Christopher went to visit his auntie in Canada and brought back these two delicious recipes.

Family Chocolate Cake

Ingredients
4 ½ oz soft margarine or butter  
4 ½ oz caster sugar    
2 eggs      
1 tbsp golden syrup    
4 ½ oz self-raising flour, sieved  
2 tbsp  cocoa, sieved

Filling and Topping
1 ¾ oz icing sugar, sieved
1 oz butter, softened
3 ½ oz white or milk cooking chocolate
A little milk or white chocolate, melted

Method
Lightly grease two 7” shallow cake tins.

Place all of the ingredients of the cake in a large mixing bowl and beat with a wooden spoon or an electric hand whisk to form a smooth mixture.

Divide the mixture between the prepared tins and level the tops.  Bake in a preheated oven, 325 deg. F., or Mark 5, for 20 minutes, or until springy to the touch.  Cool for a few minutes in the tins before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the filling:  Beat the icing sugar and butter together in a bowl until light and fluffy.  Melt the cooking chocolate and beat half into the icing mixture.  Use the filling to sandwich the two cakes together.

Spread the remaining melted cooking chocolate over the top of the cake and decorate with the melted milk or white chocolate.  Leave to set before serving.

Note:  We made a double batch of the filling, putting all 3 ½ oz of the milk chocolate we had melted into it, spreading half between the cakes and half on top of the cakes.  We then melted 2 oz. of white chocolate for decorating the top – plus the sprinkles!!

The recipe says that this cake does not keep well – but we liked it even more when it had been in the fridge for a day or two!

Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients
1 ¼ cups  sugar
1 ¼ cups  firmly packed light brown sugar
1 ½ cups  margarine or butter, softened (we used butter)
2 tsps   vanilla
3   eggs
4 ¼ cups  plain flour
2 tsps   baking soda
½ tsp   salt
1 to 2 12 oz pkgs semi-sweet chocolate chips

Method
Heat oven to 375°F In a large bowl beat sugar, brown sugar and butter until light and fluffy.    Add vanilla and eggs; blend well.  Add flour, baking soda and salt; mix well.  Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop dough by rounded dessertspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.  Bake at 375 deg. F. for 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown.

Note:  You can use butterscotch or chocolate mint chips if you wish.  We used some butterscotch and because we did not have any mint chocolate chips, we used regular and mint flavouring.

Before cooking always go to our kitchen guidelines page. In here you'll find kitchen rules, safety with equipment and notes for parents.