Amazing chocolate brownies
I have made many brownies over the years, but this recipe, from Good Food, has got to be the best yet. These brownies are soft, gooey, and very chocolaty and have a beautiful sugar crust. The chocolate chunks and marshmallows also add that little extra *something*. YUMM. They are in great demand. Enjoy. :)
Ingredients
• 185g unsalted butter
• 185g best dark chocolate
• 85g plain flour
• 40g cocoa powder
• 50g white chocolate
• 50g milk chocolate
• 3 large eggs
• 275g golden caster sugar
• Mini marshmallows (optional)
Method
1. Turn the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Grease and line a 20cm shallow tin.
2. Cut the butter into smallish cubes and tip into a medium bowl. Break the dark chocolate into small pieces and drop into the bowl. Melt the chocolate and butter together in a bowl over a pan of boiling water or microwave for 2 minutes (if microwaving, watch carefully, and stir midway through and after melting as it is burns easily!). Leave the melted mixture to cool to room temperature.
3. Chop the white and milk chocolate into chunks on a board.
4. Break the eggs into a large bowl and tip in the sugar. With an electric mixer on maximum speed, whisk the eggs and sugar until they look pale and about double its original volume.
5. Pour the cooled chocolate mixture over the eggy mousse, and then gently fold together with a rubber spatula. Do this slowly so you don’t lose all the air from the eggs.
6. Now tip the flour and cocoa powder into a sieve held over a medium bowl, and tap and shake the sieve so they run through together and you get rid of any lumps.
7. Re-sieve in the flour mixture to the chocolate mixture, and then gently fold in this powder until just combined. Finally, stir in the white and milk chocolate chunks until they're dotted throughout, and add the marshmallows if you are using them.
8. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin, scraping every bit out of the bowl with the spatula. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the top has a shiny, papery crust and the sides are just beginning to come away from the tin. Take out of the oven.
9. Leave the whole thing in the tin until completely cold, then cut into quarters, then cut each quarter into four squares and finally into triangles. Enjoy!
Wednesday, 5 January 2011
Tuesday, 21 September 2010
Favourites: Spaghetti and Broccoli Bake
Spaghetti and Broccoli Bake
Sorry for the delay in posting, been tres busy with uni moving in. I thought I’d put up a few of my favourite recipes up here, ones I like to make a lot. They are generally fairly easy but very scrummy.
This is one of my autumn favourites, it’s a lovely pasta dish but vegetarian without feeling like it’s lacking anything. I do have to say it’s not of my own making unfortunately, but from GoodFood magazine’s ‘101 Simple Suppers’. Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 onion
1 tin chopped tomato
1 red pepper (optional)
25g butter
25g plain flour
600ml milk
Ground nutmeg
300g spaghetti, broken up
300g broccoli
100g mature cheddar
Method:
1. Fry the onion (and pepper if adding) in oil till soft. Stir in the tomatoes and season with salt/pepper. Boil for 10 minutes until sauce thickens.
2. Meanwhile make the white sauce (see post below for method) with butter, flour and milk and add nutmeg.
3. Cook the spaghetti in boiling water for 8 minutes, then chop up the broccoli and add to the same spaghetti pan and cook for 4 more minutes.
4. Drain the spaghetti and mix with the white sauce.
5. In a oven proof dish put half the pasta with sauce, then layer the tomato sauce in the middle, then add the rest of the pasta to form 3 layers.
6. Grate the cheese and sprinkle oven. Grill in the oven at 200C for 5 minutes until golden on top.
7. Serve with vegetable or side salad. Enjoy!
Sorry for the delay in posting, been tres busy with uni moving in. I thought I’d put up a few of my favourite recipes up here, ones I like to make a lot. They are generally fairly easy but very scrummy.
This is one of my autumn favourites, it’s a lovely pasta dish but vegetarian without feeling like it’s lacking anything. I do have to say it’s not of my own making unfortunately, but from GoodFood magazine’s ‘101 Simple Suppers’. Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 onion
1 tin chopped tomato
1 red pepper (optional)
25g butter
25g plain flour
600ml milk
Ground nutmeg
300g spaghetti, broken up
300g broccoli
100g mature cheddar
Method:
1. Fry the onion (and pepper if adding) in oil till soft. Stir in the tomatoes and season with salt/pepper. Boil for 10 minutes until sauce thickens.
