British Slutty Brownies

A fab girl once suggested to me that I have a go at baking these so called 'slutty brownies' ... what are slutty brownies you may ask me?! Google the two words separately and you have a derogatory word and a word that either describes a rich chocolate cake or a girl belonging to the junior branch of the Guide Association. The combination of the first definition and the latter is not a combination that heralds great images. However, the combination of these two words in cake terms heralds a magnificent image and an even better taste! 

                  (magnificent image...)

Clearly the concept of layering three quite adequate bakes together comes from the big U.S.A. I thought that I would adapt the sluttiness slightly to British standards and remove the layer of Oreos, replacing them with a scattering of dessicated coconut and adding in some white chocolate chunks to the brownie mixture & of course basing the recipe on my two previous Perfect Bake recipes of Cookies & Brownies. 

I urge you to bake these ... they are a delight, a treat, easy to bake and quite frankly will impress parents, friends, family members, work colleagues, loved ones, ones you want a favour from, ones you want to give a present to or just anyone who is lucky enough to get their paws on you if you don't eat them all to yourself first of all!

The middle of your brownies will sink when you remove them from the oven but don't fret ... this just means you've done a good job on your brownie mix and it they will be nice and gooey (it is due to your cookie base layer) 

Makes 32

Pre-heat the oven to 180°C

Bake to perfection for 22 minutes

You will need the following:

Cookie layer

185g Butter

100g Caster Sugar

85g Brown Sugar 

(if you don't have Brown Sugar just use 185g Caster Sugar)

225g Self Raising Flour

1tsp Vanilla Extract

75g of Chocolate Chunks

1pinch of salt

1Tbsp Dessicated Coconut (optional)

Brownie layer

225g Granulated Sugar

100g Dark Chocolate

75g Self-Raising Flour 

½ Tsp Baking Powder 

100g Butter

½Tsp Salt

2 Eggs

1Tbsp Water

Method:

To make the cookie layer melt the butter and mix with the sugar, vanilla extract & flour

Add the chocolate

Push into the base of two greased square tins that are 8x8 inches

Now start on the brownies by melting the butter and mix with the flour, salt & sugar

Add in the eggs

Then melt the dark chocolate and combine

Finally add in  the baking powder and water

If you fancy add the coconut ... I made one tin with coconut and one without, personally I preferred the coconut but its not for everyone so I understand if you want to leave it out

Now add in the white chocolate chips to the brownie mix

Pour the brownie mix over the cookie base

It should look like so ... bake to perfection

Cut each tray into 16 squares 

 Enjoy ...

&

I guess its a huge thanks to Sophs Wilson that I am posting this today

Oozy Chocolate & Pear Pudding

Having watched the Great British Bake Off this week I felt the need to share a delicious recipe on my blog. When I was away on holiday in Devon with my family we had the Kirk family division of the large family clan round for dinner. I opted to make my favourite sharing pudding that I have made countless times at home. It is a favourite in the Page household and was discovered when I was given Nigella's 'Kitchen' for Christmas a couple of years ago. It is simply divine; perfect for an indulgent & comforting pudding and even better served with a vanilla ice cream. In the many times I have baked this recipe, I have adapted it from the original slightly.

The weather in Devon was not ideal, in actual fact it was torrential gale force wind & therefore a warming pudding was in high order. This is so so easy to make & bake. The pears create a guaranteed gooey centre   to your cake, which makes you look like a pro with incredibly little effort!

Serves 8-10

Pre-heat the oven to 200°C

Bake to perfection for 35 minutes

You will need the following:

8 Pears, halved 

or 

if you want to cheat use 2 Cans of Pear halves

175g Butter

150g Caster Sugar

175g Self Raising Flour

3 Eggs

50g Cocoa Powder

1Tsp Baking Powder

2Tsp Vanilla Extract

(I forgot to take a photo of the pears before putting them in the pudding so consequently there are no pears in the photo...apologies!!!!)

Method:

Combine the butter, sugar & cocoa powder together 

Add the eggs one at a time 

Sift in the flour 

Then add in the baking powder & vanilla extract

Line your oven proof dish with the pears ... I used a rectangular one approx 28cm x 20cm 

Spread the batter over the pears

Bake to perfection for 35 minutes

Serve straight out of the dish to your guests ... portion size is entirely at your discretion!

I guarantee you that they wont be small!

 Serve with lashings of ice cream

Enjoy ...

