The Only Brownie Recipe you will ever need! (Raspberry & Toffee Brownies)

I have been blogging for a long time and at one point it was almost an obsession. But blogging was easy because I loved everything to do with what I was blogging about - baking.

I still enjoy baking and I still love reading cookbooks - it's why you still see quite a few book reviews on here - I even enjoy writing and taking photos, but my life now has limited extra time for those things, I have different priorities, hence why my frequency of posts has dropped so dramatically.

The one thing I don't enjoy is the stress and anxiety of social media. So, I have found a platform I enjoy (instagram) and use it as and when I get an opportunity I go on twitter and facebook and update things, but I no longer stress about how many likes or retweets I get.

I was asked once why I blogged and I answered mostly for me. And for my love for baking, reading, writing, photography etc.... blogging was and is my creative outlet and if I get a few loyal readers or lots of people dropping by great! But it's not why I blog.

The internet is a hard place to live in and understand.

These brownies are a recipe that I have tried and tested over and over again and thankfully aren't that hard to understand. I originally got this recipe from a BBC Good Food Magazine and the other day I opened up one of their issues and it was in there again, because it is literally that easy and good.

It has been adjusted over and over and to be honest this batch of brownies I couldn't even tell you what I put in them exactly. I just sort of threw it all together. But if you want to throw a batch together this is how you could do it.

Brownies: raspberry & toffee

200g dark chocolate chips
100g milk chocolate chips
250g salted butter
250g light brown sugar
150g dark brown sugar
4 large eggs
140g plain flour
45g cocoa powder
10g espesso powder
100g fresh raspberries
100g toffee, chopped

Preheat oven to 180C/gas4 and line a brownie pan or 8in square pan with parchment paper.
Very gently melt both 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, cocoa powder and espresso powder into the pan and stir until just combined.
Gently fold about half of the raspberries and toffee into the mixture, pour into the prepared pan and sprinkle the remaining raspberries and toffee over the top.
Bake in the pre-heated oven for a minimum of 35 minutes. If you are using the 8 inch square pan you may want to give them an extra 5 minutes, if you are using a brownie pan or a 9 inch pan then I would still closer to the 35 minutes.
Cool completely before cutting into squares and eating!

As mentioned the original recipe was not mine own, however this recipe only resembles the original, as was modified to fit what was in my cupboards! 

If try these out let me know how you adjust them in the comments below, I am always looking for ways to make the different! 

Here are a few of the adjustments I have made over the years: (Each one is linked to the relevant post if you want to see pictures!)

Oreo Brownies

Snickers Brownies

Bribe Worthy Brownies

Peanut Butter Brownies

Nutella Brownies

Chocolate Chip Brownies

Sticky Toffee Pudding

At first I was going to be all indignant about how no one told me how easy Sticky Toffee Pudding was to make and how much better it was homemade. 

Then I realized that I would look silly if I did that because many people have said to me how easy and how good it is homemade!

When it comes to Christmas dinner I tend to cheat as much as I can. I use anything that makes my life easier on the day, because the last thing I want is to be banned to the kitchen by myself. Our kitchen and living room are very separate.

In the past even though I like making desserts, I have tended to buy or use easily put together desserts. For various reasons like the one above also because we only have one oven and time management has never been my thing!

This year was going to be different. I was proud of myself that I time managed just right and only after we finished our filling dinner I started the dessert. By the time it was ready we were all had room for it and as a bonus it was nice and hot! The best way to eat Sticky Toffee Pudding! I mean is there any other way?

I generally think of Sticky Toffee Pudding as essentially British. However there are rumors that it came originally from Canadian army men stationed here in the UK during World War II. If it we are to believe this, it makes me wonder what else they are lying to us about!

While I attempt to research that I will sit down with a bowl of this pudding and realize I don’t really care where it comes from because it’s so good!

Sticky Toffee Pudding

180g dates, chopped

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

200ml boiling water

75g butter, softened

100g light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

150g plain flour

1 ½ tsp baking powder

2 tsp cocoa powder

100g pecans, chopped

Heat the oven to 160C fan/180F and line an 8x8 square cake tin. Soak the dates in the boiling water with the teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda.

Beat the butter until soft and creamy, add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat for a few seconds until combined. Then fold in the flour, baking powder, and cocoa powder until just combined. Last but not least fold in the pecans.

Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 30-35 minutes. Use the skewer test if you are unsure.

While it’s the oven make the

Naked

toffee sauce

100g light brown sugar

150ml double cream

75g butter

1 tablespoon black treacle

pinch of salt

Place all the ingredients into a saucepan and heat until they are all combined. Once the pudding is out of the oven serve it up and cover each portion with enough toffee sauce to cover said portion.

Enjoy!

