Beetroot Crème Egg Brownies

In October I spoke about brownie baking being at the top of my list of things to do when I should actually be doing something else. I’ve been doing quite well, then, considering those salted caramel fudge brownies were the last I blogged about. 

Fast-forward seven months and a dissertation due in May. 

Behold crème egg brownies. 

With not a single word written and three other projects to hand in, if I don’t over indulge in the teeny stresses of student life on my blog, I fear there *might* be internal chaos. 

Tell a lie, I distinctly remember blagging on about my dissertation “idea” to two very patient ladies at the London Coffee Festival last weekend. They gave me such a good piece of advice that I’m going to share it with you even if pointless university degrees are not your thing: narrow your focus!! I suppose that could be interpreted into some sort of life lesson, too?

Taking that on board, here’s me trying to un-narrow my baking repertoire by adding a vegetable to brownies. And here’s me again trying to un-narrow my waistline by adding a vegetable to brownies. And heres me again topping each brownie portion with half a crème egg…. 

It’s Easter soon and therefore completely relevant and not weird, okay? 

Let me just round this off by saying that beetroot and crème eggs go REALLY well together. Admittedly, grated beetroot folded into a brownie and then topped with an overly sweet (and therefore only acceptable at Easter time slash all year) confection is a far cry from perfect – think savoury chunks that, better welcomed in a summer salad. 

But if you puree the beety goodness it isn’t so nuanced. Its there, but the only thing hitting you in the face with flavour will be the caramelized fondant from the crème egg. 

Beetroot Crème Egg Brownies

Adapted from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's Chocolate & Beetroot Brownies 

9 crème eggs 

150g unsalted butter

100g coconut oil

250g dark chocolate

3 eggs

200g golden caster sugar

200g self raising flour

250g boiled and pureed beetroot (I used a hand blender)

Note: The beetroot overpowers (in a good way!) any rich butteryness you might expect from an all butter brownie so I chose to add coconut oil for a healthy balance. Because the fats are melted together in the recipe, using all coconut oil and no butter would work perfectly, as would using butter.  

Line a rectangular brownie pan with parchment paper or foil, grease, and preheat the oven to 180 C. Carefully slice crème eggs in half lengthways, using the indent on the chocolate as a guide. Place the butter, oil and chocolate into a medium bow and microwave on the lowest setting for 2 minutes, stopping and stirring every 30 seconds, set aside once fully melted. In a large bowl whisk the eggs and sugar until frothy, then pour in the chocolate mixture and stir until combined.Sift over the flour and fold, then the pureed beetroot. Pour the batter into the pan and dot with the halved creme eggs. Bake for 25 minutes until slightly risen and firm to the touch. Cool completely in the pan, slice up and serve.

PS, tips on how not to procrastinate are more than welcome!! 

Love Em xx

Caramel Fudge Brownies With Sea Salt Chocolate

This week marks the return of actually having to do stuff. Tomorrow I have to catch the over ground to London Bridge (30 mins), and then I have to walk to the Northern line, have a minor panic attack whilst walking down steep escalators (2 mins), courteously join the human traffic taking place in a very tight, moving space and then attempt to get out at Kings Cross St Pancreas (20 mins).   Walk (escalate) to the thankfully deserted and somewhat eery Piccadilly line, sit on that for another 15 minutes and arrive at Holloway Road. I am expected to repeat this process into university for the next year. Danny Dorling wrote in 'So You Think You Know Britain?' that Londoners endure the longest commutes.

Flourless Chocolate Brownie With White Chocolate Chunks {Gluten Free!}

Just as the brownies were making their way out of the oven and onto the cooling rack, my sister walked through the front door, home from another late shift. 

Naturally this oblong tray, oozing with dark chocolate, filled the house with a smell so potent that her first words were: “We better be having some of that, I’m starving.” 

I threw a mini hissy fit.“No!” I said, “They’re not made with flour so I need to let them cool completely before I turn them out.” 

You can imagine her reply, right? I wont quote, but every time she calls me a stingy bitch it takes until I make a generous offering to forget about it. 

In the living room: “That’s what baking is all about right, sharing with your loved ones?” 

The irony is that I wanted to photograph the brownies, to share on here. It doesn’t sound like a big deal, but the underlying message is incredibly important. This week I have finally found solace in that family just has to be the most precious thing on the actual solar system. 

I can’t believe it took me this long to realise that there is not one fudgy, after dinner (cos’ its that indulgent) brownie not worth sharing with your family as soon as it comes out of the oven.

The Recipe:  Flourless Chocolate Brownie with White Chocolate Chunks

Brownies adapted from Nigella Lawson's Flourless Chocolate Brownies with Hot Chocolate Sauce & recommended by one of my fave bloggers Londonbakes

225g 55+% dark chocolate

225g unsalted butter 

150g ground almonds

200g caster sugar

3 medium eggs, from the fridge 

2 tsp vanilla extract 

150g white chocolate bar, roughly chopped

Note:  You can use plain flour instead and still get amazing, gluten filled results. But don’t be afraid to use ground almonds, its healthier (ish), means you can share them with even more people AND adds an extra flavour element which pretty much transforms these into 'sumin' else'! 

