Boutin Richard - Mug cakes: soft melting cakes ready in 5 minutes

Contents The mug cake is an American invention. They are quick and easy to make and come in endless variations according to what you have in your store cupboard. A delicious experience that is different every time. Here are a few tips for making successful mug cakes. SUPER QUICK TO PREPARE All quantities are given in spoonfuls to make it easy to prepare the cakes without having to weigh out ingredients. Having said this, tablespoons and teaspoons vary considerably in size, so here are the equivalent weights for the measures used in the recipes in this book: 1 level tablespoon of plain (all-purpose) flour = 8 g ( oz) 1 level tablespoon of sugar = 11 g ( oz) 1 tablespoon of liquid cream = 11 g ( fl oz) 1 level teaspoon of baking powder = 3 g (0.1 oz) 1 thin slice of butter = 10 g ( oz) 1 slice of butter cm ( in) thick = 15 g ( oz) 1 slice of butter 1 cm ( in) thick = 30 g (1 oz) Carefully beat the mixture for 1 or 2 minutes before adding any flour, otherwise you will have too many bubbles forming on the surface.

The best utensils for stirring are a fork and a mini flexible spatula. COOKING: USING THE MICROWAVE Mug cakes continue to cook when you take them out of the microwave. Dont worry if the surface of the cake is still a little soft when you take it out, it will dry and set in a couple of minutes. Power settings vary from one microwave to another, so you may need to reduce or increase the cooking time to get a perfect result. Mug cakes that contain chocolate tend to dry out more quickly! Be careful to use only mugs that are microwave safe. Dont use vintage teacups for instance.

THERES NO NEED TO WAIT BEFORE YOU EAT You can eat your mug cake straight away (well, once its not too hot). Because mug cakes are cooked in the microwave they dry out very quickly and do not keep! You can eat mug cookies straight from the cup with a small spoon. Mug cookies are soft rather than crunchy, and should be eaten hot or warm. Make your mug cake even more amazing by topping it with a layer of something delicious. When you take it out of the microwave, try spreading icing, fruit coulis, cream or sauce on top. CHOCOLATE SAUCE Put 5 squares of chocolate in a mug and melt in the microwave for 30 seconds (800 watts).

Add 1 teaspoon of neutral oil and stir well: the mixture should be nice and smooth. CARAMBAR SAUCE Carambar is a chewy, caramel-flavoured sweet made in France which is readily available on the internet. Bend 2 Carambars and put them in the bottom of a mug or bowl with 1 tablespoon of single cream. Cook in the microwave for around 30 seconds (800 watts), then stir carefully until the sauce is smooth and set aside. ICING Put 4 level tablespoons of icing sugar and 1 teaspoon of water into a small bowl. Mix well with a spoon and pour over the mug cake once cooked.

To finish, decorate with a teaspoon of hundreds and thousands. WHITE CHOCOLATE SAUCE Put 6 squares of white chocolate into a mug, add 2 tablespoons of single cream and melt in the microwave (800 watts) for about 30 seconds. Take it out and stir the sauce for an even consistency. If it is too thick, return to the microwave for a further 10 seconds. Set aside. Make your mug cake even more amazing by topping it with a layer of something delicious.

When you take it out of the microwave, try spreading icing, fruit coulis, cream or sauce on top. FRUIT COULIS Crush 6 tablespoons of red berries in a bowl with 2 level tablespoons of icing (confectioners) sugar. Mix well, then trickle some of this fruit coulis over your mug cake. CREAM CHEESE ICING In a bowl, mix 75g (3 oz) fresh cream cheese with a slice of soft butter cm ( in) thick (15 g), 4 level tablespoons of icing (confectioners) sugar and 1 level teaspoon of lemon zest. Stir until nice and smooth. Take your mug cake out of the microwave and spread a thin layer of frosting over the top.

RASPBERRY CHANTILLY Whip 250 ml (8 fl oz) of very cold cream into Chantilly cream (whipped cream flavoured with vanilla) using an electric mixer. When the cream begins to thicken, add 4 level tablespoons of icing sugar and beat until nice and firm. Add a punnet of fresh raspberries and stir them in gently with a large rubber spatula until well mixed. INGREDIENTS 1 slice of butter 1 cm ( in) thick (30 g/1 oz) 1 egg 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1 teaspoon liquid vanilla extract 1 tablespoon single (light) cream 5 tablespoons plain (all-purpose) flour teaspoon baking powder icing & decoration 4 tablespoons icing (confectioners) sugar 1 teaspoon water teaspoon hundreds and thousands Melt the butter in a bowl in the microwave for 20 seconds (800 watts). In a mug: beat in one by one the egg, brown sugar and vanilla extract, then the cream, flour, baking powder and melted butter. Cook in the microwave for 1 minute 40 seconds (800 watts).

Decorate with and hundreds and thousands. FOR 1 MUG 5 MINUTES 800 WATTS INGREDIENTS 1 slice of butter 1 cm ( in) thick (30 g/1 oz) 4 level tablespoons caster (superfine) sugar 2 teaspoons lemon zest 1 egg teaspoon vanilla sugar 4 teaspoons single (light) cream 6 tablespoons plain (all-purpose) flour teaspoon baking powder icing & decoration 4 tablespoons icing (confectioners) sugar 1 teaspoon water Yellow food colouring 1 teaspoon lemon yellow sugar strands (optional) Melt the butter in a bowl in the microwave for 20 seconds (800 watts). In a mug: beat in one by one the sugar, lemon zest, egg, vanilla sugar, cream, flour, baking powder and melted butter. Cook in the microwave for 1 minute 40 seconds (800 watts). Decorate with yellow and lemon yellow sugar strands. In a mug: beat in one by one the sugar, egg, vanilla sugar, orange juice, cream, flour, ground almonds, baking powder, melted butter and chocolate chips. In a mug: beat in one by one the sugar, egg, vanilla sugar, orange juice, cream, flour, ground almonds, baking powder, melted butter and chocolate chips.

Cook in the microwave for 1 minute 50 seconds (800 watts). Decorate with , a strip of candied orange peel and a few thin slivers of orange zest. FOR 1 MUG 5 MINUTES 800 WATTS INGREDIENTS pear peeled and deseeded 1 slice of butter 1 cm ( in) thick (30 g/1 oz) 1 egg 2 tablespoons caster (superfine) sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar 1 tablespoon single (light) cream 6 tablespoons plain (all-purpose) flour teaspoon baking powder 2 tablespoons flaked almonds white chocolate sauce & decoration 6 squares of white chocolate 2 tablespoons single (light) cream teaspoon icing (confectioners) sugar Cook the pear in 1 tablespoon of water for 1 minute 10 seconds (800 watts) in a bowl, then drain. Melt the butter in another bowl for 20 seconds (800 watts). In a mug: beat in one by one the egg, sugar, vanilla sugar, cream, flour, baking powder, melted butter and 1 tablespoon flaked almonds. Push in the half pear and sprinkle with the remaining flaked almonds.

Cook in the microwave for 1 minute 40 seconds (800 watts). Top with white and icing sugar. FOR 1 MUG 5 MINUTES 800 WATTS