Almost virtuous - Oat Bran Brownies

 

 

Well, not really. I don't suppose these would constitute diet food, but I suppose they're better than eating, I dunno, lard. And as there is a conspicuous absence of posts on this blog just now, and there aren't enough cakes on it anyway, and I am trying to be good. Well, two outta three ain't bad...

 

I have banned myself from buying cookbooks, unless they are a penny on Amazon and at that price I sort of justify it to myself even though at the moment when they arrive I have nowhere to put them. And when I saw that 'The Loaves and Fishes Party Cookbook' was a penny, I decided I had to have it, as I love 'Summer on a Plate' and I am a Barefoot Contessa fan, thus knowing 'Loaves and Fishes' through association. So, a quick perusal in a spare half hour one night revealed lots of lovely recipes which I will try at some point (maybe when I am retired) but I wondered what these brownies would be like. So I tried.

 

I cooked these a bit longer than I should, mainly because Lola and Finn aren't always so keen on the gooey centre of the typical brownie. I also think that these probably needed less time than typical brownies, maybe because of the oats; I don't know in truth. But actually despite them being a bit overcooked, the texture wasn't dry - it was, well, cakey really. If you want them gooey brownie style, then don't cook them so long. And maybe, just maybe, the addition of oat bran did mean that I didn't necessarily feel the need to eat more than one, or maybe two....

 

I adapted the original recipe in that I mistakenly put three quarters of a cup of brown sugar instead of half a cup of brown sugar and a quarter of cup of caster sugar. I also wonder whether oatmeal and oat bran are the same thing. I had oat bran so that was what I used. I wonder how different it all might have been if I had had the right ingredients and not been mistaken? No matter, these were glorious!

 

Oat Bran Brownies, adapted from 'The Loaves and Fishes Party Cookbook' by Anna and Sybille Pump

 

Ingredients:

 

6oz dark chocolate (I used Menier 70% dark chocolate)

half a block of butter (about 4oz)

3/4 cup of oatbran

2/3 cup plain flour

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1/2 tsp of coarse salt

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

3/4 cup light brown sugar

2 tsp instant espresso

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

 

Method:

 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter and line a 8 x 8 x2 inch baking pan

 

 

 

Melt the chocolate and butter together, and set aside.

 

 

 

Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl.

 

 

 

Stir in the eggs, chocolate and vanilla

 

 

 

Pour into a the prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes, until the top has set and there is dry crumb on a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake.

 

 

 

Cool in the pan uncovered. Make sure the brownie is cool before you cut into slices.

 

 

 

 

Untried but trusted and in praise of the Barefoot Contessa: Chocolate Pudding Cream Tart

 

 

So there I was, trying to be kind and suggesting to Phill that when we were invited around to his sister's house for something to eat that I make a pud. And it was more an offer than my actually having something in mind that I wanted to make necessarily. So, when I actually got round to thinking about it I actually started to wonder about what I really was going to make. It had to be something the kids would eat, I had to transport it 40 miles and I wanted to make it in advance, with stuff that I had in the cupboard. And it had to look the part. I love setting myself easy tasks such as this.

 

But, when I am in a spot cooking wise, there is a kind of mantra that I like to repeat to myself to solve my problems. Just what would Ina do? The fact is, whilst I can trace my interest in cooking back to the dim and distant, it was only watching Ina Garten on the UK Food Channel that really got me hooked. Firstly I loved her house and whilst one shouldn't covet another person's goods I could really see myself breezing about in a kitchen like hers. She also conjured up good stuff to eat that looked so easy and tasty and if she didn't get round to doing that she assembled it 'cos when it all comes down to it, it isn't worth the faff. And, she makes cocktails by the pitcher...

 

So, I consulted Ina, and I decided to use 'How Easy is That?' which I have to confess is one of her cookbooks I haven't used as often as say, 'The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook' which is actually very nearly destroyed, and 'Barefoot in Paris' because of my 'francais' fixation. One thing I can always say about Ina Garten recipes is that they work out. I may have been extraordinarily lucky but everything I have chosen to cook from any of her books has been spot on, which can't be said for some other cookbooks which I won't mention here. You do get the feeling that these recipes have been tested to within an inch of their lives, which is why my 'What would Ina do?' thought dropped into my consciousness.

 

In the end I chose 'Chocolate Pudding Cream Tart', a rich, chocolatey custard encased (on this occasion) in digestive biscuits and topped with chantilly cream. the custard and biscuit base sat quite happily overnight in the fridge covered in cling film ready for adorning with thick chantilly cream just before transporting, via the 'coolbox on its side with several tea towels and freezer packs stuffed either side to stop it moving' method.

