Fat Friday #46 Red Berry Brownie

Happy Friday! Nothing better then a sweet, tart and chocolatey brownie to kickstart the weekend! This recipe is adapted as I actually ran out of sugar, so I used icing sugar instead. The result was amazingly fudgey and very chocolately. Give them a bake this weekend!

Recipe (Adapted from Primrose Bakery Everyday by Martha Swift) 
Ingredients:

• 250g unsalted butter
• 75g golden caster sugar
• 75g icing sugar
• 40g cocoa powder
• 150g plain flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 150g dark chocolate chunks
• 150g white chocolate chunks
• 200g fresh strawberries and raspberries (chopped)
• 3 eggs

Equipment:

• Microwave/Saucepan filled with water, with a heatproof bowl on top
• Brownie tin lined with greaseproof paper
• Bowl x 2
• Wooden spoon

Method:

1) Preheat the oven to GM 4/180c/350f. Grease and line with greaseproof paper.

2) Melt the butter on the hob over a pan of hot water or microwave in the oven until completely melted. Set aside.

3) In another bowl, put the sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, flour and chocolate chunks and mix until combined.

4) Pour the melted butter into the dry ingredients, and stir (like a boss) until thoroughly mixed in. 

5) Add the strawberries and raspberries and very gently fold them into the mixture.

6) Pour the batter into prepared tin and spread evenly.

7) Bake for 30-35 minutes. Allow to cool into the tin. 

Happy Friday!

Fat Friday #40 Chocolate Pumpkin Brownies

Its only 2 more weeks until October and already all I hear and see is pumpkin spice. Pumpkin Spice. Pumpkin. Spice. Spice with Pumpkin. EVERYWHERE! But I'm a fan of pumpkin spice, so I'm so happy with all of its sweet and spiceness in my life. 
This weeks recipe is a spiced pumpkin brownie, it takes a long while to bake as with most brownies but the result is worth it.

Recipe: Makes 30 small brownies (adapted from an old recipe I found in my recipe file.)

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Mix:

• 85g cream cheese
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 112g caster sugar
• 1 egg
• 220g pumpkin puree
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 
• 1 tablespoon plain flour

Brownie Mix:

• 187g plain flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 168g dark chocolate, chopped
• 170g unsalted butter
• 506g caster sugar
• 4 eggs
• 60ml milk

Equipment:

• Brownie tin lined with silicone paper
• Mixing bowl x 3
• Saucepan with hot water and a heatproof bowl on top
• Spatula
• Hand held electric whisk/wooden spoon
• Large spoon
• Wire rack

1. Preheat oven 325f/160c/Gas Mark 3. Grease and line the brownie tin.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese:

2. In a mixing bowl beat the cream cheese and 1 tablespoon of butter until well combined. 

3. Add the sugar and beat again until fully incorporated. 

4. Beat in the egg, pumpkin puree and spices.   

5.Stir in the tablespoon of plain floor and set aside this cream cheese mixture for later.

Brownie Mix:
6. To melt the chocolate, place in a heatproof bowl above a saucepan of boiling water and stir it occasionally.  
7. While you wait for the chocolate to melt, in another bowl add all the dry ingredients and set aside.
8. In the final bowl, add the sugar and eggs to whisk together until it becomes pale. 
9. Once the chocolate has melted, add to the egg mixture. Beat in the milk.
10. Beat the dry ingredients to the chocolate mixture. The brownie mixture is complete.

To Finish: 
11. Spread the brownie mixture into the tin. Spoon the pumpkin cream cheese on top of the chocolate mixture and swirl through.
12. Bake for an 1 hour and 10 minutes or until the middle is just set when shaken. Its best to check it after an hour depending on your oven. 

13. Cool the whole tin on a wire rack until cool. Cut, and serve up the spiced pumpkin goodness. 

Love pumpkin so much? Check out this pumpkin list! 

Easy Peanut-Butter and Jelly Brownies

Happy 4th July to all my American readers! I hope your having a fab day and to celebrate this occasion we've got an all time U.S.A favourite: peanut butter and jelly. I hope these brownies do this combo justice. Lets get started.
Peanut Butter and Jelly, that's jam to us British, is a fail-safe sandwich filling that has been made popular by the USA (thanks for that). Who knew it could work! When I first heard of the term PB and J I thought it was a type of pyjama. But times have moved on, I think for the better. 
These brownies take about 15-20 minutes to make as they are quite easy to make. What takes the biggest amount is the baking, which is 50 minutes. The reason for this is to slow bake the brownies to gooey perfection.