2. Meanwhile make the white sauce (see post below for method) with butter, flour and milk and add nutmeg.
3. Cook the spaghetti in boiling water for 8 minutes, then chop up the broccoli and add to the same spaghetti pan and cook for 4 more minutes.
4. Drain the spaghetti and mix with the white sauce.
5. In a oven proof dish put half the pasta with sauce, then layer the tomato sauce in the middle, then add the rest of the pasta to form 3 layers.
6. Grate the cheese and sprinkle oven. Grill in the oven at 200C for 5 minutes until golden on top.
7. Serve with vegetable or side salad. Enjoy!
Tuesday, 14 September 2010
Easy Meals: Pasta Dishes
Someone asked for REALLY easy meals that anyone could make, so these are two really fast and easy pasta dishes that I make. They’re also great for a quick cooked lunch.
Pasta with Bacon and Peas
Ingredients:
100g pasta shells
50g peas
2 rashers bacon
Cheese, for sprinkling
Salt and pepper
Method:
1. Grill or fry the bacon until crispy.
2. Cook the pasta in boiling water for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, add the peas to the pasta and boil for another 5 minutes.
3. Drain the pasta and peas and cut up the bacon, mix together. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Season and serve.
Spicy Tomato Pasta
Ingredients:
4 slices salami/chorizo
1 jar tomato sauce
½ teaspoon of chilli powder
100g pasta
Method:
1. Cook the pasta in boiling water for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, fry the salami in a little oil for a few minutes until crispy. Cut into chunks.
3. Drain the pasta, mix with the sauce and add the salami. Stir in the chilli powder and cook for 5 minutes. Serve.
Pasta with Bacon and Peas
Ingredients:
100g pasta shells
50g peas
2 rashers bacon
Cheese, for sprinkling
Salt and pepper
Method:
1. Grill or fry the bacon until crispy.
2. Cook the pasta in boiling water for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, add the peas to the pasta and boil for another 5 minutes.
3. Drain the pasta and peas and cut up the bacon, mix together. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Season and serve.
Spicy Tomato Pasta
Ingredients:
4 slices salami/chorizo
1 jar tomato sauce
½ teaspoon of chilli powder
100g pasta
Method:
1. Cook the pasta in boiling water for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, fry the salami in a little oil for a few minutes until crispy. Cut into chunks.
3. Drain the pasta, mix with the sauce and add the salami. Stir in the chilli powder and cook for 5 minutes. Serve.
HOW TO: White Sauce
White Sauce
Here’s how to make a basic white sauce- this can be used over pasta, in lasagne, enchiladas etc. The nutmeg gives it extra flavour.
Ingredients:
40g plain flour (sifted)
50g butter/margarine
1 pint milk
Salt and pepper
¼ grated nutmeg
Method:
1. Melt the butter in a medium sized saucepan.
2. Sift the flour into the butter and whisk till it resembles wet breadcrumbs. Take off the heat.
3. Pour a little of the milk in and whisk until the flour/butter has mixed to make a thick sauce. Add a ¼ of the milk until it is runny. Turn the heat back on.
4. Keep whisking until the sauce becomes thick again (be careful it doesn’t stick to the edges of the pan or the bottom). When it gets thick, add more milk.
5. Keep going until all the milk is added. When the sauce is ready, it will bubble but without getting any thicker. Grate in the nutmeg and season with salt and pepper.
6. Leave to boil for a few minutes, taste and use.
TIP: To make a cheese sauce, simply add 50g grated parmesan/cheddar to the sauce at the end and stir in. You can leave out the nutmeg with cheese sauce if you want.
Here’s how to make a basic white sauce- this can be used over pasta, in lasagne, enchiladas etc. The nutmeg gives it extra flavour.
Ingredients:
40g plain flour (sifted)
50g butter/margarine
1 pint milk
Salt and pepper
¼ grated nutmeg
Method:
1. Melt the butter in a medium sized saucepan.
2. Sift the flour into the butter and whisk till it resembles wet breadcrumbs. Take off the heat.
3. Pour a little of the milk in and whisk until the flour/butter has mixed to make a thick sauce. Add a ¼ of the milk until it is runny. Turn the heat back on.
4. Keep whisking until the sauce becomes thick again (be careful it doesn’t stick to the edges of the pan or the bottom). When it gets thick, add more milk.
