Fancy a bite of Sweetpea's brownies?! (Brownies)

Member Name: sweetpea01

Product:	Brownies
Date:	19/05/09 (28 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Very very tasty

Disadvantages: None

I just love chocolate brownies. They were the first thing I made when I was at school in the home tech classes. I have never been able to re-create those original brownies despite trying many different recepies! Brownies are incredibly easy to make and will last for quite a while. They are great to take to work as a mid lunch snack with your cup of tea! They are also probably cheaper than buying them in a supermarket and anyway homemade brownies always taste better than shop bought ones!!

I have quite a few different brownie receipes that I have picked up over the last few years so it was hard to choose which ones I would be reviewing! But I've picked two receipes which I personally think are great and that everyone will love them!!

White Topped Brownies


Ingredients:-

115g plain flour

2.5ml baking powder

pinch of salt

175g fine quality white chocolate, chopped into small pieces

115g caster sugar

115g unsalted butter, chopped into small pieces

2 eggs lightly beaten

5ml vanilla essence

175g plain chocolate chips or plain chocolate, chopped into small pieces

For the topping:-

200g milk chocolate, chopped into pieces

175g unsalted macadamia nuts, or other nuts of choice

Method:-

Preheat oven to 180C, 350F, gas 4, and grease 23cm spring form tin.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.

In a medium saucepan over a low heat, melt the white chocolate, sugar, and butter until smooth, stirring frequently.

Cool slightly, then beat in the eggs and vanilla essence. Stir in the already sifted flour mixture until well blended. Stir in the chocolate chips or chopped chocolate.

Spread evenly in the tin.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean, but do not over-bake. Remove from the oven, and sprinkle the chocolate for the topping over the brownies. Then place in the oven for 1 minute, take out of the oven and spread the softened chocolate over the entire top. Then sprinkle the nuts over the top, pressing into the chocolate.

Cool on a wire rack for about 30 minutes. Then chill for about one hour until set.

Run a sharp knife around the sides of the tin to loosen, then unclip the tin, and remove carefully. Cut into thin wedges.

Fudge Brownies

Ingredients:-

100g plain chocolate, finely chopped

125g unsalted butter, at room temperature

275g caster sugar

1 teaspoon of vanilla essence

2 large eggs, beaten

85g plain flour

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

a pinch of salt

100g pecan nut halves or walnut pieces

Prepare a cake tin, 20cm square, buttered and base-lined

Preheat the oven to 180C, 350F, gas 4.

Place the chocolate into a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of hot water, or see melting methods.

Put the butter into a large mixing bowl and, using a wooden spoon or electric mixer, beat until soft and creamy. Add the sugar and vanilla essence while continuing to beat well until the mixture is light and fluffy. Then gradually beat in the eggs.

Sift the flour, cocoa, and salt onto the mixture, then spoon the melted chocolate on top and gently stir together until smooth and thoroughly mixed. Stir in the nuts. Spoon the prepared mixture into the prepared tin and level the surface.

Bake in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until a skewer inserted halfway between the centre and the edge comes out clean; it is important that the centre is just set but still slightly soft and not cake-like.

Let it cool while still in the tin, then remove from the tin and cut into 16 squares. Eat warm at room temperature.

Store in an airtight container; best eaten within five days, or can be frozen for up to one month

The fudge sauce:-

Ingredients:-

175g plain chocolate, finely chopped

40g unsalted butter

2 tablespoons caster sugar

2 tablespoons golden syrup

175ml milk or single cream

To make the chocolate sauce, put all the ingredients into a small, heavy-based saucepan and set over low heat. Stir gently until melted and smooth. Continue heating and stirring until the mixture is almost at boiling point.

Remove from the heat and serve immediately.

The sauce will thicken as it cools.

The two above recipes contain ingredients that you can get in any supermarket. The brownies are easy to make, don't take particuarly long to bake and are incredibly tasty!

Enjoy!

Summary: You'll be hooked!