8 Easy Steps to Chocolate Heaven

A chocolate brownie is a flat, baked square or bar developed in the United States at the end of the 19th century and popularized in both the U.S. and Canada during the first half of the 20th century. The brownie is a cross between a cake and a cookie in texture. Brownies come in a variety of forms. They are either fudgy or cakey, depending on their density, and they may include nuts, frosting, cream, chocolate, or other ingredients. A variation that is made with brown sugar and no chocolate is called a Blondie.

Brownies are common lunchbox fare, typically eaten by hand, and often accompanied by milk or coffee. They are sometimes served warm with ice cream (à la mode), topped with whipped cream or marzipan, or sprinkled with powdered sugar. They are especially popular in restaurants, where they can be found in variation on many dessert menus

This following recipe is do easy that you will be able to make a whole pan, eat it alone and then make another for your friends….. It only has eight easy steps.

If you don’t have a scale use my converter link to the right to see measurements in cups.

250 g butter

200 g dark chocolate

150 g chopped nuts

80 g cocoa powder

60 g flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

350 g sugar

4 large eggs

1 oranges zest      

      1.      Preheat your oven to 180°C

      2.       Line a rectangular baking tray with wax paper

      3.       In a pan melt your butter.

      4.       Add the chocolate and stir until all the chocolate has melted.

      5.       Add the nuts and orange zest

      6.       In a separate bowl sift together the cocoa, flour, baking powder and the sugar.

      7.       Add this to your chocolate mix and then add your eggs.

      8.       Bake in the lined tray for 25 min but keep an eye on them. You don’t want to overcook them. Brownies should be nice and gooey on the inside. Once it is firm to the touch they are done. Let them cool before removing them from the tray and cutting them.

The Scientology of Cheese cake

Good afternoon

So after taking a break I am back.

For the last few weeks I have been cooking for what felt like thousands of  people (and it wasn't I know). Here is my kick off recipe to get us back on track.

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An ancient form of cheesecake may have been a popular dish in ancient Greece even prior to Romans' adoption of it with the conquest of Greece. The earliest attested mention of a cheesecake is by the Greek physician Aegimus, who wrote a book on the art of making cheesecakes. Cato the Elder's De Agri Cultura includes recipes for two cakes for religious uses: Libum and Placenta.(Did he also write the book on Scientology giving his food that name????) Of the two, Placenta is most like most modern cheesecakes, having a crust that is separately prepared and baked. It is important to note that though these early forms are called cheese cakes, they differed greatly in taste and consistency from the cheesecake that we know today.

Modern commercial American cream cheese was developed in 1872, when William Lawrence, from Chester, New York, while looking for a way to recreate the soft, French cheese Neufchâtel, accidentally came up with a way of making an "unripened cheese" that is heavier and creamier; other dairymen came up with similar creations independently. In 1912, James Kraft developed a form of pasteurized cream cheese. Kraft acquired the Philadelphia trademark in 1928, and marketed pasteurized Philadelphia Cream Cheese which is now the most commonly used cheese for cheesecake. (And we all love Philadelphia cream cheese soooooooo much I’d even cook Placenta with it.)

Here is a modern day Cheese Cake….. Hope you enjoy

Vanilla & Citrus cheesecake

Makes 14 servings

For the crust:-
Quick cook oats – 1 cup
Graham cracker crumbs – 2 cups
Butter, unsalted – 13 tbsps

For the filling:-
Cream Cheese – 24 oz, softened
Lemon – 1, zest and juiced
Orange – 1, zest
Vanilla essence – 1 tsp
Sugar, superfine  – 3/4 cup
Heavy cream – 1 1/4 cup

For the topping:-
Blackberries – 4 cups
Sugar, superfine – 1/4 cup
Liqueur (St. Germain or Cointreau) – 2 tsps

- Butter a 9″ springform baking pan lightly and set aside.

- Heat a skillet on medium low. Add the quick cook oats to it and toast until a darkish brown.

- Cut the butter into cubes and add along with the graham crackers to the toasted oats. Stir until combined. Move off heat.

- Pour the graham cracker-oats mixture into the baking pan and spread over the base of the pan. Press in with your fingers to compact it into a crust. Place in the refrigerator to chill and set for about an hour.

- In a bowl, mix together the cream cheese, vanilla essence, lemon and orange zests, lemon juice and sugar in the filling section. Stir together until incorporated and a smooth mixture.

- In a separate bowl, whip the cream until it just holds soft peaks. Fold half the cream into the cream cheese mixture until thoroughly mixed. Then gently fold in the other half.

- Pull the baking pan out of the fridge and spoon the filling over the cold and set crust. Smooth out the filling into the pan gently with a spatula. Move back into the fridge to set for another 45 to 60 minutes,

- Put the berries and sugar reserved for topping in a bowl and mix together by crushing the fruit with your hand. When you have a rough syrup consistency, add the liqueur.

Pour the fruit over the cheesecake before serving.