BROWNIES 20 AND A REVIEW.

I have mentioned Lilly Higgins new book Make Bake Love on a recent post and promised to do a review - over at her blog Stuff I Make, Bake, Love Lilly was saying that her book is sold out on Amazon, I'm not at all surprised!  It is an excellent book, packed full of doable (is that a word??) delicious recipes - with a few aspirational ones in there for good measure. I was absolutely delighted to recieve a review copy.  The photography is wonderful, you just want to reach in and grab a bite, there is an excellent balance of  unusual flavours (Plum and Cardamom Cupcakes -delicious!)  and old favourites.  The recipes seem to be well tested (I'm pretty sure I read that Lilly worked as an instructor at Ballymaloe Cookery School) and thought out. 

I think that you can often judge a baking book by it's bread section and having made most of the breads from this book (I left out a couple of the yeast ones!!) I have to say that it really stands up - the Health Loaf being a particular favourite here.  If I have any criticism of the book, and it is very slight, it is that there are a couple of recipes in there that are just variations of a previous recipe - the Blueberry muffins are very like the Red Berry and White Chocolate Muffins, but that really is nitpicking.  All in all, I loved this book (I really enjoy when fellow bloggers make the step over to writing cookery books successfully) and I can't wait for her next one!


I've been having a great time over the past couple of weeks baking up a storm trying out loads of the recipes, one has already become a firm family favourite and I've made it several times!

These are the Rum and Raisin Cupcakes - totally addictive!  I have a confession to make here - the deliciousness of these cupcakes might be helped by the fact that I used raisins that have been soaking in rum for 2 years - yes, you did read that correctly!!!  I bought a bottle of dark rum especially to make Rum Raisin ice cream, left the raisins to soak in the rum in a big jar, and promptly forgot all about them - for two years!  I recommend you do the same!

Even as a non-lover of dried fruit, I'm a huge fan of these cupcakes - I very generously give my raisins away (!) but the sponge retains the sweet, mellow flavour from the fruit.

Health Loaf - it's great to feel virtuous eating bread this delicious!

The Spiced Sultana Bread was a doddle to throw together, and scored really high on the taste to effort ratio!

I played around with Lilly's Honey Oat Bread, and used bicarbonate of soda as a raising agent instead of yeast (how lazy am I??).  Tasted great though!

I'm going to have to try the Seed Loaf again, as I don't think I did the recipe justice - the yeast thing is still my problem area!!!

I have blogged about the Blueberry (Blackberry) Muffins here. 

Rocky Road Brownies - oh my!!!  Scrumptious stuff!!

Plum and Cardamom Cupcakes had to be at the top of the "to try" list - I just love anything containing cardamom!  I tried making these as Lilly did with the plums just halved, but found them to have a better texture when I chopped up the fruit.

I added some chocolate chips to Lilly's Hazelnut Shortbread and they were devoured in no time!

From all the recipes I have tried I most want to share the Rocky Road Brownie one - I have been neglecting my brownie section of late, and these belong well up on the list!  Lilly says that you have to have both pink and white marshmallows in a Rocky Road - I beg to disagree!!!!!

Rocky Road Brownies

adapted from Lilly Higgins, Make Bake Love

For the Brownies

200g           dark chocolate (I used 50%)

250g           icing sugar, sieved*

200g           softened butter

3                 eggs

110g           plain flour

For the Topping

200g            chocolate, chopped - just use your favourite

100g            toasted nuts - I used hazelnuts and almonds

70g              digestive biscuits**, broken up

80g              marshmallows

Preheat oven to 170 C

Line a 23cm x 33cm baking pan with parchment paper.

For the Brownies

Melt the chocolate in a microwave or in a bowl over simmering water.

Beat the icing sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. (* I think that the icing sugar is too messy to work with - flies all over the place if you are not very careful, so I would use caster sugar in future)

Add the eggs one by one, mixing well between each addition.

Beat in the flour until just combined.

Slowly pour the melted chocolate into this mixture and combine well, without over mixing.

Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 30 minutes, but start checking at 20 - over cooked brownies are so disappointing!

For the Topping

Mix the nuts, biscuit rubble(**I used less than Lilly recommended) and marshmallows together, next time I'll add some broken up Maltesers or Chrunchie Bars to the mix.  Keep the chopped chocolate to one side.

When about 5 minutes away from being cooked, remove the brownies from the oven. 

Scatter the biscuit mixture over the brownies, and then scatter the chocolate over this.

Return the brownies to the oven for 3 - 5 minutes, until the chocolate has melted sligthly and melded into the topping ingredients.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin on a wire rack for 20 minutes.

Best enjoyed while still slightly warm.....mmmmmmm!

Pop over to The Sporadic Cook, Julie's wonderful blog - you might find it interesting!

