy! Hope you enjoyed this and will consider making 

Lots of love 

Playlist of the month...

Hellooooo

Sorry about the lack of posts. College exams are on the horizon and the stress is really getting to be me. Shit just got real. D: So today to procratinate away from revision I've decided to compile a playlist of songs I've loved this past month.

1. JOSH SAVAGE- IMPRINT

❤  ❤  ❤

2. ELIZA AND THE BEAR- FRIENDS 

❤  ❤  ❤

3. JOSEPH MORGAN WILLIAMS FT SHADOW ROYALE- AIN'T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH

Silly Blogger won't let me access the file :( sorry.

4. FAMILY CREST- LOVE DON'T GO 

❤  ❤  ❤

5. MUMFORD AND SONS-BELIEVE

❤  ❤  ❤

6. DR KUCHO & GREGOR SALTO- CAN'T STOP PLAYING

❤  ❤  ❤

7. IN MY BLOOD- BLACK STONE CHERRY

❤  ❤  ❤

I tried to get 10 but for the life of me I can't think of any new songs I'm obsessing over. Hopefully I'll get more posts up this month rather than my usual one a month. 

lots of love 

The Best Mac'n'cheese Recipe...

Helloooo!

Firstly I'm sorry. I've been awful with posting this month, I just haven't had time for posting and I've been really stressed as well. Not really a good combination for posting. Any way I wanted to share a recipe we made this weekend that I think will quickly become one of my foody favourites of all time. It's a wild take on the traditional mac'n'cheese we all know and love. Any way enough of my drivvle... Let's get going!

You'll need:

3 slices of bread
2 tablespoons of butter
1 garlic clove (finely chopped)
1 teaspoon of English mustard powder
3 tablespoons of plain flour
500ml whole milk (semi skimmed is fine though) 
250g Cheddar cheese grated
100g Parmesan grated 
50g white Stilton grated 
5 cups of macaroni (not exact) 
packet of dried mushrooms
10 strips of streaky bacon

1. First preheat your oven to 200 C (180C if you have a fan oven). Then, empty the packet of dried mushrooms into a jug and add boiling water. Leave them to soak until you need them (not sure why you have to soak them, maybe to release the flavours... I don't know). Now whiz up the bread in a food processor to produce soft breadcrumbs. Set aside for topping. Finally fry your bacon strips in a small frying pan and set them aside. 
2. Boil your macaroni for 2 mins less than stated on the packet. Meanwhile, melt your butter in a saucepan. Add your garlic and mustard, cook for 1 minute, then stir in the flour, keeping the mixture moving at all times. Cook for 1 minute more, then gradually whisk in the milk until you have a lump-free sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes and whisk constantly until your sauce has thickened. Take off the heat, then stir in all the Cheddar, Stilton and half the Parmesan.
3. Drain the pasta and the mushrooms. Place some pasta (NOT ALL OF IT) into an oven proof dish and stir in some of the sauce. Add in some of your mushrooms and bacon as well. Repeat this process until you have filled the dish with cheesy goodness. 
4. Sprinkle on your breadcrumbs on top and the rest of the Parmesan. Bake in the oven for around 20 minutes until it is golden brown and crispy on top. 

And voilà you have created the best macaroni cheese EVER!!!

Of course everything in the recipe can be substituted if you want. Hope you enjoyed this post and have been inspired to perhaps try to make it. I assure it's worth it!

Lots of love 

2014 loves... Make-up & Nails

Hellooo again
So today I thought I'd give a round up up some of the products and music I've loved throughout 2014. It was a crazy fast year for me with my GCSEs, leaving school and starting a new chapter of my life at Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form. How was your 2014? Hope everyone reading this had a spectacular festive season.

MAKE-UP + NAILS

LEFT- Barry M nail polish in Pink Flamingo.
RIGHT- Barry M nail Gelly in Pomegranate
TOP-Topshop nail polish in AWOL.

Elegant Touch press on nails (love the coloured ones as well.). Also up there is the impress stick on nails which are really brilliant as well,but I don't have any at the moment.

Best full coverage foundation- L'Oreal true match foundation.

Light coverage foundation- Maybelline Dream Fresh BB cream.

Best blush-Natural Collections blush in Pink Cloud

Eyeliner of the year- Soap & Glory Supercat liner

Best Highlighter- Benefit High Beam 

Lips- French Connection lip gloss (sorry the ones I've got haven't come with names)

Lips- got back into red lips courtesy of this bad boy. Rimmell Moisture renew in Diva Red.

Well those were 2014 make-up favourites.I haven't obviously included everything but these have been staple favourites for the year,things I have always come back to. Also some favourites have stayed the same since last year so I thought it was pointless to include them again.

Music and other favourites may be coming soon! 

Lots of love 

New Year Skin!

Helloooo!
Well Blogmas turned out to be well....crap. I have real commitment issues here.I think me and the blog need some counselling. Well it's a new year so this can be the time to get a schedule and get some serious posting done. Today I had a spark at 9:45 pm to make a blog post about my new skin routine. Why I do not know but I had a spark so I went with it. I've bought some new stuff for my skin and it's really helped, I recommend this routine for teenage skin mainly as all the products are free from skin nasties but anyone is free to use it.

First I wet my face and apply this. Simple Vital Vitamins foaming cleanser. This is really good to the skin and it doesn't feel too dry or greasy after I wash it off plus it gets all my makeup off. It also is super foamy and cool.

Again another Simple product, they are really good with my skin. Simple Eye Make-up Remover. Takes all your eye make-up off including eyeliner and waterproof eye products. 

I only use this when I have quite a clogged up face, I would not recommend this if you are beginning to break out and don't use it too regularly because it is very rough and gritty. ST Ives Blemish Fighting Scrub. Really refreshing and makes my skin feel really soft afterwards. 

And there you have it my naked face in all its glory. Yes my eyebrows are naturally that dark and no I do not fill them in. I get asked that quite a lot.

Well now you know my skin routine. Probably a few minutes of your life wasted but wasted well if I might add. Hope everyone is well in this new year and hope 2015 brings many new memories (hopefully good ones).
Je suis Charlie

<--- I got the signature back yey!