Homemade Ferrero Rocher Vanilla Cupcakes

Helloooooooo, It's been so long since I last posted so I thought I would come back a new kind of post... a BAKING POST!! *eeeekkkkk*. I decided to make Ferrero Rocher Vanilla Cupcakes and it's safe to say they turned out a success on the first go! I have such a love for baking all sorts of things and I gave these a go and I will definitely be making them again. If you decide to give these a go I hope you enjoy them as much as my family and I did :)

What you will need

• 1/2 Cup of Soft Butter 

• 3/4 Cup Caster Sugar  

• 1 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract

• 2 Eggs

• 1 + 1/2 Cups Standard Flour 

• 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder 

• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt 

• 1/4 Cup Milk 

•  1 box of Ferrero Rocher 

• 1 bar of cooking chocolate     

 (This recipe makes 12 cupcakes)

Method 

• Place butter and vanilla extract into a mixing bowl. 

• Measure out the caster sugar and add into the bowl with the butter and vanilla extract. 

• Mix ingredients together until light and fluffy. 

• Add the eggs one at a time, beating in between to make sure they are well mixed together. 

• Sieve the flour, baking powder, and salt together and add to the butter and sugar mixture. 

• Pour in the milk a bit at a time to ensure the mixture does not get too loose. 

• Mix all ingredients well. 

• Add 1 tablespoon of the mixture into each of the cupcake liners.

• Place Ferrero Rocher into each cupcake liner and cover with remaining mixture in the bowl.

•  Place cakes into the oven on gas mark 6 for 20 minutes or until the cupcakes spring back when pressed. 

• Allow to cool for 30 minutes.

• Begin crushing 5 - 6 Ferrero Rocher into a small bowl.

• Break the bar of cooking chocolate and add into a bowl.

• Fill a pot halfway with water and place on small ring of cooker and begin heating the water.

• Place bowl with cooking chocolate on top of the pot on the cooker ensuring the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water in the pot as this will cause the chocolate to burn.

• Allow the chocolate to melt completely.

• When the cupcakes are cooled begin coating with the melted chocolate and sprinkle the crushed Ferreo Rocher on top of the cakes.

• Set the cupcakes aside to allow the chocolate to harden.

• Then ENJOY!!

-R xo

2016 - Start Off Small

Okayyyy... So it's 2016.

A new year. A fresh start. A blank canvas.

Make 2016 the year you actually full - fill your goals ('Goals' is a better word to use rather than 'Resolutions', It doesn't sound as demanding or intimidating if that makes sense)

Starting now (I know I'm like 4 days late but I myself needed some motivation) set yourself goals and they can be goals of absolutely ANYTHING! 

They could be as small as making a new friend, going on a drive with no destination, having a pamper night for yourself etc. They are all pretty achievable right? Then do it! Write them down and when you've completed them you can mark them off, it's like a mini bucket list for the year. It's just that simple or you can go as big as setting yourself the goal to lose 1 stone, to get a better nights sleep, cleaning up your eating habits etc. If that is the case then my advice to you would be start off small. 

If you want to clean up your eating habits don't go straight for cutting an item out of your diet completely because that is called restricting yourself and chances are you will cave in if you are out with friends and are offered that item or if you see it while you are doing your weekly shopping. Start off small... slowly begin by having less of it and then eventually cutting out of your diet or simply just find an alternative for example - If you want to stop eating white bread you can replace it with wholegrain bread, If you want to cut out whole fat milk then replace it with soya milk. There is numerous amounts of alternatives, just don't restrict yourself. It's the same for if you want to lose weight or start exercising regularly, start off small, begin by going for a run maybe twice a week for 15 - 20 minutes or hit the gym up once a week for 30 minutes. Don't overwork yourself and overstep your limits, begin easy and slowly work yourself up.

2016 is your year - you can do anything once you put your mind to it!

I am going to write down below the goals I have set for myself this year for any of you who need a little bit of inspiration.

• Go down a dress size in clothing
• Go on a mini holiday to anywhere (abroad, the countryside)
• Have a pizza (to find out if I like it)
• To post on my blog more
• Go for a meal with friends

and finally... to just ENJOY 2016! (and I hope you do too)

I will try to keep you guys updated on whether or not I complete any of my goals

 Cmon guys we can do this together!! *fingerscrossed*

-R xo

I Went To OTRA...

 I just thought I would share with you all some of my photos from One Directions OTRA concert that I went to in Dublin. I had seen One Direction live before on their WWA Stadium tour at Croke Park in 2014, so I knew that this concert was going to be just as epic. After hours of queueing my friends and I managed to get 2nd row, which was incredible. The entire concert was fantastic.

 If any of you have been to a One Direction concert than you'll know that the atmosphere is like no other. 

They give every performance their all which is so satisfying to witness.

The crowd were also electrifying. The One Direction boys couldn't wrap their heads around how loud the crowd was, they were loving it, especially Niall considering it was his home crowd. At points during the concert Niall just looked as if he was in awe of the entire situation. Regardless the crowd were amazing, One Direction were amazing and the entire show was amazing. If I could relive it all over again I would.

Until the next tour...

-R xo

I Met Alfie Deyes

The title of this post literally says it all!!

I met Alfie Deyes AKA Pointlessblog on YouTube.

After 4 years of being a subscriber/viewer I finally got the chance to meet him when he flew to Ireland for a meet & greet set up by Easons. The way everything was organised was perfect. From the arranging of tickets, having his books pre signed to spend more time with him and to the free sweets handed out from the manager when everyone was waiting outside.

I have never been to an event that had been so well thought out and organised. I expected everything to be madness but actually it was all so calm.. Nobody was rushed, pushed or told off. Everyone from the staff of Easons to Alfie's team were so kind and relaxed.

I personally loved how the day before the meet & greet Alfie signed all of the books to spend more time with the viewers. I also loved how buying the book was optional but of course I bought it. Pre signing the books was all to save time, so he would have a chance to have a proper chat with you and to get numerous photos. It was just brilliant.

I queued from 9.45am and finally got to meet him shortly after 12.30pm, it was a reasonable amount of time to wait but it was extremely worth it, I got to have a chat with Alfie & give him a scrapbook that I had made with a ton of messages from viewers on twitter showing their love & support to him and also get a handful of photos with him! He was so chilled and polite to everybody, even the staff at Easons couldn't believe how calm everyone was because they expected chaos considering it was his first time in Ireland.

All in all I had such a wonderful time meeting him and going by the hashtags #PointlessbloginIreland & #IrelandmissesAlfie on twitter so did everyone else.

-R xo