Makes 8 large brownies 

The Method:

In a medium/large saucepan, melt the butter and chocolate on medium heat until silky smooth, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.

Take off the heat, add vanilla & sugar and stir. Leave to cool for 15 minutes. 

Preheat the oven to 170 C. 

Add the eggs one at a time into the saucepan. Next add the ground almonds stir, you should have a thick brownie batter. 

Fold in the white chocolate chunks and pour straight into a 9 inch rectangular tray lined with foil or parchment paper.  

Bake for 30 minutes. 

Leave to cool on a wire rack, turn out of the pan and cut into squares.

I just had an epiphany that reassured me that subbing almonds for ground hazelnuts would turn these into Nutella brownies. Erhmaaagaaad.

Love Em xx

Spiced Chocolate Cupcakes with Gingerbread Buttercream

Who has started their Christmas baking test-runs yet? Does anybody even do tests for such things? If you’re an inexperienced cook and you’re having the ol’ lot over, I’m guessing you’ve currently got a test-run turkey in the oven. That’s perfect because it’s a Sunday as well, just replacin’ the chicken for a turk really.  Here are my Christmas test run cupcakes, in unnecessarily copious amounts of pictures that I wish to share with you. Yes. You obviously wanted to look at every single picture I took that day. Obviously.

I’d otherwise slate the test-runner…what’s the point? Do you not have anything better to do with your time? Just chance it! But alas, I have become one of those weird test-run people. And boy, AM I GLAD. This chocolate cupcake slightly resembled a brownie (now would be a good time to mention that it was still delicious)! It was by no stretch of the word a light and fluffy cupcake, but a  kind of dense and dry topped brownie! Crossing THAT one off my Christmas baking list… next time I’ll go for a bitta stout in my liner, maybe even a bitta treacle, plus A LOT more spice in the batter. Don’t be afraid to be generous with the festive spices in a chocolate cake, it has a tendency to be masked by the intense flavours of chocolate you see.

Some good news – the buttercream was lovely, spicy and not too sweet. Rich, coming from a crusting buttercream recipe aye. But with a distinct lack of vanilla extract, and TONS of cinnamon and ginger, there is just this amazing balance of sweetness. The spices really do cut through all of that icing sugar! Still, I’ve got my eye on a mascarpone frosting, who knows how many more test-run’s my kitchen will see before the big day! 

The Recipe:                                   Makes aproximately 16 cupcakes 

The Cakes

100g dark chocolate, minimum 50%

4 eggs

100g self raising flour

2 and a half tsp cocoa powder

pinch of salt

225g caster sugar

175g soft butter

1 tsp vanilla extract 

Quertar tsp cinnamon
Quarter tsp ginger (optional)

The Buttercream

300g icing sugar

150g unsalted butter, soft

1 and a half tsp ginger 

2 tsp ground cinnamon 

1 tsp milk

The Method:

Preheat the oven to 180C and line a muffin tray.

Over a ban-marie, heat the butter and chocolate together till melted.

Take off the heat, add all of the sugar, mix together and then set aside to cool.

With a whisk, mix for 3 minutes until slightly fluffy, add the eggs in one at a time.

Fold all of the dry ingredients (including the spices if you wish) until just incorporated.

Lastly fold in the vanilla. Fill the cupcake liners two thirds full and bake for 25 minutes.

For the frosting, beat the butter in the bowl of a freestanding mixer for half a minute.

Add the icing sugar bit by bit, lastly the spices until well incorporated.

Pipe and frost. I used a small french tip for these cupcakes.  

Expect a *possible* birthday cake  on the blog this week, as I'll be turning the big 20 on Wednesday. But let's not mention that again, just comment below and make me feel sane by telling me you also had a Christmas baking test-run today, please! Love Em xx

Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies

I have a confession to make. I doubled the below recipe and the second batch of brownies (without the cheesy top) ended in an un crispy, dry, burgundy disaster! I'm sure, if I hadn't of doubled this innocent,  sweet and delicious (never done anything to upset me) recipe, then all would have ended in chocolatey bliss. But what really interested me is that the cheesecake topping had moistened the burgundy brownie substantially, which added a nice little touch to the better batch of the two!

All of you don't happen to be wondering wondering why I made these. So I made these this week because apart from working, I've spent quite a bit of time at home, on the Internet, browsing....admiring everything on foodgawker. And why have I spent more time then usual doing this, which subsequently caused me to make a horrendous batch of brownies? Cos I can no longer drive. That's why. And it's absolutely killing me. On the plus side, it means you get to see more on mbakes! Woo!

Anyway, must dash, work experience at Goodtoknow starts tomorrow. Still got to pluck my eyebrows and wax my tash! Wish me luck!