BROWNIES 19

Here in blogland we have a very significant event approaching, Chele's and Choclette's baby has reached the ripe old age of ONE! Yes, the wonderful We Should Cocoa has come of age - not bad when they have to decide on different ingredients to challenge us to team up with chocolate every month - some have been more difficult than others (you know what they were Choclette!!!!!). 

This month Chele has asked us to bake something for the birthday celebration, and what could Brownieville Girl bake but some brownies - these were my maiden voyage in my new oven - and I probably underestimated the amount of  time they needed - the center was maybe a teeny weeny bit too squidgy - but that said they were just delicious.

Walnut Brownies
adapted from Rachel Allen's BAKE

175g               70% Cocoa Chocolate
175g               Butter cubed
25g                 Good Cocoa Powder sifted
3                     large eggs
1 tsp               vanilla extract
225g               light brown sugar
100g               plain flour, sifted
50g                 walnuts - to place on each brownie

Preheat oven to 180 C
Line a 20cm x 20cm tin with parchment paper

Melt the chocolate, butter and cocoa powder together in a bowl over simmering water.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
In a separate large bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla extract for at least 2 minutes, while still whipping add the chocolate mixture and continue to whisk until combined.
Add the flour and fold through with a metal spoon.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and place the walnuts on top.
Bake for 20 - 25 minutes, until dry on top but still slightly fudgy in the middle.
Remove from the tin and allow to cool in the tin.
When cool cut into squares and serve.

Enjoy.

BROWNIES 18

I think it's time to introduce you to the new members of the Brownieville world.  You already know me, my other half (Brownieville Man) my taste testers supreme Brownieville Boys #1 and #2 (although brownieville boy #2 would prefer to be referred to as "the talented one" or "the brilliant one" or even "the handsome one"!!! ) The new members of the team are Brownieville Brother-in-Law (BVBIL), Brownieville Boy #3 (not very interested in anything other than football!!) Brownieville Boy #4 (another fantastic taste tester) and Brownieville Princess (who will keep me baking or else!!!!!).*

Dom over at Belleau Kitchen has challenged us to bake a random recipe from our first ever cook book - well my first ever cook book was "Look I Can Cook" (the orange omelet being a particular favourite!) but that book has gone the same way as my youth and disappeared forever!!!!!  I imagine that I share Delia's "Complete Illustrated Cookery Course" with many others as my first cookbook that I still possess, so cheating a little I asked Brownieville Princess to choose a recipe for us to bake - she wasn't impressed that there were no cupcakes or muffins, and compromised with Delia's "American Brownies"..

I have to say that BVP chose well - these are good brownies, rich, chocolaty and squidgy.  These little treats head straight to near the top of the list, I'm thinking second or third place - I made a double quantity and they lasted about 10 minutes (I am cooking for alot of people these days) not bad going!!

*Brownieville Sister #2, Brownieville BIL #2, and Brownieville Boys #5 and  #6, and Brownieville Baby should also be mentioned!



American Brownies

110g             Butter
50g               Plain Chocolate (I used 80%)
2                   Eggs, beaten
225g             Granulated Sugar
50g               Sifted Flour
1 tsp             Baking Powder
110g            Chopped Nuts (I left these out BVP is not a fan)

Preheat oven to 180 C
Line a 7 x 11 tin with baking paper

Melt the butter and chocolate over a double boiler.
Stir the other ingredients into the butter and chocolate mixture.
Mix well and then pour into the prepared tin spreading out evenly.
Bake for 30 minutes (mine took 45!) until the mixture shows signs of shrinking away from the sides and the centre feels springy.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then divide into small pieces (it's rich!) and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.


Doubles well ..... Enjoy!

BROWNIES 17

I'm feeling very grateful towards Chele this month, she nominated leftovers as this month's ingredient for the We Should Cocoa challenge - this really made me put my thinking cap on! (and helped with my resolution to waste less food!!).

There were plenty of options available to me - copious amounts of sprouts (!), about a tonne of strawberry "Roses", scraps of pastry, a half can of chestnut puree and half a pack of vacuum packed chestnuts (from Christmas dinner's sprouts, chestnuts and pancetta), to name a few - I decided to go with the chestnuts, and then for some reason grated them before I looked up any recipes (go figure!!!).

Of course any recipes I read used whole chestnuts (typical!), so I had to improvise and  decided to use the grated chestnuts as a flour substitute.  I hadn't made brownies for a while,  so brownies it was - I played around with my favourite brownie recipes and this is the result.

Even if I say it myself - they were gorgeous!  Moist with a fudgy centre, deeply chocolaty with a lovely nutty back note, lovely crispy top - these lads are going to the top of the brownie league table. 

