Thank You Brownies

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

This post is dedicated to the genius of Mr. Steve Milne, the man who brought my new website to life. What better way for me to repay him than with an orgy for the mouth...BROWNIES!

As I have mentioned before I am heading for a new challenge in Australia and needed a website to show off my work to potential employers out there. Steve stepped up and put his web building skills to work for me, knowing that i could not pay him a penny...in the words of Salt n' Peppa..."Whatta man, whatta man, whatta mighty good man!"

I had to find a recipe that would be worthy of such goodness and decided that you can't go wrong with a rich, gooey brownie. I have wanted to try out a recipe from Deb at Smitten Kitchen for ages and took this as a great opportunity. She did not let me, or Steve, down! these were the greatest tasting brownies EVER.

Please try them out, you won't regret it, they are best devoured with a glass of cold milk...yum! And please check out my new website!

Here is the recipe from Smitten Kitchen, the measurements are american but i have added a snazzy new tool to my blog that will convert them for you in seconds.

Classic Brownies
Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated

Be sure to test for doneness before removing the brownies from the oven. If underbaked (the toothpick has batter clinging to it) the texture of the brownies will be dense and gummy. If overbaked (the toothpick comes out completely clean), the brownies will be dry and cakey.

1 cup (4 ounces) pecans or walnuts, chopped medium (optional)
1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) cake flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped fine
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into six 1-inch pieces
2 1/4 cups (15 3/4 ounces) sugar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 325 degrees. Cut 18-inch length foil and fold lengthwise to 8-inch width. Fit foil into length of 13 by 9-inch baking dish, pushing it into corners and up sides of pan; allow excess to overhand pan edges. Cut 14-inch length foil and, if using extra-wide foil, fold lengthwise to 12-inch width; fit into width of baking pan in same manner, perpendicular to first sheet. Spray foil-lined pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2. If using nuts, spread nuts evenly on rimmed baking sheet and toast in oven until fragrant, 5 to 8 minutes. Set aside to cool.

3. Whisk to combine flour, salt, and baking powder in medium bowl; set aside.

4. Melt chocolate and butter in large heatproof bowl set over saucepan of almost-simmering water, stirring occasionally, until smooth. (Alternatively, in microwave, heat butter and chocolate in large microwave-safe bowl on high for 45 seconds, then stir and heat for 30 seconds more. Stir again, and, if necessary, repeat in 15-second increments; do not let chocolate burn.) When chocolate mixture is completely smooth, remove bowl from saucepan and gradually whisk in sugar. Add eggs on at a time, whisking after each addition until thoroughly combined. Whisk in vanilla. Add flour mixture in three additions, folding with rubber spatula until batter is completely smooth and homogeneous.

5. Transfer batter to prepared pan; using spatula, spread batter into corners of pan and smooth surface. Sprinkle toasted nuts (if using) evenly over batter and bake until toothpick or wooden skewer inserted into center of brownies comes out with few moist crumbs attached, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool on wire rack to room temperature, about 2 hours, then remove brownies from pan by lifting foil overhang. Cut brownies into 2-inch squares and serve. (Store leftovers in airtight container at room temperature, for up to 3 days, or, ahem, in the freezer until your resistance gets the better of you.)

Comforting Carrot Cake

So, it seems that Autumn has arrived, too quickly for my liking. But considering Scotland had a dismal summer it is actually quite nice to move on, get over it and enjoy the benefits of colder days and darker nights; comfort food!

When I decided to bake my first carrot cake it was on one of those days, leaves started being blown off the trees in the park that my lounge window looks on to and it just felt like i needed a warm hug in the form of food. The flavours of spice in a good carrot cake always deliver on this and the frosting would put a smile on the most miserable face!

Here is my first go, it's a mongrel of two recipes. The cake i adapted from Joy The Baker and the cream cheese frosting is from the delicious magazine website. have a go...it will warm your wee souls!

Ingredients:

4 cups peeled and finely grated carrots
3 large eggs, room temperature
2 cups golden caster sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract)
1 cup walnuts or pecans, toasted and finely chopped
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

25g olive oil spread
300g half-fat cream cheese
25g unrefined golden icing sugar
1 orange



1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius. Grease with butter, then line a standard square tin with baking paper. In a bowl, whisk together carrots, eggs, sugar, oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and coconut, and nuts if desired. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Stir flour mixture into carrot mixture until well combined.
2. Pour the batter into the lined baking tin and cook in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes. To check if it is thoroughly cooked, take a knife or skewer and put it into the middle of the cake. It should come out clean, if there is some batter on it, put the cake back into the oven for a further 5 mins and check again until cooked.
3. remove the cake from the tin and place on a cooling/wire rack for at least 20minutes before frosting.
4. Smother the cake with the orange cream cheese frosting and enjoy!

Frosting

Put the olive oil spread and cream cheese into a bowl. Mix until soft and smooth. Put a sieve over the bowl and add the icing sugar, pushing it through with a spoon. Rub the orange against the fine side of a grater, stopping when you get to the white pith. Add half the zest to the bowl, mix, then spread over the cake. Sprinkle the rest of the zest over the cake and cut it into 12 squares.