There is a God

I'm oblivious to the jostling of the Saturday morning shoppers behind me as I ponder the kilo bag of flour. It sits there, uninspired, looking back at me. 4 dessert spoons is all I need to add to the empirical database of science, and my mind meanders to measures and ratios and skitters around the question of how many dessert spoons would make a kilo. The mathematical challenge is too much of a strain, and I surrender, adding it to my basket. Along with cocoa powder, butter, cooking chocolate and eggs. My spamming every contact in my address book failed to yield anything but ooohs and aaaahs and you must tell me if it works..... !

Ten minutes later, I'm ready to pick up the gauntlet and further the cause of science. the mettle of email forwards. A 5 minute mug cake. My biggest mug looks weepily inadequate, but I gird myself to a microwave cleaning and dutifully follow the instructions. Judiciously, I add an extra minute given the timing was for a 1000w microwave, and my jaw drops as I watch the chocolate coloured mass slink up like a sneaky sneak, threatening to spill over the side, but just hovering an inch and a half over the rim, swaying precariously. The message from my eyes clashes with the one from my brain to hit the stop button, but I eventually retrieve the mug....

Et Voilà! A solid if wobbly protuberance that quivers like a virgin when you poke it. (I just re-read the sentence, and have a great desire to alter it, but am stymied by the Freudian composition!). It shows no inclination to divorce itself from the mug, and my doctor smacking newborn approach yields not a squirm. So much for it being gooey on the inside. I trade gentle for persistent prising and am rewarded by a soft thud as it lands on the plate, a tad bent in the middle. Armed with strawberries, I attack it with a spoon, but soon am involved in a slightly more aggressive hand to spoon combat. Hmmmmm. That sound stays with me as I thoughtfully masticate the experiment with a strawberry. Hmmmmmmm. Round 2 at Sonia's yields better results, and I'm encouraged to consider round 3.... I still have 4 eggs left to go, and will use the butter on my toast. I'm definitely going to have to find something else to do with the flour....

5 minute chocolate mug cake
Ingredients
4 dessert spoons flour * 4 dessert spoons sugar * 2 dessert spoons cocoa powder * 1 egg * 3 dessert spoons milk * 3 dessert spoons melted butter * 3 dessert spoons chocolate chips * a splash of vanilla extract * a splash of alcohol du jour

Method
Find your biggest mug, and add all the dry ingredients and mix. Add the egg, and beat it into the mixture. Top up with the milk and melted butter and mix thoroughly. Add the chocolate chips, vanilla extract and booze. A final mix, and you're ready for the best bit.... Stick it in the microwave, and zap for 3 minutes (watch this space - I might revise downwards to as low as 2!!). Watch as it freakily rises and I think, stop when it seems to get to its pinnacle! Cool a bit before maneuvering onto a plate.

Ta da!! What a brilliant crafts project for 6 year olds :)