Date and seed no-bake cereal bar

In an attempt to get ‘good mum/wife’ brownie points, I made these today for the cyclist hubby and the daughter who never has time for breakfast.  They are from a recipe from the lunchbox doctor, ever so slightly amended.http://www.lunchboxdoctor.com/no-nuts-no-bake-cereal-bar/

100g sunflower seeds

150g pitted dates

100g oats (use gluten free variety)

2 heaped tbsp. solid coconut oil

2 heaped tbsp. molasses or black treacle.

Soak the dates in boiling water.  I put them in the small batter bowl and poured approx. 300ml of boiling water on them.  Leave for approx. 10 minutes, then drain and snip into small pieces with the Kitchen Shears.

Finely chop sunflower seeds with Food Chopper.  Add to the batter bowl.

Place the treacle and the coconut oil in the small microcooker and melt for 30 -45 seconds.  I used treacle instead of molasses because the hubby complains about molasses being a bit bitter.

Pour melted treacle/coconut oil into batter bowl, along with the oats.  Mix well.

Using Large Scoop, scoop the mixture into the Brownie Pan.  It should just about make 12 bars!  Place in fridge for a couple of hours to harden.

Tiramisu Brownie Trifle

The Pampered Chef ® Tiramisu Brownie Trifle

I knew I had a recipe for a brownie trifle somewhere, but I couldn’t find it! So pleased that I managed to find it again. Now I just need to make it and take a photo to share with you.  I last made this at a show back in 2010!!

60 ml sunflower oil, plus extra for greasing

2 packets (415 g each) chocolate fudge brownie mix

150 ml cold water

2 eggs, beaten

5 tablespoons (non-creamy) coffee liqueur, divided

80 g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), broken into chunks, divided600 ml whipping cream, whipped to form fairly firm peaks, divided

3 tablespoons strong instant coffee granules

2 tablespoons hot water

500 g mascarpone cheese

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/Gas 4. Lightly grease Medium Sheet Pan with sunflower oil and line base with non-stick baking paper; set aside. Place brownie mixes, cold water, 60 ml sunflower oil and the eggs in Stainless 6-Litre Mixing Bowl; mix thoroughly. Pour mixture into prepared pan; level surface. Bake 25–30 minutes or until tip of a sharp knife inserted into centre comes out clean. Remove pan to Stackable Cooling Rack; cool brownie in pan 10 minutes. Invert brownie onto cooling rack and remove pan; cool completely. Remove lining paper.

2. Transfer brownie to Large Grooved Cutting Board; cut into 2.5-cm cubes using Pizza Cutter (do not separate cubes). Using Chef’s Silicone Basting Brush, evenly brush brownie with 3 tablespoons of the coffee liqueur. Finely chop 70 g of the chocolate using Food Chopper; set aside.

3. Spoon some of the whipped cream (about 75 g) into Easy Accent® Decorator fitted with open star tip (so decorator is about 1/3 full); set aside. Place coffee granules in Prep Bowl, add hot water and stir well until coffee is dissolved; stir in remaining liqueur. Soften mascarpone cheese in Stainless 4-Litre Mixing Bowl using Master Scraper. Gradually stir in coffee-liqueur mixture until well combined. Add chopped chocolate and gently fold in remaining whipped cream until thoroughly mixed.

4. To assemble trifle, place one-third of the brownie squares into Trifle Bowl. Spread one-third of the mascarpone mixture evenly over brownies. Repeat layers two more times. Pipe reserved whipped cream in lines across top of trifle. Grate remaining chocolate over whipped cream using Rotary Grater. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Yield: Serves 16 Per serving: per serving: Energy 1794kJ/432kcal; Protein 4.4g; Carbohydrate 29.2g; Sugars 17.7g; Fat 33.6g; Saturated Fat 20.4g; Fibre 0.1g; Salt 0.7g Cook’s Tip: To save time on preparation, the brownie can be made the day before, cooled and stored in an airtight container, until you are ready to assemble the trifle.

Flapjack

As requested, here is my recipe for flapjack.  We like to ‘hide’ nuts, seeds and dried fruit in there to make it a bit healthier.

4oz butter

1 tbsp. syrup (we use maple syrup – less processed and better for you)

4oz sugar

2oz rolled oats (porridge oats)

2 oz self raising flour

2 oz cornflakes

Handful of nuts and/or seeds – pecans, walnuts, pistachios, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds all work well. (optional)

Handful of apricots (optional)

Melt butter and syrup in the Microcooker.

Finely chop large nuts and apricots using Food Chopper.

Mix dry ingredients in large Stainless Mixing Bowl, then pour in the butter mixture.

Stir until well combined, then using Large Scoop, scoop mixture into Brownie Pan.

Bake for 15 minutes at 180C.  Cool slightly, then tip the brownie pan over (onto a large board to catch all the crumbs!) – they should just fall out into perfect pieces of flapjack!

Amazing Creme Egg Brownies!

185g unsalted butter

185g best dark chocolate

85g plain flour

40g cocoa powder

3 large eggs

275g golden caster sugar

6 Cadbury’s Crème eggs cut in half.

Preheat the oven to 160C and grease a Brownie Pan.

Melt the butter and dark chocolate together either in the microwave or in a bowl over boiling water.

Break 3 large eggs into a large bowl and tip in 275g golden caster sugar. With an electric mixer on maximum speed, whisk the eggs and sugar until they look thick and creamy, like a milk shake. This can take 3-8 minutes. You will know it’s ready when the mixture becomes really pale and about double its original volume.