Not Naked

notes: Recipe is adapted from Crumb by Ruby Tandoh. If you liked this post you may be interested in the review of Crumb and Monkey Bread also from her book. 

Ice Cream Dessert Tacos in two flavors

It’s that time of year when the weather keeps teasing us. One day it’s sunny and my family and I are rocking our sandals and short sleeves. The next day we’re in wellies and fleece lined raincoats!

It’s not just our wardrobes that reflect our anticipation for warmer days. Our taste buds have definitely left behind comfort puddings and spiced desserts! We are ready for light fruity cakes and … this is the big one ice cream!!

Ice cream is, hands down, the ultimate summer treat!

There are so many ways to serve ice cream. In a cone or bowl, with or without sauces, nuts or sprinkles whatever you want! Ice cream is also great in a sandwich or in taco shells.

That's right an ice cream taco! In the USA you can an ice cream taco right next to your ice cream sandwiches and other ice cream treats!

I thought I would have a go making them at home since I cannot recall ever seeing one here in the UK. 

It’s basically a very sweet pancake lined with melted chocolate and ice cream. Yum!

The next thing I had to decide is what flavor of ice cream I wanted to fill my taco shells with. I decided on Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Cherry & Amaretto Dairy Ice Cream and Toffee & Honeycomb Dairy Ice Cream.

The Cherry & Amaretto tacos I didn't add any sprinkles or anything, but you could easily add small dark chocolate chips, you can never have too much chocolate!

The Toffee & Honeycomb tacos I added some honey comb pieces to the top for fun! You could line these tacos with a homemade toffee instead of the dark chocolate for a different twist!

The taco shells are the only tricky part of these and if you can make pancakes you can make these!

Ice Cream Dessert Tacos

2 large eggs

100g granulated sugar

57g unsalted butter, melted

2-4 tbsp double cream

½ tsp vanilla extract

¼ tsp almond extract

50g plain flour

¼ tsp salt

100 ml vegetable or sunflower oil, more or less

150g dark chocolate, melted

Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Dairy Ice Cream(s)

Sprinkles or Honeycomb pieces

Gently beat the eggs and sugar together until frothy; add the melted butter, 2 tbsp of the double cream, vanilla and almond extracts, and salt and beat until smooth.

The batter needs to be just right. Not to thick, but not too thin. If it isn't pourable then add an extra tablespoon of double cream until you get a desirable consistency. I used 4 tbsp in total, but just judge it as you whisk it.

Heat a nonstick pan over a medium heat. Very lightly coat the bottom of the pan with the oil, drain off an excess. Keep the oil near by because you may need to oil the pan as you go on.

Place a heaped dessertspoon of the batter in the middle of the pan and gently swirl it around so it spreads out to be about a 12cm circle. Once the edges start to come away from the pan slightly check to see if it’s browned properly then, the tricky part! Flipping it! Flip it over and fry for a few more minutes until browned.

Place the taco shell over a wooden spoon handle or a Scottish porridge stirring stick like I did to cool while you get on with the next taco shell. Once the next shell is ready to rest on the wooden spoon move the other to a cooling rack with half a tooth pick propping up the shell in a U shape. Repeat until all the shells are made.

While they are cooling melt your dark chocolate, if you do it in the microwave be sure to do it in 10-20 second bursts so you don’t seize it up! Otherwise use the bain-marie method.

Coat the inside of each shell with the melted chocolate, leave to harden on the cooling rack I re-used the toothpicks to keep a couple of them from sticking together.

Then fill with the chosen ice cream and toppings! Enjoy right away or wrap in greaseproof paper and place in a freezer storage box to freeze for another day.

It took me a few tries to get the shells right, so I ended up with 7 tacos but the batter could have made a possible 10. So, I would say allow for a couple of them to tear or not flip properly! I finished frying them up anyway and munched on them while I got on with it.

I was also thinking that instead of cooling the shells on a wooden spoon they could be gently pressed into a muffin tin to make ice cream bowls. I will be trying that next, after I practice my flipping skills! The picture below illustrates a failed flip. 

notes: this post was written in association with Sainsbury’s, please visit one of their locations for the full range of Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Dairy Ice Creams! All opinions are my own for further information please see my contact/policy page above. The recipe was adapted from CakeSpy presents Sweet Treats for a Sugar-Filled Life by Jessie Oleson. This post is full filling day 12 of the Blog Every Day in May challenge #BEDM.

Happiness in the form of Udi's Gluten Free Food

Udi’s, a gluten-free brand launching here in the UK, has the simple goal of creating the best gluten-free foods on the planet!

From what I've tried I have to say I don’t doubt they will achieve that goal! Considering they have already conquered the USA. 

