Brown butter cherry chocolate blondies

We managed to beat the birds this year in collecting a lot of our cheeries, and this was the first recipe we tried (original recipe here) although we didn't follow it faithfully it was totally a favourite for the summer of lockdown!

Ingredients

Blondies

• 10 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
• 1tbl flax seed in 3tbl of water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch salt
• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 1 cup ripe cherries, pitted and quartered
• 100g chocolate, chopped into small pieces, approx 0.5mm

Topping

• 1/4 cup ripe cherries, pitted and quartered
• 30g semisweet chocolate, chopped

Method

• Make Brown Butter: Cook butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until it foams, turns clear, and then turns a deep brown, apparently this should take about 6mins but it took longer. The butter separates and leaves grainy pieces in the bottom. I filter out the grainy bits. Pour brown butter into a medium bowl and let cool to room temperature.
• Preheat oven to 180c and line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper
• Add brown sugar, flax seed egg replacement, extract, and salt to bowl and whisk until smooth. 
• Fold in flour just until incorporated, then fold cherries and chocolate into batter. 
• Scrape batter into prepared pan and use a piece of parchment paper coated with nonstick spray to press batter evenly into pan. 
• Top with remaining cherries and chocolate, pressing gently into the batter; tap pan sharply to remove air bubbles.
• Bake for approx 35 minutes, until golden and set in the middle, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached. 
• Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.  Carefully lift parchment to remove bars from pan and place on a cutting board; cut into squares with a sharp knife.

Brownies (aqua faba)

Tried a new Brownie recipe today - using Black Bean aqua faba, This was based on the recipe from https://eclecticerica.com/ooey-gooey-fudgy-vegan-brownies-using-aquafaba/ These were quite crumbly - not sure if they are supposed to be or whether adding a bit of banana might be worth it next time.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup of Trex Dairy Free butter (melted)
• 1/4 cup of white sugar
• 1/2 cup soft light brown sugar
• 6 tbl of aqua faba (this is equal to two eggs)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup of cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup of (dairy free) chocolate - either drops or broken up pieces
• 1/3 cup of nuts
• 1 cup self raising flour
• pinch of salt

Method

• Use a loaf tin, line with greaseproof paper
• Pre heat oven to 175C
• whisk together melted "butter", aqua faba, sugar, salt and cocoa powder
• add in the flour slowly whisking
• use a metal spoon and fold in the choc chips &/or the nuts
• spoon into the loaf tin
• cook for approx 35 mins.

These were cooked at 180C for 40mins and were quite crispy on the outside and crumbly. I think dropping temp and time would help resolve this one.

Brownies (aqua faba)

Tried a new Brownie recipe today - using Black Bean aqua faba, This was based on the recipe from https://eclecticerica.com/ooey-gooey-fudgy-vegan-brownies-using-aquafaba/ These were quite crumbly - not sure if they are supposed to be or whether adding a bit of banana might be worth it next time.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup of Trex Dairy Free butter (melted)
• 1/4 cup of white sugar
• 1/2 cup soft light brown sugar
• 6 tbl of aqua faba (this is equal to two eggs)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup of cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup of (dairy free) chocolate - either drops or broken up pieces
• 1/3 cup of nuts
• 1 cup self raising flour
• pinch of salt

Method

• Use a loaf tin, line with greaseproof paper
• Pre heat oven to 175C
• whisk together melted "butter", aqua faba, sugar, salt and cocoa powder
• add in the flour slowly whisking
• use a metal spoon and fold in the choc chips &/or the nuts
• spoon into the loaf tin
• cook for approx 35 mins.

These were cooked at 180C for 40mins and were quite crispy on the outside and crumbly. I think dropping temp and time would help resolve this one.

Double Chocolate Chip Cup Cakes

I found this recipe on the Annabel Karmel website and decided to try it to keep little man entertained while we emptied the house ready for our move! Plus little man has been invited to a birthday party and they are not providing egg free cakes. Unfortunately I have lent out the cake pop maker so will be trying this as a cupcake recipe. This makes 12 cupcakes.