5. Keep going until all the milk is added. When the sauce is ready, it will bubble but without getting any thicker. Grate in the nutmeg and season with salt and pepper.
6. Leave to boil for a few minutes, taste and use.
TIP: To make a cheese sauce, simply add 50g grated parmesan/cheddar to the sauce at the end and stir in. You can leave out the nutmeg with cheese sauce if you want.
Monday, 13 September 2010
Vegetarian Chilli
Vegetarian Chilli
This recipe is a great vegetarian dish, thick and filling, great for winter nights. Also works well if you’re skint or want to use up store cupboard ingredients. Serves 4.
TOP TIP: Chilli works well if you freeze it- you can make the sauce for 4 and then freeze the other 3 portions, then later reheat them and serve with bread, with a baked potato or in a wrap. 4 meals in one.
Ingredients:
1 large onion
2 cloves garlic
3 carrots
1 red pepper
1 aubergine or courgette (optional)
½ a medium butternut squash
1 jar of ‘Discovery Chilli Season and Sauce’
1 tin chopped tomato
1 tin of kidney beans
1 tin of green lentils
2 cups of rice
Method:
1. Chop the onion and garlic and fry in oil until onion is soft.
2. Peel and chop the carrots, pepper and aubergine/courgette into small chunks. Add to the onion and fry for further 5 minutes.
3. Add about half of the seasoning from the top of the jar, (depending on how hot you want it) sauce, chopped tomato and kidney beans, lentils and cover.
4. Peel (cut skin off with a sharp knife) the butternut and cut into small chunks. Add to chilli.
5. Simmer for 20 minutes. To make a lovely slow cooked chilli, make the chilli in a casserole dish and then pop in the over at 150C for 1-2 hours. Add more seasoning to make it hotter.
6. Cook the rice in a saucepan- use half a cup of rice per person, and ensure you have enough water. Cover with a lid and do not lift until rice is cooked.
7. Serve. If you’re being posh, serve with sourced cream and guacamole.
This recipe is a great vegetarian dish, thick and filling, great for winter nights. Also works well if you’re skint or want to use up store cupboard ingredients. Serves 4.
TOP TIP: Chilli works well if you freeze it- you can make the sauce for 4 and then freeze the other 3 portions, then later reheat them and serve with bread, with a baked potato or in a wrap. 4 meals in one.
Ingredients:
1 large onion
2 cloves garlic
3 carrots
1 red pepper
1 aubergine or courgette (optional)
½ a medium butternut squash
1 jar of ‘Discovery Chilli Season and Sauce’
1 tin chopped tomato
1 tin of kidney beans
1 tin of green lentils
2 cups of rice
Method:
1. Chop the onion and garlic and fry in oil until onion is soft.
2. Peel and chop the carrots, pepper and aubergine/courgette into small chunks. Add to the onion and fry for further 5 minutes.
3. Add about half of the seasoning from the top of the jar, (depending on how hot you want it) sauce, chopped tomato and kidney beans, lentils and cover.
4. Peel (cut skin off with a sharp knife) the butternut and cut into small chunks. Add to chilli.
5. Simmer for 20 minutes. To make a lovely slow cooked chilli, make the chilli in a casserole dish and then pop in the over at 150C for 1-2 hours. Add more seasoning to make it hotter.
6. Cook the rice in a saucepan- use half a cup of rice per person, and ensure you have enough water. Cover with a lid and do not lift until rice is cooked.
7. Serve. If you’re being posh, serve with sourced cream and guacamole.
Basics cont: The Ultimate Chilli Con Carne
The Ultimate Chilli Con Carne
This recipe is dedicated to the memory of Angharad Clague, because she once declared it ‘the best chilli in the world’ and used to ask me to bring it round- not because she wanted to see me, she just wanted to eat the chilli. So it must be fairly good I’m reckoning. Great for winter nights. Serves 4.
TOP TIP: Chilli works well if you freeze it- you can make the sauce for 4 and then freeze the other 3 portions, then later reheat them and serve with bread, with a baked potato or in a wrap. 4 meals in one.
Ingredients:
300g lean mince
1 large onion
2 cloves garlic
3 carrots
1 red pepper
1 aubergine or courgette (optional)
1 jar of ‘Discovery Chilli Season and Sauce’
1 tin chopped tomato
1 tin of kidney beans
2 cups of rice
Method:
1. Chop the onion and garlic and fry in oil until onion is soft.
2. Peel and chop the carrots, pepper and aubergine/courgette into small chunks. Add to the onion and fry for further 5 minutes.