The Recipe:
Brownie:
Quarter cup cocoa powder (60 ml)
3 large eggs at room temp
170g unsalted butter
200g caster sugar
180g plain flour
150g dark chocolate (60%)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp red food colouring
Cheesecake
300g cream cheese
2 egg yolks at room temp
2 tsp vanilla extract

The Method:

• Line one 8 inch square tin with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius. 
• In a saucepan, melt the butter on a low heat then add the chocolate. Keep stirring until all of the chocolate has melted. 
• Take the mixture off the heat and whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth. At this point you can either transfer the mix into a freestanding mixer or leave it be. 
• Add one egg at a time, consistently mixing. Then the vanilla, sugar and lastly the flour. Add the food colouring last. Mix till well combined. 
• Plop all of the brownie batter into the prepared tin and spread around well. Set aside. 
• Make the cheesecake layer with an electric whisk or mixer. Cream the cream cheese till smooth and add the egg yolks one at a time. Lastly the vanilla - add to your preference. 
• Gently smooth the mixture on top of the settled brownie using an offset (cranked) spatula.
• Bake for 40 minutes or until the cheesecake topping is a healthy golden brown. 
• When it's baked, leave to cool in the tin so it keeps it's shape.
• Enjoy and refrigerate when not in use!

PS. Sorry for all of the painfully similar pictures! Budding awful photographer over here!

Love Em x

Gooey Chewy Dulce De Leche Brownies

Chocolate and dulce de leche. If there were a heaven, it would be made up of exactly these two components. Unless you're a savory fan, then aubergine it is. The great thing about these brownies was their cakey texture, but don't get me wrong I love a fudgey brownie. But I was grateful for the fluffiness this time around as it coupled perfectly with the goeey chewy caramel swirled around all and every corner and crevice this calorific devil had to offer. 

Adapted from David Lebovitz' Brownies 
The Recipe:
Quarter cup cocoa powder (60 ml)
3 large eggs
170g unsalted butter
200g caster sugar
180g plain flour
150g dark chocolate (60%)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tin dulce de leche

The Method:

• Line 1 8 inch square tin with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 175 degrees celsius. 
• In a saucepan, melt the butter on a low heat then add the chocolate. Keep stirring until all of the chocolate has melted. 
• Take the mixture off the heat and whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth.at this point you can either transfer the mix into a freestanding mixer or leave it be. 
• Add one egg at a time, consistently mixing. Then the vanilla, sugar and lastly the flour. Mix till well combined. 
• Plop half of the brownie batter into the prepared tin and spread around well. 
• Layer half of the caramel on top of the batter and spread around evenly. Then take a knife and use it to make swirls around the raw better. 
• Repeat the process again with the rest of the batter, so that you have swirls of caramel on top of the brownie ready for the oven.
• Bake for 40-45 minutes.
• Serve warm with ice cream!

Konditor & Cook Review and London Borough Market

As London’s weather happened to be really good today, I decided to take a trip to London Borough Market with my boyfriend. It was bloody packed. Borough Market sits in the centre of London Bridge and is a 2 minute walk from the London Bridge station; it serves local and beautiful fruit and vegetables, and various food stalls selling anything from authentic beef to Ostrich. We had the pleasure of eating a cheese and potato lunch served with wild garlic, this doesn’t sound very appealing but it was to die for - and the queue was humongous!

Konditor & Cook Black Velvet Cupcakes £2.75

Konditor & Cook Magic Cakes £2.95

We also bought 3 ‘Curly Whirly’ Brownies and a ‘Black Velvet’ cupcake from Konditor & Cook which is a small bakery chain set up in several areas of London. They tasted delicious, and dare I say it but I think I preferred their cream cheese frosting to Hummingbird’s! There was something natural in the taste of their products; after all they do pride themselves on using nothing but organic and free range ingredients. I think you should all take it upon yourselves to visit this boutique style chain, or even just visit the Borough Market and see why it’s so famous! 

                                                    

Konditor & Cook Curly Whirly's £2.30

Hummingbird Bakery Valentines Day

For Valentine’s Day the boyfriend showered me in cake, in the non-literal sense. There was a beautiful Red Velvet Cake and a dozen Raspberry Cream Cheesecake Brownies, each tasted as consistent and delicious as the next and are all over half eaten at the moment (I got them yesterday). He ordered them from Hummingbird Bakery in London, and he definitely got in on point J

On another note, the work of a dedicated & talented media reviewer can be found at http://relentlesslife.wordpress.com/

Old-school projects and more poor photography

I've had the same worthless laptop for about 3 years now. At the moment it has sellotape attaching the charger to the computer, if it moves a millimeter the laptop goes point-blank and struggles to return to its normal state until it is re-united with the ol' sellotape once again. So, you should always have sticky plastic at the ready just in case your laptop hates you as well. 

But anyway, because this piece of brainy junk has lasted me so long I've managed to save all of my old baking projects onto this computer without a problem. I thought it was best i blogged the pictures sooner rather than later in case the bastard decides to spontaneously combust on me one day. 

Blondie 

Pecan Tart 

Brownie

Blackberry Gateau 

Brownie

Profiterole tart with creme anglaise and caramel 

Vanilla cupcake and sugar biscuit 

Mississippi mud pie