Chestnut Brownies

375g        caster sugar
4              eggs
100g        cocoa (good quality)
200g        butter
1 tsp        vanilla extract
100g       grated (cooked) chestnuts
1 tbsp      self raising flour
1 tsp        baking powder

Preheat oven to 180 C/350 F
Prepare a 9"/23cm brownie tin (I line mine with parchment paper)

Beat eggs and sugar together until light, fluffy and doubled in volume.
Melt the butter and then add the sieved cocoa - make sure there are no lumps.
Add the butter and cocoa to the eggs and sugar, stir well. 
Add the vanilla.
Add the grated chestnuts, flour and baking powder, combine well.
Pour the batter into the prepared tin.
Bake for 40 - 50 minutes.
Remove from the oven when it is cooked at the edges but still nice and slightly wobbly in the centre.
Allow to cool for 20 minutes in the tin, then remove to a wire rack.

BROWNIES 16

Guys I think I've done it - I've found the best brownies ever (well the best brownies so far!).  They are luscious, moist and intensely chocolaty.  They are easy to make.  They are (relatively) inexpensive to make.  Happy days!!

I visit a really interesting and fun forum called Violet's Pantry (contact RhyleysGranny if you are interested in joining) Hevz one of the members brought this recipe to our attention - it originally came from a children's recipe book, so it was no small feat to have rooted it out.  It is incredibly popular amongst the members, who have over time suggested a few small improvements, I have taken them all on board and this is the result.  Please try them, they are really worth a go.

Hevz's Brownies
Adapted from  Jennie Maizels

200g/8oz           butter
100g/4oz           cocoa powder
4                       eggs
400g/16oz         caster sugar
1 tsp                  vanilla
pinch                  coffee powder
100g/4oz           self raising flour
100g/4oz           chocolate chunks (I don't bother, brownieville boy#2 prefers it without)

Preheat oven to 175 C/350 F
Line a 9"/23cm brownie tin with parchment paper

Beat the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy (takes a while).
Melt the butter and add the cocoa, whisk to remove any lumps.
Fold the cocoa mixture into the egg mixture, and when combined add the vanilla, coffee and chocolate chunks (if using).
Add the flour, being sure not to over mix.
Pour into the prepared tin and bake for approx. 40 minutes (check from 30)
Check with a skewer to make sure it has the right brownie consistency.
Cool slightly before cutting into squares.

Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.



When we are on the subject of chocolate, I was invited to an eye opening press launch   (I know!!!) earlier this week.  Claudio Carallo Chocolate has been introduced to the Irish market by Sheridans Cheesemongers.  The most important thing to mention about this chocolate is that it tastes fantastic - not a trace of bitterness (even in the 100% cocoa variety), without doubt the nicest chocolate I have ever tasted.  I intend to head to Sheridans before Christmas for Mr Brownieville's stocking fillers - he'll be in heaven!

Claudio grows the cocoa beans (an ancient low yield variety, that is unique to him) and produces the chocolate in Africa.  Buying this chocolate not only gives the taste good factor (it has won all sorts of awards) but also the feel good factor - way better than putting money into a charity box!

The tasting was very interesting, very similar to a wine tasting - you had to allow the chocolate to melt in your mouth  and cover all the surfaces to get the full impact. (Actually Claudio compared growing cocoa to growing grapes, and making chocolate to making wine).  The 100% blew me away - I could still taste it when I arrived home (after a 3/4 hour journey!).  It is expensive so definitely not for cooking, but real treat stuff. 

I'd love to hear how you get on if you try the brownies or the chocolate.

BROWNIES 15

Hanaa very kindly suggested a new Brownie recipe for me to try recently, she said that she had baked them a couple of times in a couple of weeks, with a recommendation like that, how could I resist!

Unfortunately I used normal  55%  chocolate to make the brownies, and think that by not using at least 70% I didn't do the recipe justice, they really needed a bigger cocoa punch.  I also used half milk chocolate for the chunks which was another nail in the coffin of their chocolatiness (chocolate taster #1 usually prefers milk chocolate chunks, but would have preferred all dark this time too).

That said, these brownies had a wonderful texture, beautifully moist without  any cakeness or sogginess, just perfect actually, and I imagine with a more powerful chocolate punch they would be truly wonderful.

Brownies
Adapted from Cooks Illustrated


1/3  cup                cocoa
1 tsp                     instant espresso powder
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp   boiling water
2 oz (55g)            dark chocolate (at least 70%) finely chopped
2oz (55g)             butter - melted
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp  vegetable oil
2                          large eggs
2                          egg yolks
2 tsp                    vanilla extract
2 cups                 sugar
1/2 cup                brown sugar
1 3/4 cups           flour
1/2 tsp                 salt
6oz (165g)          dark chocolate (again at least 70%!) chopped into pieces

Preheat oven to 180 C/350 F
Line a 9" brownie tin with parchment paper, or just butter it.

Whisk cocoa, coffee and boiling water in a large bowl.
Add 2 oz chocolate  and whisk until melted.
Whisk in the melted butter and oil.
Add eggs and egg yolks, vanilla extract and whisk until totally blended.
Whisk in the sugars until well incorporated.
Add the flour and salt and combine carefully with a large spoon.
Scatter the chocolate pieces over the brownie mixture.
Bake 30 - 35 minutes - you know how to check it's right!
Allow to cool for 1 1/2 hours and then cut into nice big chunks.