Recipe: Peanut Butter and Jelly (Jam) Brownie (Adapted from The Little Book of Lunch) 

·      350g dark chocolate (I used leftover chocolate for this so use good quality chocolate)

·      200g unsalted butter, softened (plus a little extra for greasing the tin)

·      450g golden caster sugar

·      4 eggs

·      100g plain flour, sifted 

·      5 tbsp Smooth Peanut Butter

·      5 tbsp Strawberry Jam
·      1 small pack of salted peanuts 

 Equipment:

·       23cm square cake tin, greased and line with greaseproof paper

·       Electric mixer/hand-held electric whisk

·       Sieve

·       Heatproof Bowl

·       Saucepan

·       Bowl

·       Knife

·       Tablespoon

·       Teaspoon

1.    Pre heat the oven to 170c/325c/ Gas mark 3. Grease and line the tin.

2. In a heatproof bowl placed over a small amount of boiling water in a saucepan, to melt the chocolate and butter. Set aside to cool a little. 

3. In a bowl beat the eggs and sugar until shiny. Gently mix in the melted chocolate and butter mixture and fold in the sifted flour.

4. Roughly mix in 2 tablespoons of the peanut butter into the brownie batter.  

5. Pour the brownie mix into the lined tin. 
6.Drop the last 3 tablespoons of peanut butter into the brownie mix and swirl though roughly.
7. Drop the 5 tablespoons of jam into the mix and roughly swirl. This will create a marbled effect throughout and will taste fab!

8. Bake for 45-50 minutes until shiny and crispy on top. To make sure the brownies are cooked, stick a sharp knife in. If it comes out clean-ish then it’s ready (I'm sure you know that already right? You've read that enough times on the many blogs you've read before to know when a cake is done? Well... good for you!)Leave to cool in the tin.

9. Cut into small squares and moonch until you are full of peanut butter goodness.

I hope you all have a great weekend. How are you celebrating 4th of July? 

Dangerously Addictive Salted Caramel Brownies

Now watch your waistline. These brownies are addictive. I mean these are totally worth the extra effort and make a great snack when you're studying. 

I just about got a piece, before my boyfriend ate about 3/4's of the whole brownie on his own! I nearly lost a finger. Yes these brownies are dangerously addictive. Eat at own risk. 

Seriously though, these brownies are easy to make and earn you, dare I say it?, extra brownie points! The brownies I did wrestle out of Robs greedy salted caramel fingers were brought into work and people had an "Ahh this is good" moment. 

Also with a little cream these brownies make an excellent dessert. So take a break from revision, just like I did and bake these worth it squares of salted caramel heaven.

Recipe: Salted Caramel Brownie (Adapted from The Little Book of Lunch) 

For the Brownie Mix:

·       350g dark chocolate (I used leftover Easter Eggs so any chocolate will do!) 

·       200g unsalted butter, softened (plus a little extra for greasing)

·       450g golden caster sugar

·       4 eggs

·       100g plain flour, sifted

For the Salted Caramel:

·       75g unsalted butter

·       50g soft light brown sugar

·       50g caster sugar

·       50g golden syrup

·       125ml double cream

·       1 tsp Maldon sea salt

Equipment:

·       23cm square cake tin, greased and line with greaseproof paper

·       Electric mixer/hand-held electric whisk

·       Sieve

·       Heatproof Bowl

·       Saucepan x 2

·       Bowl

·       Knife

·       Tablespoon

·       Teaspoon

1.    Pre heat the oven to 170c/325c/ Gas mark 3. Grease and line the tin.

2.    In a heatproof bowl placed over a very small amount of boiling water in a saucepan, melt the chocolate and butter.

3.    While the chocolate is melting, make the salted caramel. To do this you need to put the butter, sugars and golden syrup in another saucepan and place on a low heat until it melts. Leave to bubble gently for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Take off the heat and stir in the cream, then return to the heat and cook for another 3 minutes. Take off the heat again and add the sea salt. Taste, but make sure it’s cool first, and add more salt if needed. Leave to one side. Caramel done.

4.    For the brownie, in a bowl beat the eggs and sugar until creamy and shiny. Gently mix in the melted chocolate and butter mixture and fold in the sifted flour.

5.    Drizzle 1/3 of the caramel mix into the brownie batter, mixing roughly so its not completely combined.  

6.    Spoon ½ of your remaining caramel into the cake tin then pour over the brownie mix. Top with the last of the caramel and smooth with a knife.

7.     Bake for 50 minutes until shiny and crispy on top. To make sure the brownies are cooked, stick a sharp knife in. If it comes out clean-ish then it’s ready. Leave to cool.

Rob ate more than 3/4 of the whole thing!

8.    Cut into small (but indulgent) squares. If your transporting in a cake tin line with greaseproof to prevent the squares from sticking. 

Put your feet up and relax with a cup of tea and a warm salted caramel brownie. Ahhh....

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