Their mission is to provide those who suffer with Coeliac diseases, gluten sensitivities, or those who just want to cut down on gluten in their diets for a healthier lifestyle tasty alternatives.

Alternatives that will bring smiles to their faces and happiness in their hearts.

There will be two kinds of reactions to that last sentence; those who understand completely and those who just don’t.

Good food of any kind warms the soul, am I right? And those who suffer from food sensitivities or allergies shouldn't have to miss out.

My friend’s boss is a Coeliac and he can’t have dairy. She asked me as a special surprise for his birthday to make him some cupcakes. I managed to whip some up and gave him “the best cupcakes he has ever had.” It also gave him something he usually had to miss out on, birthday (cup)cake!

What I did for my friend’s boss and what Udi’s is doing for others like him, who have problems with gluten, is the exact same thing. We're giving them a chance to enjoy food! The only difference is they are doing it on universal scale!

I was sent a hamper of the first products they are lunching here in the UK, they are already very successful across the pond in America. After trying out everything they sent I look forward to their success and range widening here in the UK.

My favorite was the Cinnamon Sugar Bagel Chips; they made a perfect morning snack. My two little ones ate up the Toaster Pastries, Chocolate Chip muffin, Toffee muffin, and bagels without noticing they were any different from their normal breakfast/snack foods. I tried all of them as well and was very pleased with them.

Check out this post to see how I used up the Ancient Grain Crisps. Which were both very good, if I do say so myself.

Look for them in a supermarket near you! Or you could always contact them on their website or any of their social media sites. I am sure they will be more then happy to help you locate their amazing products.

notes: I was sent a hamper to review, all opinions are my own, please see my contact/policy page above for more information. I am a complete sucker for good presentation and Udi’s has great presentation! Loved the box it was shipped in!

UPDATE FEBRUARY 2017 - Udi's no longer operate here in the UK! 

I called them "wonderful" so they said Wonderful - if you insist

Fudge is a wonderful thing.

I have nothing to back that up with except that it is. Those who disagree well, go right ahead. I think fudge is loved by many and doesn’t need to defend itself against the non-fudge lovers.

Muffins are also wonderful.

Mostly eaten for breakfast where I come from they don’t get the spotlight very often. They are just so easy to make and so versatile that I am surprised we don’t see more of them.

When I had decided I wanted to make muffins, I had also decided I didn’t want a breakfast muffin. You know the fruity or oaty or disguised as healthy muffins. First I thought toffee or caramel or something like that.

The "something like that" turned out to be fudge. Fudge has a lot of cousins in the confectionery world! Such as toffee, Scottish Tablet, caramel, taffy, butterscotch etc... They are all made in a similar manner with similar ingredients and turn out similar when set. However they are not the same!

I choose Thornton’s Vanilla Fudge because it is one of those treats I buy myself whenever I’m in town. Their fudge and their chocolate covered Brazil nuts so good! I happened to have some sitting in my cupboard, kind of random, but not really in this house! So, into the muffins it went! The fudge not the chocolate covered Brazil nuts there weren't any of those left! 

Vanilla Fudge Muffins:

300g self-rising flour

1 tsp baking powder

115g golden caster sugar

100g Thornton’s Vanilla Fudge or other flavor, cut up into little pieces

125ml milk

100ml sour cream

1 medium egg, beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract or paste

60g butter, melted

Pre-heat the oven 200C/gas6. Line a muffin/cupcake pan.

Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl before adding the sugar. Then add the chopped up fudge. In a jug or medium bowl lightly beat together the milk, sour cream, egg, and vanilla extract. Then gently stir in the melted butter before pouring into the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined and spoon or using an ice cream scoop fill the lined pan.

Bake for 20 minutes until golden. Leave to cool a while before devouring. Everyone knows muffins are best eaten warm!

I’m glad I settled on fudge for these muffins as they came out wonderfully! They are definitely not breakfast muffins!

notes: I’m sorry I didn't go into how fudge/toffee/caramel etc… are different. If it were something you’d like to find out buy a bunch of all the different confectioneries and have fun comparing and contrasting! Thornton's is a great place to start! I do recommend using good quality fudge like Thornton’s Vanilla Fudge or whatever flavor takes your fancy! Chocolate covered fudge or run raisin would go well in these muffins too! The fudge used for these muffins was provided for me; please see my contact/policy tab above for more information. Recipe was adapted from Baking Magic by Kate Shirazi

Toffee Bakewell Cucpakes!! {cupcake book club}

It’s that time of month again, time to talk about the book chosen for the Cupcake Book Club hosted by Kelly on her site An American Cupcake in London.

This month’s chosen book was Hot Cakes! by Kim Newman-Wood, it’s the first independent e-book that Kelly has picked for the club. In a nutshell it’s about a family torn and it all comes to head over a, strangely acquired, cupcake recipe.