Enjoy!

BROWNIES 14

Apologies guys ... I really have been neglecting my brownie project recently, actually I have been neglecting writing about my brownie project, mainly because I have baked from a run of very uninspiring recipes, nothing worse than "Blahh" Brownies!!!!! .... but good news, some really good ones to share with you over the next while.

Darina Allen is known as the grandmother of Irish cooking, and her most recent book "Forgotten Skills of Cooking" certainly gives credence to this title.  Fancy a bit of foraging - this is the book to turn to.  Feel the need to cook some offal - Darina's your woman.  Food preservation is you thing -  she will hold your hand through the process (although she'll probably chastise you at some stage!!!!!)

Darina says that this recipe makes 9 generous brownies - I'm not a great one for small helpings, but I would say that this makes about 16 generous portions!!  I would recommend this recipe when you are baking for a crowd, it is easy to follow and makes loads!  My only negative comment would be that the brownies were far too sweet (and for me to say that is something - I may not be able to tolerate pain, but I can certainly tolerate sweet!!!!!)



Bumper Brownies

275g/10oz            Dark Chocolate
275g/10oz            Butter
5                          Eggs
350g/12oz            Granulated Sugar (I'd use less next time)
175g/6oz              Self-raising flour
110g/4oz              Chopped hazelnuts (I didn't bother with the nuts)

Line a deep tin 30x20x5cm (12x8x2in) with parchment paper
Preheat oven to 180C/350F

Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl over simmering water (or by your favourite method)
Whisk the eggs and sugar together until light and mousse like. (the lighter the better)
Add the chocolate mixture to the egg mixture, stir through.
Fold the flour in gently.
Add the nuts (if using)
Pour into the prepared tin and bake for approx. 35 - 40 minutes (the centre should be slightly wobbly)
Allow to cool in the tin.
When cooled cut into squares.

Enjoy!

BROWNIES 12 & 13

Ina Garten thinks I should be arrested!!  Well if she knew me she would think I should be arrested, well if she knew I made these Brownies she would think I should be arrested!!  All a very convoluted way to say that Ina thinks that anyone who makes Brownies without butter should be arrested, and I am here to confess, hands out, ready for the cuffs and to hear my rights.  IF I can just have another one with a nice mug of coffee, I'll go quietly!!

After the horribleness that were Brownies 4 I was slow to try Harry Eastwood's beetroot brownies from Red Velvet Chocolate Heartache, but I was wrong they are delicious, truly delicious - moist, densely chocolaty, perfect texture, taste, the works.  I know the fact that I used the organic beetroot from my weekly delivery helped, I know the fact that I baked them myself (instead of using the horrible vacuum packed precooked ones I used last time) helped, but I have to say that these were so good that I imagine they would overcome even the factory cooked beetroot.

I changed the method quite a bit as I had baked the beetroot before I read the recipe, so I will give you my method as that is what worked for me!!

Super Yummy (and not too bad for you) Brownies

400g        cooked peeled beetroot

100g        hazelnuts

3              eggs

220g        light muscovade sugar

1/4 tsp    salt

150g       dark chocolate (I used l00g Lindt 70% and 50g Lindt 85%)

2 tbsp     white rice flour

70g         cocoa powder (I used Green and Black)

2 tsp       baking powder

1 tsp       vanilla extract

30g         chopped hazelnuts for the top

Preheat oven to 160 C

Line a brownie tin with baking paper

Blitz 100g hazelnuts in the food processor into a fine powder.

Whisk the sugar and eggs until light and frothy (approx. 5 minutes)

Remove the nuts from the processor and then blitz the beetroot until smooth.

(my processor didn't get it smooth enough, so I then added it to the egg mixture and blitzed it with a stick blender)

Melt the chocolate in a bowl over simmering water.

Meanwhile add the powdered hazelnuts, rice flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, vanilla extract and salt to the egg, sugar and beetroot mixture, stir through carefully.

Add the melted chocolate and combine.

Pour the mixture into the brownie tin and sprinkle with the 30g of chopped hazelnuts.

Bake for 35 minutes, until cracked on top but still moist in the middle.

When baked remove to a wire rack for 20 minutes in the tin.  Then cut into individual portions and allow to cool completely.

I have also experimented with the Blondies from this book, when I baked them I wondered how they would taste as brownies proper so I replaced two heaped tablespoons of rice flour for the same amount of cocoa, and they were very good, the blueberries didn't sit quite so well with the dark chocolate, so I tried them without

using chocolate chunks in place of the fruit and they were excellent - the perfect option when you can't get your hands on some beetroot.

