Brownies

When Biddy and Granny Phyl came over I was inspired by the High Tea that Havi and Thomas shouted me at the Sebal Trinity for my Birthday.
So I decided to make a high tea for the ladies.
I was going to make everything by hand, and did very well with the tiny club sandwiches, scones with cream and jam, and mini cheesecakes, but just before the end I ran out of time and made the brownies from a packet mix.
Biddy and Phyl were most gracious guests and praised everything, but Biddy was particularly taken with the chocolate brownies and - yes you guessed - was really keen to have the recipe! So I had to 'fess up.  And it's not as if we are short  of really good brownie recipes either!  Ben's and Will's are especially good.
So, here they all are, and you can choose which one(s) you want to make.

The brownies Biddy tasted were 

Edmonds Chocolate Fudge Brownies from
the packet mix.

But here is a very good recipe from two of Nat and James's friends that I
have tasted and reckon to be the 2 best brownies in the world.

Andrea's Brownies

300g golden caster sugar
250g butter, softened
250g chocolate 70% cocoa
3 large eggs + 1 extra yolk
60g flour
60g dark cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt

Ben's Mum's Brownie recipe:

melt 100g butter
beat in 1 cup sugar, 3 eggs and 1 t vanilla
Fold in 1 tsp baking powder, 3/4 cup flour, 3/4 cup choc chips (and some
chopped nuts if u like)
DON'T over mix
Microwave 4 - 7 mins - it's best to undercook it rather than overcook it.


And the last one - I think it's Will's: (This one has walnuts)

Walnut Brownies

125g butter
120g dark chocolate chips
2 eggs
1 cup caster sugar
100g plain flour, sifted
125g walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 180 C. Grease a 20 cm square cake pan. Melt butter and
chocolate chips in a saucepan over a low heat stirring to prevent chocolate
sticking. When smooth remove from heat and leave to cool. Beat eggs and
caster sugar until thick and creamy. Stir in chocolate mixture, flour and
walnuts. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes, cool and cut into
squares.

Andy's Lemon Muffins

I met Andy when I was doing my Art Diploma at the local Polytechnic. One day he turned up for class with a huge batch of these wonderful tangy muffins, and I just had to have the recipe. The topping, poured over the instant they come out of the oven, goes all crispy and contrasts beautifully with the hot, soft insides.

Andy's Lemon Muffins

2 cups self-raising flour
3/4 cup sugar
75 gm butter
1 cup milk
1 egg
grated rind of 1 lemon

Topping
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar
(I usually double this)

Instructions.

1. Mix flour and sugar in bowl
2. Melt butter and add milk, egg and rind and beat well
3. Add liquids to dry ingredients.
4. Mix until only just mixed.
5. Cook in a preheated oven 200ºC for 15 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean.
6. Spoon 3 tsp of the topping over each muffin as soon as the tray is removed from the oven.

Patricia's Spiced Fruit Muffins

Patricia was one of Natalie's Fairy Godmothers. She also gave me the recipe for that self-crusting courgette quiche that we make so often. She was a very sensible woman, and told me that both these recipes were very good for pot-lucks. And so they are!

Patricia was also Alices' breeder Elizabeth's best friend. When Alice had that unexpected (and HUGE) litter, I named two of the bitches Patricia and Elizabeth, and somewhere there's a photo of Patricia holding 'her' puppy. I'm not sure that I ever told Elizabeth. Probably best, as I'm sure she wouldn't have approved of the opportunist little pig-dog who was the father!

Anyway, the muffins are really easy, and you can use whatever fruit you have. I experiment with mixtures, for example banana with apricot yoghurt. Rhubarb is nice too. If there's nothing else, even apple and chopped dates will get favourable comments.

Mix together: 1 1/2 cups white flour

1/2 cup oat bran

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp mixed spice

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda (soda bic)

Heat together 1 cup lightly stewed diced fruit and 50 gm butter, just enough to melt the butter.

Add 1 egg and mix.

Add 2/3 cup yoghurt and mix again.

