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Showing posts with label brownies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label brownies. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

SALTED CARAMEL BROWNIES

My best friend Amanda certainly knows the way to my heart, a few months ago she posted me a recipe for salted caramel brownies….I adore brownies and I LOVE salted caramel! I only just got round to making them though as every week I have been making Pascals favourite millionaire shortbread however this week I fancied a change!

Ingredients for 16 brownies:

Brownies:
225g unsalted butter, plus a little extra for greasing
250g dark chocolate, chopped
225g golden caster sugar
4 large eggs
150g plain flour, sifted

Salted caramel:
40ml double cream
1/4 vanilla pod, split length ways, seeds scraped
15g salted butter
2 pinches of sea salt
60g caster sugar
40g golden syrup



Start by making the caramel. In a saucepan, combine the cream, half the butter, a good pinch of salt, the vanilla seeds and pod. I have never cooked with a vanilla pod before (I couldnt even find it in the supermarket), it was a bit fiddly to scrape the seeds out as they stuck to my nails, but I did my best!



Cook over a low heat so the butter melts and whisk until it is just bubbling (2-3 minutes), then take off the heat and set aside.



Place the caster sugar and golden syrup in a medium heavy based pan over a low heat.



Dont stir, just swirl gently to help dissolve the sugar. I thought this sounded weird but it actually works very easily. Turn up the heat and keep swirling until the sugar turns into golden caramel.





Stir the caramel into the cream mixture with a wooden spoon, discarding the vanilla pod.



Return the pan to a low heat while you stir in the remaining butter, then set aside once more.



Scrunch up a large piece of greaseproof paper, wet it and then line a 20x30cm (or thereabouts) baking tin with the damp paper.




Pour in the caramel and sprinkle with the rest of the salt. Then place in the fridge for 30 minutes.



You now have 15 minutes to relax (I used this time to wash up)!

Then start to make the brownies. Preheat the oven to 180C / gas mark 4. Grease and line a 20x30cm (or thereabouts) baking tin (I actually used the same one as before).

Melt the butter in a pan over a low heat.



Stir in the chocolate until it is melted (I added some leftover Easter eggs).





Then remove from the heat and stir in the sugar.




Once cooled a little, whisk in the eggs.



Then add the flour (through a sieve) and fold in until incorporated.





Pour the mixture into the tin. Then dot teaspoons of the salted caramel into the brownie mixture, pressing to submerge. It doesnt have to be neat (as you can see)!






When you have a third of the caramel left, drizzle it over top, using a spoon to ripple it through. 



Bake the brownies in the oven for 25 minutes until cooked but still a bit gooey. Then leave to cool for at least an hour.



If you like the brownies a little less gooey (I do) put them in the fridge to cool for another couple of hours however it is up to you. When ready, cut into squares, tuck in and enjoy!



These were utterly delicious! I have to say they are actually slightly dangerous as I cannot stop eating them. The salted caramel is unbelievable….I could even add more. A fabulous recipe….make it….you wont regret it!
  
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Monday, February 29, 2016

CADBURYS CREME EGG BROWNIES

Arabella decided that she wanted to do some baking this afternoon. I then thought it was the perfect opportunity to make the Cadburys creme egg brownies I have been thinking about since finding the recipe on the Internet a couple of months ago. Although in typical fashion I ended up doing all the cooking and all the eating - she chose barbies and haribo - and now I feel like a heffalump!!

This wasnt my most successful recipe as I didnt use the right size dish and I had to cook the brownies for lot longer than suggested and they didnt look as "pretty" as I was hoping. However if you like chocolate, you certainly wont be disappointed!!

Ingredients for around 12 brownies:

185g unsalted butter
185g best dark chocolate
85g plain flour
40g cocoa powder
3 large eggs
275g golden caster sugar
6 Cadbury creme eggs, cut in half (easier said than done)!


Preheat the oven to 170 C and grease a 20cm square baking tray (as I mentioned my tray wasnt big enough). I also added a layer of baking parchment as it is easier to remove the brownie at the end.


Melt the dark chocolate and butter together either in the microwave or in a bowl over boiling water (what I did).


Break the 3 large eggs into a bowl (Arabellas job!) and add the 275g of sugar.


With an electric mixer on maximum speed, whisk the eggs and sugar until they look thick and creamy like a milkshake. This should take about 5 minutes and the egg and sugar mixture should have a paler colour and have doubled its original volume. I was very excited to use my new hand mixer for the first time!



Once the chocolate and butter is melted and cooled, fold it into the eggy mousse.



Next sieve the cocoa and flour over the chocolate and eggy mixture, shaking the sieve from side to side, to cover the top evenly.




Then gently fold into the mixture.


Then pour into the baking tin.


According to the recipe you cook for just 15 minutes before you add the creme eggs however I found this was no way long enough. Instead I would suggest cooking for 25 minutes.

Then take out the oven and press in the halved creme eggs (due to my smaller dish I could only fit in 4.5). These were pretty messy to cut!!


Then according to the recipe you are meant to cook for just another 5 minutes however I cooked for another 15 minutes. I would suggest checking after 10 minutes and seeing how its doing.

Finally set aside to cool and then cut into squares and enjoy!


No marks for presentation but 100% chocolately!! Wow! I added a little bit of vanilla ice cream and it was totally delicious - obviously I overdid it so am feeling like a fat little piglet but it was worth it. I will admit I prefer my Break-Your-Diet-Brownies but these are a great alternative and perfect for Easter. I dont know how I am going to resist them tomorrow as I am having a 500 calories day….I might have to lock them in the safe!!

PS It is even better the next day after being in the fridge….I think I am going to overindulge today!!!
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