Now for the rating - in an ideal world I would side with Ina and always have butter in my brownies, but for the real world the beetroot brownies would have to wing their way to the top of the list - for a delicious luxurious treat, with quarter the guilt factor!! 

BROWNIES 11

I know strictly speaking these are Blondies, but we're all friends here, I haven't made proper Brownies in a month (am way overdue a Brownie post) and they are the same family - so we'll go with these ... O.K.?

I am actually brimming with enthusiasm about these tasty treats - rich, decadent, delicious AND (fairly) healthy, can you believe it???  They come from Harry Eastwood's "Red Velvet Chocolate Heartache" - the most popular baking book in my kitchen at the moment.  She uses vegetables and ground nuts in place of butter or oil in her recipes, much less sugar than normal - all in all much healthier than your average recipes. I have to say that these recipes don't always pull it off (will blog in more detail soon), but I am getting a high success rate so far.

These were the nicest Blondies I have ever tasted - actually they come pretty high up the Brownie list as well, I'm thinking about third place, which is really good, considering the only fat they contain is in the egg yolks, almonds and 100g of chocolate, plus there is all that healthy butternut squash in there!

I did change the recipe slightly, I used blueberries in place of raspberries.  I  left a quarter of the Blondies fruitless, thinking that this would suit son #2 (have since found out that he doesn't like Blondies at all!). But it was a worthwhile exercise as next time I won't bother  with the fruit at all, as I think they made the finished confection too wet.

White Chocolate and Blueberry Blondies

3          eggs (medium)
120g    caster sugar
250g    finely grated butternut squash (peeled)
50g      rice flour (I used brown)
100g    ground almonds
1 tsp    cinnamon
2 tsp    baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
100g    fresh blueberries (frozen would be far too wet)
100g    white chocolate (chopped into small chunks)
30g      flaked almonds  

Line a 22cm square brownie tin with baking paper
Preheat oven to 200 C

Beat the eggs and sugar for 5 minutes on high (a freestanding mixer is invaluable here)
While this is whisking away, grate the squash (good arm exercise!!)
When the egg and sugar mixture is pale and fluffy, add the squash and beat again.
With a spoon gently add the flour, ground almonds, cinnamon, baking powder and salt.
Pour half of this mixture into the tin.
Scatter with the white chocolate and blueberries, then cover with the rest of the mixture.
Sprinkle the flaked almonds on top and bake for 25 minutes (I should have baked mine for about 35/40 minutes), but be careful not to overcook.
Cool in the tin for 20 minutes.
I got 16 portions from this recipe.

BROWNIES TEN

Imagine we are up to double figures on the brownie count - and there are so many more to try!!

These are the mint chocolate brownies I made last week - as we had some "After Eight" Easter eggs* left over from the chocolate overdose that is Easter (the boys wouldn't be big fans of mint chocolate)  I decided the coffee morning would be a good opportunity to experiment.  And I have to say it was a success - I received more texts about these brownies than anything else I served!!!

I used the brownie recipe from the Avoca Cafe Cookbook (2) and I am really looking forward to making them again with plain chocolate, they were pretty much perfect texture wise - you can see from the photo just how crispy the top was, and the center was as moist and squidgy as you could wish for.  The mint chocolate brought a surprising element to the cake which was delicious, I am looking forward to using other flavoured chocolate (or just flavouring it myself!!) coffee, orange, chili all spring to mind.

The recipe called for you to whisk the eggs and sugar for quite a long time, I haven't ever done this making brownies before.  Actually I think as this whisking probably contributed to the wonderful texture I will do it in future (time allowing!!)

This recipe makes a large pan of brownies,  it says that it makes 8 - 12,  if so they would be huge, really huge!!  I probably got twice that number.


Mint Chocolate Brownies

225g            butter
225g            dark mint chocolate (you can use plain of course!!)
4                  eggs
225g            brown sugar
110g            plain flour
80g              nuts (I used mint chocolate pieces)


Preheat oven to 170 C
Prepare a  30x20cm pan with parchment paper (or grease and line it)

Melt the butter and chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water.
Whisk the eggs and sugar for about 10 minutes until very thick and pale.
Stir in the chocolate mixture. 
Fold in the flour and chocolate pieces (nuts)
Pour into the prepared tin.
Bake for 30-35 minutes - or until the center feels slightly firm, and the top has a lovely glaze.
Remove from the oven and cover with a damp tea towel, leave to cool on a wire rack.
When cold cut into squares.

Enjoy.


*For anyone not familiar with After Eight Easter Eggs - they are a mint flavoured dark chocolate.  They do not contain fondant (After Eight wafers have a lovely mint fondant in them).

BROWNIES NINE

These are definite contenders for the top spot on the brownie hit parade- high praise indeed, but they are really, really good.  I had to stage an undercover rescue of these two at the coffee morning (didn't want to get into deep trouble with son #2 when he came home from school!!!), I'm really glad I did, as they were declared the best ever by said son. I did take a tiny taste and he could just be right!!