If I’m going to be honest I didn't like this book as much as I wanted too. The characters behaviors were a bit bewildering to me. I found it hard to warm to Bex, the leading lady. She spent most of the story trying to be something she wasn't. One of my favorite sayings is "Always be yourself. Unless you are a unicorn. Then always be a unicorn." Bex's back-story helped me understand where she was coming from and the ending made me less cool towards her, but it wasn't enough to make me love the book. Her mother was even more confusing to me. I guess just because it's not how I would have reacted as a mother, but everyone reacts differently when they are hurt. 

Even though they weren't my favorite characters, they were unique, they weren't made out to be perfect like a lot of other main characters are. They had flaws and did seem more real. It was written well and with style. I enjoyed how the author fit the back-stories in with the present and how she brought the two story lines together in the end.

I don’t like being harsh when it comes to novels. They are are a work of love by the author and not everyone can write a book. I am not a writer, but I am a reader and have read many novels in my time. As a reader my tastes aren't the same of someone else so this is my opinion on the story, but if Hot Cakes! sounds like something you’d like give it a go and make your own opinion! Plus the amounts of delicious sounding cupcake recipes are well worth the cost of the book!

I choose to make the Toffee Bakewell Cupcakes at my husband’s request. He got to choose as they went to work with him. Besides the caramel sinking to the bottom, as I suspected it would as everything I have ever baked in a cupcake has sunk, they turned out perfect. I think next time I would just bake the cakes and add the toffee in afterwards.

I would be interested to see what Kim Newman-Wood writes next! I also can’t wait to see what Kelly has picked for the next Cupcake Book Club!!

notes: if you’d like to join in visit Kelly’s site here! You still have a week if you want to join in! Plenty of time to read and bake right? - Hot Cakes! by Kim Newman-Wood Amazon UK & USA - My favorite quote can be adjusted to fit your needs just fill in the blanks: "Always be yourself. Unless you are (insert super hero or other fantastical non-existing creature) then always be (said hero or creature). 

love tub!!

Who doesn't need a little love for Valentine's Day?
Treat yourself to one of these little handy desserts!!
They come in two sizes and flavours: Sticky Toffee Pudding and Chocolate Pudding.
Stick them in the microwave for 1-1 1/2 minutes and instant gratification!
I have tried both flavours as I was lucky enough to be at my local store when they had a promotion and were handing out samples. I used my coupon from that day to buy this pot for myself!!
The Sticky Toffee Pudding was my favourite!!

note: I spent my money on this product and the views and opinions are solely mine!

Brown-Butter Toffee Brownies!!

find this recipe on Martha Stewart's site or in her book Cookies!!

• 1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus more for pan
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 cups packed light-brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 cup toffee bits (Heath)
• Confectioners sugar, for dusting (icing sugar)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper; butter and flour parchment paper.
2. In a saucepan over medium heat, cook the butter until it turns golden brown; remove from heat, and let cool. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine browned butter and both sugars; stir with a wooden spoon until combined. Attach bowl to mixer; add eggs. Using the paddle attachment, beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add vanilla, and beat to combine. Add flour mixture, walnuts, and toffee bits. Mix until thoroughly combined, and pour into prepared pan. 
4. Bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes (do not overbake). Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before turning out of pan onto a cutting board. Peel off parchment paper; cut blondies into 3-inch squares or into suit shapes with 1 1/2- to 2-inch cookie cutters. Just before serving, dust half with confectioners' sugar, if desired.

I omitted the nuts from the orginal recipe and added a second cup of Heath Toffee bits!

~ Indiana Baker aka Janet

Baked White Chocolate, Mascarpone & Passion Fruit Cheesecake from Giraffe

We went out to dinner last night with some friends visiting from the states! Since we had our Mini-Bakers with us I choose a family style restaurant: Giraffe. Maybe not exactly authentic British cuisine but it was good. This cheesecake was good! My husband decided on the Chocolate Chunk Brownie, the little ones had a scoop of ice cream (strawberry of course), and our friends shared the Toffee Apple Crumble!

Where have you had a good dessert from recently??

Girls Night Out!

I went out with a few of my girl friends to The Cunning Man A Traditional Country Pub!!

We went for drinks and dinner and of course dessert!

I couldn't decide between the Raspberry Creme' Brulee or their special Toffee Cheesecake! 

Well, at the last minute I decided on the Toffee Cheesecake and was glad I did. (Although, honestly, I probably would have been happy with either!) It was a light yet creamy cheesecake, perfect for a late night dessert!  

The Cunning Man

A Traditional Country Pub in Burghfield, Reading.

Burghfield Road, Burghfield Bridge, Reading, RG30 3RB

Tel: 01189 598067