Chocolate Chip Brownies - Inspired by That 70's Show

One of my favorite shows of all time is That 70’s Show and now it’s on Netflix. I binged and finished all 8 seasons in a few weeks. See when it was on I only made it to about season 5 before I stopped watching due to real life commitments - like university, part -time job, participating in my sorority and hanging out … down the street.

I think the reason I love the show so much is that I relate to it. It reminds me of my life between the ages of 15-18. My parents had moved us to a small remote town in northern Minnesota. Where it was cold and not much to do.

We did what Eric, Donna, Hyde, Kelso, Fez, and Jackie did we literally hung out down the street! We had to make our own fun running around town or hanging out at each others houses hosting movie nights.

We all had crappy part time jobs and drove cars from the 70’s and 80’s and in winter would pull donuts on the frozen river and in the summer “cruised the dubs.” The Dubs was short for double as in double lanes - there was one road that had double lanes. All part of spending your teenage years in a small town.

I can’t go back to being in high school and I’m not so sure I’d really want too, but I don’t mind having flashbacks through a well written TV show! Kitty was always baking from scratch and one of the things we saw her bake over and over was brownies!

In the last season she baked them for Jackie to win over her boss (Mary Tyler Moore) and was very upset when Jackie took the credit. It was after watching that episode I had a craving for brownies and made them the next day!

I’d like to think these brownies would have passed Kitty’s approval! It’s the only brownie recipe I use these days and this time time I added chocolate chips to it! If I were Hyde I would have added a different “special” ingredient!

Chocolate Chip Brownies

300g dark chocolate, broken up
250g unsalted butter
400g light muscovado sugar
4 large eggs
140g plain flour
pinch of salt
50g cocoa powder
100g chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 180C/gas4 and line a brownie tin (8x11) or an 8in square pan with parchment paper.
Very gently melt the chocolates with the butter and sugar in a medium saucepan. Just before the chocolate is completely melted, take off the heat and gently stir until it’s completely melted.
Then add the eggs one at a time to the melted chocolate mixture. Sift the flour, salt, and cocoa powder into the pan and stir until just combined.
Then pour the mixture into the prepared tin/pan. Scatter all the chocolate chips over the top of the brownies before baking in the preheated oven for 35 minutes. If you want them a little gooier only bake them for 30 minutes.
Cool completely before cutting into squares. They are good for 3 days in an airtight container not that they will last that long!

notes: recipe is adapted from a recipe in Bakes & Cakes Magazine Summer 2013 (BBC Good Food Mag) - If you haven’t seen That 70’s Show I highly recommend watching it! The image I used of the cast comes from this website, I doubt they own it, but I thought I'd link anyway! I used milk chocolate chips to help cut through the dark chocolate, but use whatever suits you!

Grow Your Own Cake by Holly Farrell {book review}

"Finally, although there is no scientific way of proving it, the satisfaction of eating something you have grown yourself makes it taste 10 times better." - Holly Farrell Grow Your Own Cake

There might not be any scientific proof, but I believe this is 100% true not only when you've grown your own food, but when you've used that grown food in something tasty like a cake or biscuit or pie!

I should start with stating that I am not much of a gardner myself so, the information in the chapter 'In  the Garden' was very inspiring and makes me want to get out some pots and soil and plant my own garden! Since I have yet to start gardening I'll have to hit up my father-in-law or the local farmers market for my ingredients!

The 'In the Kitchen' chapter was a nice refresher, but stated a lot of baking things I already knew.  It's still worth a read through as it's particular to how our author Holly Farrell bakes and therefore essential to know when you try out her recipes.  If this is the part you have less experience in give it a read though it's very informative.

The rest of the book is broken down into seasons, events, puddings, and savoury bakes. These cakes still have sugar, butter, and flour so can't claim to be healthy, but as they are full of fresh ingredients from a garden I'd say they were better then mass produced cakes. 

When I first saw the title I was like here we go carrot cakes and beetroot brownies and though there are recipes for both of those there is so much more! I like how the recipes are basic, practical, and use fresh ingredients. These recipes are a refreshing change from the other baking books I own. 

Overall, as I already said I found this book different from other baking books out there and if you're looking for something a little different then look no further! It's full of lovely full page coloured pictures of plants and baked goods!

Here are a few of the recipes I can't wait to try - just need to get gardening first! 

Gooseberry & Elderflower Cake

Rhubarb Crumble and Custard Cake

Beetroot Cake (Because there isn't any chocolate!)

Sweet Potato & Marshmallow Cake

Toffee Apple Cupcakes (we have an apple tree)

Strawberry & Basil Cupcakes 

Mint Choc-Chip Cupcakes

Chilli Chocolate Mudcake

Fig Tart (I'd love a fig plant!)
Pumpkin Soda Bread

Spinach & Cheese Muffins 

Oh I forgot to mention that in-between the recipes are tidbits about different ingredients and how to grow them. So, right in front of the Gooseberry & Elderflower Cake recipe is a bit on growing gooseberries. Same for the Spinach & Cheese Muffins just before we learn how to make the muffins we learn all about spinach - the best varieties, planting (the when and where), maintaining the plant, and harvesting it. Which I think is great! If all that information was in the intro we the readers would have been overwhelmed! 

Who I would recommend this book too: those with gardens, allotments, green grocers, those who shop at green grocers/farm shops, and those who want to start gardening or baking!

notes: Grown Your Own Cake by Holly Farrell, photographs by Jason Ingram is available now online, from any good booksellers or from the publishers. A copy was provided for me to review by the said publishers Frances Lincoln Ltd. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own. Please see my contact/policy page above for more information.