I found this recipe on the wonderful David Lebovitz's blog.  A friend from my book club mentioned seeing a dulche de leche brownie recipe on the internet, and I came home and looked them up immediately (as you do!), very glad I did - thanks Lisa.

I used a jar of Bonne Maman Confiture de Caramel for the caramel part of the recipe, although I usually make caramel by boiling the unopened tin of condensed milk in a pan full of water for about three hours.  Next time I make them I think I will do this, as David's brownies had more distinct pieces of caramel than mine, and I think that would help.

My one concern before I made the brownies was that they would be too sweet, but this wasn't the case, they had a perfect level of sweetness, and chocolatiness.  Texture wise, they were just right - the perfect combination of squdiginess and cakeiness (my old English teacher would be so proud!!).  They are at the top of my "try again" list.

Dulce de Leche (Caramel) Brownies

115g          butter
170g          plain chocolate (I used 120g 85% Lindt and 50g Milk Chocolate)
25g            cocoa powder
3                large eggs
200g          sugar
1 tsp          vanilla extract
140g          plain flour
250g          dulce de leche (caramel)

Preheat oven to 175 C
Prepare a 20cm square brownie tin with parchment paper

Melt the butter and chocolate in a saucepan at a low/medium heat.
Remove from the heat and whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth.
Add the eggs one at a time amalgamating well.
Stir in the sugar, vanilla extract and then the flour.
Pour half this mixture into the tin.
Spoon in one third of the caramel over the batter, then drag a knife through to make swirls.
Spread the remaining brownie batter over this.
Then dollop spoonfuls of the remaining caramel over the top.
Use a knife to swirl the caramel slightly.
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the top has that perfect brownie glaze and  the center feels just  slightly firm.
Allow to cool in the tin on a cooling rack.
Divide into 12 brownies when completely cold.

Enjoy!

BROWNIES EIGHT

There is something I really like about Tamasin Day-Lewis, (apart from being Daniel Day-Lewis's sister) I particularly like her programmes from her old house, where she produces really fantastic food from a tiny kitchen, a wonkey cooker and a serious lack of gadgets - there is something incredibly accessible about her and her food.

I am also a fan of her cookery books, she has some really fantastic (and different) recipes, although I do think she labours the "organic" point a bit too much.  My most recent TDL book is Tamasin's Kitchen Bible which I bought about six months ago, I have read it extensively but haven't cooked much from it.

No prizes in guessing what my first port of call is in any new book!!  And these are her Chocolate Brownies, and very nice they are too.  They had a perfect chocolate hit, and that melt in the mouth texture that is so necessary in a good brownie - my only criticism (and it's small) is that I prefer my brownies a bit higher (taller?) and next time I make them I will use a smaller tin. (This will also help with the drying out at the edges issue!)

For Saffy - there come in at 2nd/3rd place!!


TDL's Brownies

200g             dark chocolate (as ever good quality is really important)
110g             softened butter
225g             caster sugar (unrefined vanilla is best)
2 eggs and 1 egg yolk  (I used 3 whole eggs as mine were only medium sized)
3 tbsp           freshly made strong coffee
140g             plain flour
1 tsp             baking powder
a handful of whole hazelnuts (I used toasted)

Preheat oven to 180 C
Prepare a 30x22cm/12x9in tin (although I will use a smaller tin next time) with parchment paper.

Melt the chocolate in a bowl, placed over (not touching) simmering water.
Cream the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Pour in the chocolate and coffee and stir.
Sift in the flour and baking powder and fold in carefully.
Pour the mixture into the prepared tin.
Push in hazelnuts (so that you have one in each brownie when cooked and cut up)

Cook for about 25 minutes (you should check before this, mine were overcooked at the edges)
Leave to cool in the tin for 15/20 minutes then remove to a wire rack.

Enjoy.

P.S. (For Irish readers)  This book is being sold at a bargain price in Easons at the moment - worth a look!

BROWNIES SEVEN

Enough of this healthy eating!!  Feel some brownies coming on - this recipe has been sitting in my "to try" file for quite some time.  As I hadn't entered the "mayo as an ingredient in goodies" world yet - I was apprehensive, but I shouldn't have been.  Of course when you think about it, why wouldn't it work?  Mayo is really just eggs and oil both normal baking ingredients.

They were really good, intense chocolate taste, moist, dense texture - excellent brownies. (The perfect way to blow the new healthy eating regime!!)   Actually when I think about it (and I don't often!!) they are probably  not as bad as they could be on the  "bad for your" scale - just 100g of mayonnaise and 85g chocolate, could be worse.

Still haven't toppled Nigella off the top though!