Fold wet into dry ingredients. Mixture will start to rise immediately. Don't over-mix or the muffins will be rubbery.

Quickly put spoonfuls into a greased muffin tin and bake at 200ºC for 10 - 15 minutes or until golden.

Makes 9 large or 12 small muffins.

Auntie Jean’s Loaf.

This really should be called ‘Pam Blake’s Auntie Jean’s Loaf’. I never met Auntie Jean because she was long gone when I came to Okoroire, but Pam was married to Gordon, one of the Blake twins and lived just up the road. She had a lovely garden, and I can remember her once driving us to Garden Circle in a new car. She took a corner a little fast at one point and apologised, saying in her soft voice ‘Oh dear, this new car is rather impatient’.

We all made Auntie Jean’s a lot. It is very easy to make, really moist and delicious sliced with a little butter, keeps well in the fridge wrapped up, and freezes well too. You can even slice it frozen. It’s a great standby for unexpected guests or when you have to take a ‘plate’ to a function. I sometimes make a special version at Christmas with glacé cherries and macadamia nuts. You can even heat it up and serve it as a dessert with cream or custard or ice-cream. People often ask me what spices are in it and they are surprised when they hear there are none. You’ll have to fiddle a bit to get a ‘large cup’. I expect Auntie Jean had a particular cup in mind. The blue one perhaps. Try a cup and a 1/4.

Ingredients:

o 500 gm dates, sultanas and nuts.

o 3 cups of water

o 4 large cups flour

o 4 level tsp baking soda

o 500 gm brown sugar

Method:

1. Boil fruit and nuts in water for 5 - 10 minutes.

1. Add sugar and stir a few times while cooling.
2. Butter two large or three small loaf tins and put the oven onto 350ºF or 150ºC.
3. When cool add flour and soda. It will start frothing immediately.
4. Pour into tins and bake about one hour. This time will depend on the size of tin of course. Test with a skewer in the middle. If the skewer comes out clean, it is done. Try not to overcook these.
5. Remove from tins and cool on a wire rack.
6. Store in fridge or freezer.
7. Slice and butter to serve.

Granny Phyl’s Piklets

Legendary. All farming wives learnt to make piklets and scones, because they were so quick to make for shearers or haymakers. They were delivered out to the field of wool-shed just before they were needed, accompanied by thermoses of tea, and lemon drink. But of course they are also always acceptable at the most genteel tea-party, with whipped cream and home-made jam. This recipe makes enough for a 4-stand shearing gang. You might want to halve it.

Ingredients:

o 2 eggs

o 3/4 cup sugar

o 2 cups flour

o 2 tsp cream of tarter

o 1 tsp baking soda

o 1 tsp golden syrup

o 50 gms (2 oz) melted butter or 1/4 - 1/2 cup cream

Method:

1. Mix together the eggs and sugar.

1. Mix the dry ingredients together and stir into the egg mixture. Mix with a whisk, then add the melted butter or cream. It should make a thickish mixture like a sponge cake mixture.
2. Drop spoonfuls onto a hot frying pan or skillet and turn them over when bubbles appear on the top side.
3. These will keep a day in an airtight container, or will freeze well in a plastic bag.

Ideally eaten within an hour of making, buttered, and with jam and topped with cream.

Karyn’s Moist Chocolate Cake

This cake is very versatile, and is very quick and easy to make. It's a bit like a 'little black dress' (a little brown dress?) that can be formal or casual, depending on what is put with it. Cut in half and cream and apricot jam added in and on, is just one accessory...

Ingredients:

o 2 1/2 cups flour

o 1 1/2 cups sugar

o 1 tsp salt

o 2 tsp baking soda

o 1/2 cup cocoa powder mixed with 3/4 cup boiling water and 3/4 cup cold water.

o 2 tsp vanilla essence

o 2 Tbsp cider vinegar or lemon juice

o 3/4 cup oil

o 2 eggs

Method:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt and baking soda.
2. Mix together the cocoa and water with the other liquid ingredients and the eggs.
3. Stir the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients.
4. Pour the batter into one large greased meat dish or two 20 cm round baking tins.
5. Bake in a preheated oven at 170ºC for 35 - 40 minutes. Test around this time by inserting a skewer into the middle. If it comes out clean, cake is done.
6. Let sit in tin for 5 minutes then run a knife around and remove from tins and cool on a wire rack.
7. When cool, dust with icing sugar or ice with chocolate icing.