Pour the cooled chocolate mixture over the eggy mousse, and then gently fold together.

Hold a sieve over the bowl of eggy chocolate mixture and sift the cocoa and flour mixture, shaking the sieve from side to side, to cover the top evenly. Gently fold in to the mixture.

Pour into the Brownie tin and cook for 10 minutes then take out of the oven and gently press the cadburys crème egg halves into the mix, spacing them apart evenly. Put back in the over for another 5-10 minutes.

Leave to cool before removing from tin.

Easy Fudge Brownies in the Brownie Pan

(Adapted from the Easiest Fudge Brownies – Recipe from small bar pan)

110g (4oz) butter, melted

250g (9oz) caster sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

140g (5oz) plain flour

40g (1 1/2 oz) cocoa powder

2 pinches of salt

(55g (2oz) chopped walnuts (optional))

100g (3.5oz) plain choc chips

1. Preheat oven to 180oc/350of/Gas 4.

2. Place butter in bowl, microwave on HIGH for 60 seconds until melted

3. Add sugar. egg & vanilla to bowl and mix well

4. Combine flour, cocoa powder and salt, add to bowl.

5. Whisk until smooth

6. Optional extra: Stir in 55g (2oz) walnuts

7. Stir in chocolate chips

8. Using large scoop, share the mixture evenly between the 12 wells

9. Bake 15-18 mins or until set in centre (do not overbake)

10. Cool in pan

11. Remove from pan and cool on stackable cooling rack, using micro scraper or stoneware pan scraper to assist with lifting them out

To make triple layer brownies, first add some cookie dough to each well, then an oreo or reeses cup , then the brownie mixture.

You can substitute the choc chips with M&Ms or Smarties, add some cherries, or anything you wish to experiment with.

Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies

This is a recipe from the incredible Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook.

Brownie ingredients:

200g dark chocolate, roughly chopped

200g unsalted butter

250g icing sugar

3 eggs

110g plain flour

Cheesecake ingredients:

400g cream cheese

150g icing sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

Raspberry Cream Topping

300 ml whipping cream

100g icing sugar

150g raspberries, plus extra to decorate

33 x 23 x 5-cm baking tray, lined with greaseproof paper

For the brownie:

Preheat the oven to 170c / 150c fan /Gas 3.

Melt the chocolate, in the microwave or in a bowl over simmering water. Only melt 3/4 of the chocolate, then take it off the heat and stir steadily and gently to melt the rest.

Cream the butter and sugar together using an electric whisk until smooth and well combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg, then gradually add the flour and beat until smooth and all the flour is incorporated.

Gradually pour in the melted chocolate and mix thoroughly before pouring into the prepared baking tray (or brownie pan) and levelling off with a palate knife.

To make the cheesecake, put the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract in a bowl and beat slowly (with an electric mixer if you have one) until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, and beat together, being careful not to over mix or the cheese cake mix will split when cooked.

Bake in the preheated oven, for 30-40 minutes for a single brownie cheesecake, 15-20 mins for individual brownie pan brownie cheesecakes. The cheesecake should be light golden round the edge and have a slight wobble in the middle.

If you can, leave the cheesecake in the oven, turn off, and allow to cool in the oven, then cool overnight in the fridge.

For the raspberry cream topping:

Put the raspberries and sugar in a bowl and beat with an electric whisk to a coulis consistency. Add the whipping cream and beat until the raspberry cream is thick and firm, but not stiff.

Turn the cheesecake brownies out, and top with even dollops of raspberry cream and top with a fresh raspberry or two.

The Pampered Chef ® Mini Herby Pork Burgers Recipe

Not one that we’ve tried, but it has had some very good feedback from others!  I have made these at a show without the breadcrumbs, and they were fine, so they could easily be made gluten free. 30 g fresh white breadcrumbs (about 1 thick sliced day-old crustless white bread) 1 1/2 tablespoons milk 30 g Parmigiano Reggiano cheese 4 spring onions 1 egg, lightly beaten 3 teaspoons dried Italian herb seasoning 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 500 g lean pork mince 1 clove garlic 30 g mature Cheddar cheese 4 tablespoons tomato ketchup or tomato relish 12 white snack or mini bread rolls, split 1. Preheat oven to 190°C/fan 170°C/Gas 5. 2. Combine breadcrumbs and milk in Stainless 4-Litre Mixing Bowl; leave to soak. 3. Grate Parmigano Reggiano cheese using Microplane® Adjustable Fine Grater. Thinly slice spring onions using Utility Knife. 4. Add Parmigiano Reggiano, sliced spring onions, egg, dried herb seasoning, chopped parsley, pork mince and garlic pressed with Garlic Press to mixing bowl; mix well using Bamboo Spoon. 5. Using Large Scoop, place one generous scoop of mixture into each well of Brownie Pan. Level mixture using back of Adjustable Measuring Spoon (teaspoon). Bake 15 – 20 minutes or until tops are firm and burgers are fully cooked and no longer pink in the centre. 6. Meanwhile, grate Cheddar using Microplane® Adjustable Coarse Grater. 7. Remove pan to Stackable Cooling Rack. Transfer burgers to roll bases using Mini Nylon Serving Spatula. Top each burger with 1 teaspoon tomato ketchup or tomato relish, grated Cheddar and roll tops. Serve immediately.