Mayonnaise Brownies

85g/3oz      Dark Chocolate - chopped small
85g/3oz      Plain Flour
25g/1oz      Cocoa Powder
1/4 tsp        Bread (bicarbonate of) Soda
100g/4oz    Caster Sugar
50g/2oz      Light Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp        instant coffee powder
1 tsp           vanilla extract
2 tbsp         buttermilk (you could use yogurt)
1                 large egg
100g/4oz    mayonnaise

Preheat oven to 180 C
Prepare a 19x19cm brownie tin


Sieve flour, cocoa and bread (bicarb.) soda and mix.
Melt the chocolate in a bowl suspended over a pan of simmering water.
Add the sugars, vanilla, coffee and buttermilk to the melted chocolate.
Add 1 tbsp. warm water.
Beat in the egg and then the mayonnaise.
Add the flour mixture and fold in.
Bake approx. minutes.
Cool in the tin for 20 minutes then move to a wire rack.

Enjoy.

BROWNIES SIX!!

I have spent all my adult (and teenage for that matter!) life either on a diet or breaking one!!  So when I came upon this recipe on Nigella's website for "Diet Brownies" it was a no brainer, I had to try them immediately.

They were quite nice, my brownie aficionado son said that they weren't the best I'd ever made but they were still nice, as I hadn't mentioned the diet bit to him, I reckon this was high praise!

The one thing worth mentioning about these brownies is that they didn't keep wonderfully, they dried out considerably within three days (and the whole point of diet brownies is that you eat them over several days, all at once kinda defeats the purpose!!)

They had a rich, deeply chocolaty taste, and a proper brownie texture (for the first two days anyway).  They gave such a chocolate hit that it cut down on the temptation to eat the whole plate full - score!!!

I know that "diet" is a dirty word these days, so I'll say that I cooked some very healthy vegetable side dishes this weekend which I'll blog about soon - they were creamy and luscious, nobody guessed that they didn't contain all sorts of creams and butters.  Happy Days!

Diet/Healthy/Less Unhealthy Than Usual Brownies
Lauren McC

50ml         Oil
150g         Caster (or brown) sugar
2               Medium Eggs (beaten)
1tsp           Vanilla Extract
50g            Cocoa Powder (your best stuff)
1/2tsp        Baking Powder
80g            Flour

Makes 18 - 20 Brownies (86 cals each)


Preheat oven to 170 C
Prepare 20x20cm brownie tin.


Mix sugar and oil.
Add eggs and vanilla.
Carefully add the cocoa, flour and baking powder.
Mix gently.
Pour batter into prepared tin (best lined with parchment paper to keep fat level right down!)
Bake 20 minutes or until done.
Remove from oven and allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy.

BROWNIES FIVE

The next instalment in the "find the best ever Brownie recipe" quest.  These are Cream Cheese Marble Brownies from Delicious Magazine.  They had a fabulous texture, just perfectly moist and squidgy.  They tasted pretty good too (they had quite a strong mocha flavour), the cream cheese part didn't in any way mar the smooth chocolate hit which says "brownie" to me - it was a nice (slightly tangy) taste and texture interlude.

But all was not perfect in my brownie world, when I turned them out of the tin, this is what was before me:

Craters!, huge (well big) chocolate craters in the bottom of my sheet of brownies!!  I don't know what I did wrong - can anyone help?  The brownies tasted fine - there was no difference in texture around the holes, I just don't know why it happened :-{

Normally the lack of aesthetic beauty would not be an issue (I subscribe to the "beauty is only skin deep, it's what's inside that matters" school of thought!) but I had made the brownies (and a couple of other cakes) for my mother who had invited a few of her pals round for afternoon tea (how civilised is that!!) and I wanted everything to be perfect.  Luckily as you can see there was a salvageable section, so I used that. (every cloud has a silver lining - they enjoyed the off cuts here!!)  The brownies were the hit of the tea - the ladies even took some home for later!!

Cream Cheese Marble Brownies

145g         butter
200g         dark chocolate (70%)
100ml        freshly made strong coffee*
225g         caster sugar
1 tsp         vanilla extract
3              med eggs
85g          plain flour

Marbling Mixture

150g        cream cheese
60g          caster sugar**
1              med egg beaten
1/2tsp      vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 180 C
Prepare 20x20cm tin (I lined it with parchment paper)

Melt chocolate and butter in a bowl over simmering water.
Stir in the coffee and then cool slightly.
Stir in the sugar and vanilla.
Whisk in the eggs until smooth.
Add the flour and mix gently until glossy.

In another bowl beat the cream cheese until smooth.
Add the egg, sugar and vanilla and mix until combined.

Spoon the chocolate mixture into the prepared tin.
Add the cheese mixture and use a knife to create the marble effect.

Bake 30 - 40 minutes (took mine longer)

*I used a double espresso made in my new toy, but that was probably a bit too strong.

** I used golden caster sugar, but you would get a better colour contrast if you used white.

Enjoy!


P.S.  Nigella's Snow Flecked Brownies still hold the crown!!