They didn't sink! Yeah. 

Ingredients

• 145g sifted plain flour 
• 150g caster sugar (or vanilla sugar) 
• 20g nice quality cocoa powder 
• 62g vegetable oil 
• 175ml water 
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 
• small pinch of salt 
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 
• 100g of choc chips

Method

• pre-heat oven to 180C / gas mark 4. 
• Set out the cupcake cases
• In a bowl, sift the flour, bicarb of soda, salt and cocoa powder. Mix well. 
• Add sugar and mix well 
• Add oil, water, choc chips and vanilla essence and mix well
•  Pour into cupcakes 
• Cook for approx 22 mins

Notes

Original recipe says it serves about 6, so I'm guessing a 8" tin, and says to grease a tin and pour in to the baking tin/ring and bake for 1 hour in the middle of the oven or until a knife inserted in to the centre comes out clean.

These tasted a little funny to us... The taste of bicarbonate of soda seemed to come through. Will be trying again with self raising flour or adding some orange/lemon juice to balance it out. I think even a bit of vinegar would help. 

Chocolate Brownie Cake pops

Well the choice was made, and baking we did this Monday. We ended up with no time for baking over the weekend. The choice of recipes was left to other half, who really fancied the brownie recipe, although i planned to modify it a little and add choc chips to keep the little tyke happy! This recipe has been half(ish) cooked, the rest is in the fridge for another day.

So far the mix has made 24 balls.

Update: the mix makes 38 balls in total. I left some mix in the fridge over night, then took it out, let it get to room temp & cooked for 5 mins as mix seemed stiffer. This made them nicer (my opinion, other half thought both were good). Let me know which you perfer! 

Ingredients

• 1.5 cup self rising flour 
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 3/4 cup castor sugar 
• 100g melted butter 
• 1/2 cup milk 
• 2 tablespoons cocoa 
• 1 medium banana mashed 
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped almonds 
• 1/4 cup choc chips 
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 

Method

• In a big bowl, Combine flour, oat, sugar and cocoa in a mixing bowl. 
• In another bowl, whisk together butter, milk, banana and vanilla extract 
• Add wet mixture to the dry ingredients, stir. 
• Fold in chopped almonds & choc chips  
• Add to pre heated pop cake maker 
• Cook for 4mins. 
• Cool on a wire rack 
• These are soft on leaving the pop cake maker, use a plastic spoon to get them out & preserve their shape until they have cooled, when they get cool they get a crispy shell.

The mix

The mix in pop cake maker

First batch out, success!

Choc Chip scones (in Pop Cake Maker)

These have been very popular in our house (a bit too much for our 2yr old who spent the days I made them asking for "one more ball mummy"). The recipe is a sweet mix, as opposed to the savoury one used for the cheese scones I made last week. This mix makes 48, so based on last week's going soft I kept the mix in the fridge and made them as needed over a few days so they always tasted fresh (don't leave the mix in fridge for longer than 3 days). They are chrispy outside, lovely & moist inside. I am now wondering if I can freeze the mix, but will have to hold off on that as it is full of puréed food at the moment for the youngest!

You can see I over filled on my first batch, which was ok as the over spill was biscuity. Nice to pick at!

Ingredients

• 1lb plain flour
• 3oz butter
• 2 heaped tsp baking powder
• Between 1/4 - 1/2 pint of milk
• 2oz caster sugar
• Packet of choc chips

Method

• Mix together baking powder, flour & sugar
• Rub in the butter so it resembles bread crumbs
• Mix in the choc chips
• Make a well in the middle and add the first 1/4 pint of milk. Stir in.
• Gradually add the rest of milk until the mixture is sticky.
• Make sure pop cake maker up to temp & sprayed with oil.
• Add in mix so just over brim.
• Cook for 4 to 5 mins.

The final product, get them quick!