Chocolate icing: 1 cup icing sugar, 1 Tbsp cocoa, 2 tsp butter. Add 1 Tbsp boiling water and mix until smooth.

8. Store cake in an airtight container. Makes 32 pieces.

Tedward's Bread - a versatile recipe.

Tedward perfected this by trial-and-error for their ‘Sunbeam Quantum' bread maker but it probably works for other brands too. Just watch the size, because the 'Quantum' has a huge pan. You may have to reduce the amount proportionately.

Makes one large loaf in the breadmaker, about 20 rolls, or two loaves in loaf tins.

Ingredients:

o 1 tsp salt

o 1 Tbsp olive oil

o 1 rounded tsp brown sugar

o 2 cups warm water

o 4 1/4 cups white or wholemeal flour, or half-and-half.

o 2 tsp ‘Surebake’ yeast

o 1/4 cup linseeds, pumpkin kernels, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds or mixture

Breadmaker Method:

Put all into the breadmaker pan in the order given. Ensure you click on the button that makes the largest size. I prefer a good crust so I make it the darkest option.

Hand-method:

1. In a bowl, add brown sugar to the water and stir until dissolved.
2. Sprinkle the yeast on top of the water and stir it in. Set aside for 10 minutes or so until it appears foamy. Give it another stir to distribute the yeast through the liquid.
3. While you are waiting for the yeast to start working, measure out the flour and seeds into a large bowl.
4. Make a dip or ‘well’ in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in the yeast mixture. Mix from the outside until all combined. I use my hands for this. If you work from the outside, they stay fairly dry for a while.
5. Now here is the part where you give your arm-muscles a work-out. Knead the dough for about 8 -10 minutes. (This is so the gluten gets nice and stretchy and will hold the crumb together when the yeast starts making bubbles). A tried-and true method of kneading bread dough is as follows: Form the dough into a ball and press it away from you with the heel of your palm, then pull the top of the ball towards you with your fingertips, folding it over the top. Rotate the ball a few degrees and repeat. If it gets sticky, add a little more flour. You’ll probably need to put a bit of flour on the bench or board you are using.
6. When the dough is ‘springy’ and soft, and a little poke with a finger bounces back, place it into a large, clean, lightly oiled bowl, and cover with damp tea towel or cling wrap and place into a warm place out of drafts, to rise.
7. When it has doubled in size (an hour or two?) take it out and place it on a floured bench, punch it down, and then knead lightly for 30 seconds. (This is to make the bubbles smaller which will give the bread a finer crumb).
8. At this point we need to decide what shape the bread is to be. The dough can be made into two rough ovals and go into two oiled loaf tins. Or pinched small pieces off and shape into balls for rolls and placed on an oiled baking tray. Another nice way is to make two cottage loaves. Make two large and two smaller balls. The smaller balls are placed on the larger ones, and, taking a wooden spoon handle, press down on the top to join the two.
9. Whatever the shape, this needs to rise in that warm place until twice the size again.
10. Brush each bread shape gently with milk or oil, and bake in a pre-heated oven at about 350ºF or 180ºC until golden brown and it sounds hollow when rapped on the bottom with the knuckles. You’ll need to juggle the loaf with a tea towel to do this. Allow the loaves to sit on a rack for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
11. Once cool, bread keeps better in a plastic bag. Don’t expect home-made bread to keep as long as store-brought bread which often has preservatives. But if there is any left, it will make great toast if it’s past its new-baked fragrant freshness! And there's always Bread-and-butter and blueberry pudding, Queen pudding or Nana Connie's stuffing for a chicken.