Summer Pavlova

Back from a lovely week of holiday in Devon at Upcott Farm  and back to reality at home. I had my sister's 20th Birthday lunch and have been busy looking for jobs, catching up with friends & earning some pennies.  With the weather pretty darn fine at the moment I've made this pudding two weekends in a row now. Last weekend for my sister's birthday & this weekend for a dinner party at home. It is a fab summer pudding for two reasons ... Firstly, for the maker it is not a taxing or hot bake to make in the heat. Secondly, for the eaters it is not a heavy pudding to manage & perfect after a barbecue banquet! I somehow always manage to find room for pudding ... the cream filling alternative (I'm not cream's biggest fan) is a much fresher option. So if you have an occasion coming up & you need an impressive but simple pudding ... opt for this! 

Serves 10-12

Pre-heat the oven to 150°C

Bake to perfection for 40 minutes 

Cool in the oven for 1 hour

You will need the following:

4 Egg Whites

225g Golden Caster Sugar

500g Fromage Frais

200g Marscapone 

400g-ish Strawberries (as many as you like really)

Method:

Separate your eggs & place the whites in a bowl ... whisk!

Start on a low setting for the first 2 minutes then whack up to the highest speed setting for a good 3 or 4 more minutes

You want to whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks, stick with it, be brave, it will take a while. 

When it looks like this spoon in the sugar, one spoon at a time, whilst continuing to whisk the meringue mix

Continue on for another couple of minutes until all of the sugar has been mixed in and the mix forms stiff peaks. 

You should be able to tip your beaters & the mixture stay still on the beaters

Line a baking tray with baking parchment & then grease the baking parchment with butter ...

Form the base of the pavlova by dolloping 2 heaped tablespoons of the mixture the baking parchment & spread it out into a circle using the back of a spoon

The base will be roughly 1cm in depth

Like in my meringue recipe make dollops of mixture around the edge of your base.
You want to make sure the dollops are half on the edge of the base and half off the edge of the base

 

 Before putting your meringues into the oven turn it down to 140°C

Bake to perfection in the oven for 40 minutes. 

When you reach this time turn your oven off and leave your meringues inside to cool down 

Mix together the fromage frais & marscapone


Then pour it into the centre of the meringue

Top with strawberries & any other fruit of your choice 

Birthday Cake

It was my little sister Flo's birthday on Sunday. 20 years young & so it was time to make a fab birthday cake. She had a very long celebratory lunch with her friends and so I wanted to make a cake that would impress & be enjoyed by all. This is a fool-proof birthday cake that is easily rustled up & will impress and be appreciated by all! 

Reasons why ...

1. it is chocolate, 

2. it is layered with a dark chocolate & white chocolate icing

3. it is topped with a thick layer of white chocolate icing

4. it is finished off with a glut of strawberries, shavings of white chocolate & gold dust on top 

... do I need to go on?!

Serves 12

Pre-heat the oven to 180°C

Bake to perfection for 22-24 minutes

You will need the following:

Cake

225g Butter

225g Caster Sugar

225g Self Raising Flour 

4 Eggs

50g Coca Powder

50g Good Quality Dark Chocolate 

1Tsp Baking Powder 

1Tbsp Milk

Dark Chocolate Icing

50g Good Quality Dark Chocolate 

50g Butter

275g Icing Sugar

1Tsp Plain Yoghurt

White Chocolate Icing

75g Good Quality White Chocolate 

50g Butter

275g Butter

1Tsp Plain Yoghurt

Decoration

Edible Gold Dust

Strawberries

 

Method:

Cream together the butter & sugar

Add the eggs in one at a time

Sift in the cocoa powder

Tip: fold in gently ... you'll be covered in cocoa powder if you don't! 

Next sift in the flour

Melt your chocolate & stir it in

Grease two cake tins

Now add in the baking powder

Finally add the milk

Quickly pop in the oven & bake to perfection

Whilst the cake is cooling make the two batches of icing 

Melt the chocolate & combine with the butter 

 

Add in the icing sugar 

Combine until smooth 

Now build your birthday cake in seven steps ... 

1. Even out your bottom layer with a knife if your cake has slightly domed

2. Spread a layer of the dark chocolate icing on the bottom layer

3. Add roughly 2 heaped tablespoons of the white icing mix ...

 & spread out

4. Add your second layer

5. Then spoon the rest of your icing onto the top of the second layer & using the back of the spoon spread the icing around the cake 

6. Chop your strawberries in half and pile on top of the cake

7. Add edible gold dust & finely grate a cube of white chocolate 

(close up arty farty photo of the strawbs)

& Ta daa ..

Enjoy ...