3. Add the mince. Take the ‘season’ packet from the top of the sauce jar and sprinkle about half (depending on how hot you want it) of the seasoning over the mince and vegetables. Fry the mince until it brown.
4. Add the rest of the seasoning, sauce, chopped tomato and kidney beans and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes. To make a lovely slow cooked chilli, make the chilli in a casserole dish and then pop in the over at 150C for 1-2 hours.
5. Cook the rice in a saucepan- use half a cup of rice per person, and ensure you have enough water. Cover with a lid and do not lift until rice is cooked.
6. Serve. If you’re being posh, serve with sourced cream and guacamole.
This recipe is dedicated to the memory of Angharad Clague, because she once declared it ‘the best chilli in the world’ and used to ask me to bring it round- not because she wanted to see me, she just wanted to eat the chilli. So it must be fairly good I’m reckoning. Great for winter nights. Serves 4.
TOP TIP: Chilli works well if you freeze it- you can make the sauce for 4 and then freeze the other 3 portions, then later reheat them and serve with bread, with a baked potato or in a wrap. 4 meals in one.
Ingredients:
300g lean mince
1 large onion
2 cloves garlic
3 carrots
1 red pepper
1 aubergine or courgette (optional)
1 jar of ‘Discovery Chilli Season and Sauce’
1 tin chopped tomato
1 tin of kidney beans
2 cups of rice
Method:
1. Chop the onion and garlic and fry in oil until onion is soft.
2. Peel and chop the carrots, pepper and aubergine/courgette into small chunks. Add to the onion and fry for further 5 minutes.
3. Add the mince. Take the ‘season’ packet from the top of the sauce jar and sprinkle about half (depending on how hot you want it) of the seasoning over the mince and vegetables. Fry the mince until it brown.
4. Add the rest of the seasoning, sauce, chopped tomato and kidney beans and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes. To make a lovely slow cooked chilli, make the chilli in a casserole dish and then pop in the over at 150C for 1-2 hours.
5. Cook the rice in a saucepan- use half a cup of rice per person, and ensure you have enough water. Cover with a lid and do not lift until rice is cooked.
6. Serve. If you’re being posh, serve with sourced cream and guacamole.
Sunday, 12 September 2010
Basics cont: Stir Fry
Stir Fry
This is so variable, and so quick, it’s perfect for an easy weekday meal before you head out. Once you’ve got the basics, you can change it to accommodate almost any ingredients. Oh, and it’s super healthy too. Serves 1.
Ingredients:
1 chicken breast/handful prawns/other meat
½ pepper
1 carrot
1 small onion
Other vegetables e.g. mange tout, baby sweetcorn etc.
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon fresh ginger (optional)
Sweet chilli sauce or soy sauce
1 packet straight to wok noodles
Method:
1. Peel and chop the vegetable into long strips.
2. Fry the meat in oil until cooked through (check by cutting into the meat, should be the same colour throughout). Chop the garlic and ginger and add to meat.
3. Add the vegetables and fry until the vegetables are just starting to soften.
4. Add the noodles and stir fry for 1 minute. Toss in the sauce and serve immediately.
Note: For a vegetarian stir fry, simply omit the meat and add extra vegetables.
This is so variable, and so quick, it’s perfect for an easy weekday meal before you head out. Once you’ve got the basics, you can change it to accommodate almost any ingredients. Oh, and it’s super healthy too. Serves 1.
Ingredients:
1 chicken breast/handful prawns/other meat
½ pepper
1 carrot
1 small onion
Other vegetables e.g. mange tout, baby sweetcorn etc.
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon fresh ginger (optional)
Sweet chilli sauce or soy sauce
1 packet straight to wok noodles
Method:
1. Peel and chop the vegetable into long strips.
2. Fry the meat in oil until cooked through (check by cutting into the meat, should be the same colour throughout). Chop the garlic and ginger and add to meat.
3. Add the vegetables and fry until the vegetables are just starting to soften.
4. Add the noodles and stir fry for 1 minute. Toss in the sauce and serve immediately.
Note: For a vegetarian stir fry, simply omit the meat and add extra vegetables.
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