BROWNIES FOUR!

Feel it's time for some more brownies, and I have to say that these ones go straight to ........... the bottom of the list :o((

I have a veggie phobic child, well teenager (sad I know!) and I still pounce on any recipe that hides a few valuable minerals and vitamins, and I really pounced on this one.  When said teenager tasted it he said that it tasted of broccoli!!!  It didn't really taste of broccoli, or even of beetroot, but it did have a slightly savory taste (not that that was a bad thing exactly just unexpected) but what I really didn't like was the texture, the tiny slivers of beetroot had a slightly slimy feeling in the mouth - not exactly what I'm after in a sweet treat.

On all other fronts the brownies were great, beautifully moist and chocolaty, and I wonder if I had pureed the beetroot would it have been better than grating them?

Anyway here's the recipe, should you be trying to hide those vitamins and minerals!

Beetroot Brownies
Based on River Cottage Autumn Recipe

250g          dark chocolate (70%)
250g          butter
250g          caster sugar
3                eggs
150g          self raising flour
250g          boiled beetroot - grated but pureed would be better.
                  (I used the vacuum packed cooked beetroot and grated it)
                  (obviously avoid the pickled ones!!!!)

Preheat oven to 180 C
Line a 20cm x 20cm brownie tin

Melt the butter and chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water.
Whisk the sugar and eggs together.
Allow the chocolate and butter to cool slightly and then add to the egg mixture.
Fold in the flour and then the beetroot.
Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 30 - 40 minutes.
Allow to cool in the tin.

BROWNIES THREE

Another foray into the Brownie Zone!  I have been know to visit Nigella.com from time to time (!) and the general consensus there is that these Snow-Flecked Brownies from Feast are her best - no better reason to give them a try.

I forgot to take a photo on the day of the bookclub, so luckily there was one left over to photograph the next day.

These brownies are dense, rich, intensely chocolaty in fact they are just what a brownie should be, well worth a try.  That said the quest continues!!

This is the recipe as I made it - minor tweaks included. (Makes about 24 brownies)                   

Snow Flecked Brownies

375g         Butter

375g         Dark Chocolate (I used half 85% half 50%)

6               Eggs

350g         Golden caster sugar

1 tsp         vanilla extract

1/2 tsp      coffee powder

225g         plain flour

250g         white chocolate (chips or chopped - I chopped  Green and Black)

2 tsp          icing sugar to dust (to make snow like!)

Preheat oven to 180 C

Prepare a 33x 23x 5.5 cm baking tin, with parchment paper.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a large saucepan.

Separately combine the eggs, sugar and vanilla - mix well.

Remove the chocolate mixture from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

Beat the egg mixture into the chocolate.

Fold in the flour and coffee.

Stir in the white chocolate pieces, ensure that the batter is well combined.

Pour into the prepared tin.

Bake for about 25 minutes, check to see if ready.  The outside should appear cooked and the center should still be dense and gooey.  Check often until they are as you like them, they will continue to cook in the tin for a while when taken from the oven.

Cool in the tin.

When cool, sprinkle with icing sugar.  

Enjoy!   

                                          

                                          

BROWNIES TWO

My search continues for the perfect brownie -although in this case I'm a firm believer in the "it's the journey not the achievement" philosophy!!

These beauties are thanks to Nigella Lawson, they are from How To Be A Domestic Goddess (like the baking/cooking part of that quest, not the constant cleaning bit!) and are my current favourite, it should be noted that I am very fickle when it comes to brownies, and that my favourite is usually the one I've just tasted.

The cream cheese gives them a wonderful contrast between the fudgy, sweet chocolate and the smooth and savoury cheese,  these are on my "return to" list. 



Cream-Cheese Brownies

125g    dark chocolate
125g    butter
2          large eggs
200g    caster sugar
1 tsp    vanilla extract
75g      plain flour
200g    cold cream cheese (Philadelphia or supermarket own brand)
1/4 tsp  coffee powder (this is my addition, as I feel a tiny bit of coffee is great with chocolate)


Line and grease a 23cm square tin, 4cm deep (although I just line mine)

Preheat oven to 180 C

Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a pan of simmering water.

Beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla in another bowl.

Measure the flour and coffee into a third bowl.

When the chocolate mixture has nearly completely melted - remove from the heat.  Allow to finish melting and then to cool slightly.

Beat in the egg mixture.

Add the flour and coffee - combine until smooth.

Pour half this mixture into the prepared tin, and lay the thinly sliced cheese on top.

Pour over the remaining half of the brownie mixture, making sure that all the cheese is covered.

Bake in oven for 20 minutes (as always mine took longer).  The top should be slightly pale and dry,  but a cake tester (or piece of spaghetti) should come out still fairly sticky.

Cool in the tin for at least 20 minutes then move to a wire rack to cool completely.  Cut when cold and hide!

Enjoy!