Melt-in-the-Middle Chocolate Brownie Cake

One of my favourite shop-bought puds are those melt in the middle chocolate puddings. They are just sooo sweet and wonderfully gloopy. However I do think they are a bit on the pricey side. So, here is my own recipe. Tried and tested.
It's easy and makes a slim cake shaped pudding. Just cut into generous slices and serve with vanilla ice cream.
Use a regular cake tin. Lightly grease it with butter. Preheat the oven to 160C.

Melt 100g butter and 200g soft brown sugar over a low heat. Allow to cool slightly.

Then whisk in 40g cocoa, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 eggs, 100g plain flour, a pinch of baking powder and a pinch of salt. 
Keep whisking away until it is lovely and smooth and what you might call 'dropping consistency'. If it seems a bit too stiff then add a little milk.

Give it a wiggle until it is evenly distributed. Put into the oven - middle shelf. Now, the important thing is to really keep an eye on it. 

My pudding was ready after 15 minutes, so use that as a guide. This is a very simple recipe but if you leave it too long you will have a dry chocolate cake with no ooze-factor. Disaster.

It's ready when it looks cooked on top but has a slight wobble in the middle. Take it out of the oven and allow it to stand for 2 minutes.

Turn it out. Cut into generous slices and serve while it's still warm with vanilla ice cream. Your desert should have a chocolate Brownie style top, a cakey bottom and a melting middle.  

I promise... there will be no need to head to M&S for those puds any more!

The best hot chocolate - ever!

Hands up, who's for hot chocolate?

Just a quick post today...something that I feel you need in your lives. :-)
In this sudden cold snap hot chocolate has become a firm favourite of mine again. 
Over Christmas I tried out Jamie Oliver's 'Epic Hot Chocolate' and it was indeed EPIC!
I made up a huge batch of it and it lasted right over the holiday and jars of it made lovely pressies for those who came down with colds and flu over the holiday season.


I can't pretend that it was as easy to make as the bung-a-spoon-of-power-in-a-mug stuff I normally use but it was the real deal. 
I recommend making 2 times the quantity suggested and store it in an airtight jar for months of amazing hot chocolate. 
This is a firm favorite with old and young alike. Even my lovely nieces - the Mini Diva's got in on the action and used the mixture for their own chocolate-faced fun! I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.


Mr Jamie Oliver -  thank you!

Last minute Christmas treats/gifts - Chocolate Coins

A quick treat to share with friends and family this Christmas.


It's the easiest nibble to whip up for any unexpected guests or as a last minute (cheap) present.


This is so simple that it requires no recipe and no amounts... but here is the method, such as it is.


Simply melt some chocolate (preferably 2 different colours to achieve a ripple effect). Use the best that you can afford. Allow it to cool slightly.


Then take a desert spoonful and drop this onto baking parchment. Allow it to spread out slightly into an even circle (2 bars of chocolate made around 20 coins). Now it's ready for you to add whatever flavour combinations you fancy.


I added a tiny dusting of cinnamon and salt and some chopped dried cranberries. Just make sure that you work fairly quickly as you need to add the flavours while it's still soft.


Then just place them in the fridge for 30 minutes. Once they're set carefully peel them off the paper and they are ready to eat!

Happy Christmas and a very yummy New Year!

x