RECIPE | SLUTTY BROWNIES

Are you ready for an even MORE naughty and indulgent brownie than the Cheesecake Brownie?

Well here you go... say HELLO to the SLUTTY BROWNIE.

Layer #1 = Cookie Dough

Layer #2 - Your favourite biscuit, cookie or chocolate bar!

Layer #3 = Ooey gooey BROWNIE!

Ingredients:

For the Cookie Dough base:

100g Butter (or Margarine)

120g Sugar

1 Egg

240g Plain Flour

1/2tsp Vanilla Essence

1/2tsp Baking Powder

100g of Chocolate Chips

Middle Layer:

A pack of cookies/biscuits/chocolate bars that will cover the cookie dough surface.

Brownie Topping:

175g Dark Chocolate

130g Butter (or Margarine)

230g Sugar

2 Eggs

75g Plain Flour

1/2tsp Vanilla Essence

Instructions:

1.  Grease and line a traybake/brownie tin with butter and baking paper. Preheat your oven to 180.

2.  First up is the cookie dough base... cream together the butter and sugar in a bowl with an electric whisk or a stern arm and a wooden spoon until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla essence and beat until mixed.

3.  Sieve the flour and baking powder into the mix and combine with the chocolate chips until the mixture is well folded.

4.  Spread the cookie dough to form a smooth layer in the bottom of the cake tin, followed by a topping of your chosen biscuity/chocolately middle layer!

5.  To make the brownie mix, melt the chocolate and the butter together on a low heat on the hob or in the microwave. Set aside and leave to cool.

6.  In a separate bowl, whisk the sugar, vanilla essence and the eggs until their size has increased around three times in volume.

7.  Sieve the flour into the brownie mix, followed by the melted butter and chocolate and stir all ingredients together.

8.  Top the two layers in your cake tin with a generous serving of brownie mix (there are no raising agents so it will not rise) and then place the cake tin in the oven on the middle shelf and bake for 40-50 minutes.

RECIPE | CHEESECAKE BROWNIES

Cheesecake vs. Brownie.

A brilliantly dense and fudgey, gooey, oozey, creamy combo.

Decadently rich chocolate brownies complimented by a generous swirling of cheesecake mix.

Ingredients:

125g Butter (or Margarine)

250g Dark Chocolate

200g Sugar

3 Eggs

1tsp Vanilla Essence

75g Plain Flour

1/2tsp Baking Powder

200g Cream Cheese

50g Caster Sugar

Instructions:

1.  Preheat your oven to 180 and grease and line a baking tin with baking paper.

2.  Place the butter, sugar and 150g of the chocolate into a pan and melt on a low heat. Leave the mixture to cool for 5 minutes and then whisk in the eggs and vanilla essence.

3.  Add the flour and baking powder to the wet ingredients, along with the rest of the left over dark chocolate chopped up into small chunks. Fold together until it is is mixed well. Pour 3/4s of the mixture into the baking tin.

4.  In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese and the caster sugar together and then dollop the mixture into the baking tin on top of the brownie mix.

5.  Pour the rest of the brownie mixture into the baking tin and then using a skewer or a sharp knife swirl the mixture around so the brownie mixture combines with the cream cheese mixture to create a marbling effect.

6.  Place in the centre shelf of your oven and bake for 35 minutes.

LIFESTYLE | BAKING AT INKWELL

This week I started a new and exciting role as a volunteer for a lovely little place called Inkwell.

For those of you unfamiliar with Inkwell, it is based in Leeds and describes itself as....

"A safe, creative and accessible space where passion and skills entwine, challenging the stigma of mental health and celebrating the diversity of its participants. It seeks to engage, stimulate and absorb all abilities through creative activity. Users develop life skills such as teamwork and problem solving leading to increased confidence and improved wellbeing. We are part of Leeds Mind, an independent charity whose aim is to enable individuals with mental health problems to flourish. Our core values are: Inclusion, Collaboration, Aspiration, Respect and Excellence."

I spent yesterday afternoon baking away in the Inkwell kitchen. Hopefully what I produced was an acceptable collection of baked goods for them to sell in their cafe this weekend. (I am unsure as I didn't get to taste anything I made!).

I made a victoria sponge with freshly whipped cream and strawberries (pictured above), a tray of cinnamon and sultana flapjacks (no picture - sorry!) and a batch of extra gooey and naughtily chocolately brownies.

If you are Leeds based, it's definitely worth taking a visit to Inkwell to check out all that is available and on offer to the public. They have a cafe every Saturday, numerous arts and craft workshops during the week, as well as a monthly instrumental night and secret cinema night.

If that hasn't persuaded you enough the check out the post by Culture Vulture HERE as to why you should visit Inkwell :)

RECIPE | COURGETTE BROWNIES

A healthy(ish) twist on the indulgent classic.

These brownies keep well and stay delightfully moist.

* To make these even HEALTHIER you can replace the oil with half a cup of over ripe mashed banana and leave out the chocolate pieces and nuts.

COURGETTE BROWNIES

Ingredients:

125ml Vegetable Oil

300g Caster Sugar

250g Grated Courgette

2tsp Vanilla Essence

40g Cocoa Powder

250g Plain Flour
1tsp Salt

1tsp Baking Powder

1tsp Bicarbonate of Soda

80g Chopped Walnuts

100g Dark Chocolate (chopped into small pieces)

50g Chocolate Chips

Instructions:

1.  Preheat your oven to 180°C and grease a 22x33cm baking tin.

2.  Get a large mixing bowl and combine the oil, sugar and vanilla essence, mixing until it is blended.

3.  Sift the flour, cocoa powder, bicarbanate of soda, baking powder and salt into the mixture and get mixing!

4.  Add the grated courgette, along with most of the walnuts, dark chocolate pieces and chocolate chips (make sure to leave enough for a generous sprinkling of each to go on top of the mixture) and MIX.

5.  Pour the mixture into the baking tin and then sprinkle with the rest of the dark chocolate, chocolate chips and walnuts.

6.  Place the tin in the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes (depending on the heat of your oven).