 

The photos you see below were before the tart went in the coolbox. I want to reassure you all that at the other end, the tart came out of its tin with little effort. I could have taken my camera I suppose but people already find it amusing that I have the urge to photograph food I eat in my own home. To turn up at someone else's house and start snapping was probably a bit too weird.

 

Chocolate Pudding Cream tart, adapted from 'Barefoot Contessa - How Easy Is that?' by Ina Garten

 

Serves 8 generously.

 

Ingredients: (Note: US recipe, so measurements in cups)

 

For the crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs (I used 16 digestive biscuits, blitzed)¹⁄³ cup sugar
¼ pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:
4 cups whole milk
¾ cup sugar
5 extra-large egg yolks
¹⁄³ cup cornflour
1 teaspoon salt
7 ounces good bittersweet chocolate (I used Menier)2 tablespoons (¼ stick) unsalted butter, diced
1 tablespoon Kahlúa liqueur (I used Tia Maria, 'cos I am that kinda girl...)1 teaspoon instant coffee powder
Sweetened whipped cream (see note)
Shaved bittersweet chocolate, for garnish

 

Method:

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

 

 

 

Combine the digestive biscuits, sugar, and butter in a bowl and mix well with a wooden spoon. Lightly press the mixture into an 11-inch metal tart pan with removable sides. Bake for 10 minutes and set aside to cool.

 

 

 

Heat the milk in a small saucepan until almost simmering.

 

 

 

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar, egg yolks, cornflour, and salt and, with the mixer on low speed, slowly pour the milk into the bowl. (I pour the hot milk into a large measuring cup first to reduce spills.)

 

 

 

Pour the mixture into a large saucepan and cook over medium-low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture is very thick. (It did take 10 minutes. Be patient. it will happen!)

 

 

 

Off the heat, add the chocolate, butter, Tia Maria, and coffee. Beat with a whisk until smooth and pour into the cooled crust. Place plastic wrap directly on the chocolate filling and chill the tart for 6 hours, until cold.

 

 

 

Decorate with whipped cream and shaved chocolate and serve cold.

 

Note: To make sweetened whipped cream, place 1 cup double cream, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat until it forms firm peaks.

Mocha Cupcakes: For when a cup of coffee just isn't enough.

I know that I will garner absolutely no sympathy here but going back to school after six weeks off is a testing time. When you've had days and days of not getting round to doing much until late morning at least, that six o'clock alarm (for me, anyway) on the first day of term is a shock to the system, and even though I try to be bright eyed and bushy tailed, the sorry truth is that in reality I am dazed, confused, ineffectual... So, when coffee is your metaphorical jump lead, I decide to give an extra boost by having one of these cupcakes. Like I need an excuse. I took a batch of these cakes into work this week. Breaktime was good. Very good.

A word about yieldings. I was possibly a little generous with my frosting. The recipe here iced 12 cupcakes, whereas the cake recipe produced 16 cupcakes. The original recipe that I adapted this from apparently would have yielded about 24 cupcakes...I can only think that I use a larger cupcake pan, but then small cupcakes have never really been my thing. What I am saying is that the number of cakes produced is 'flexible'.

Another observation: Chocolate covered coffee beans. I decided to go along with the idea of putting some into the mixture. I am not sure that they added much to be honest, apart from the odd hard bit of bean which I am not sure is a good thing. I have suggested coffee beans as an optional, but if I were having my time again, I would have them just as the decoration. If you don't have chocolate coffee beans, I reckon a bit of grated chocolate over the top of the frosting would be a pretty cool idea too, if not better than the aforementioned coffee bean adornment!

Mocha cupcakes (adapted from 'Baking Magic' by Kate Shirazi)

Ingredients:

For the cakes:

170g self raising flour

8 tbsp cocoa powder (use good stuff; Green & Black's cocoa is my preference)

220g caster sugar

220g softened unsalted butter

a few drops of vanilla extract

a pinch of salt

2 tsp baking powder

4 tbsp instant coffee granules dissolved in 4 tsp of boiling water

4 large eggs

2 oz chocolate coffee beans (very optional!)

For the buttercream:

165g unsalted butter, softened.

340g sifted icing sugar

1 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder

1 1/2 tbsp of instant coffee dissolved in 3 tsp of boiling water

a few drops of vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 170c/Gas 3 and line a muffin/cupcake tin with cake cases

Sift the flour, cocoa and sugar into a mixing bowl, food processor or mixer.

Add the butter, baking powder, dissolved coffee, eggs (one at a time and mix in until combined) vanilla extract and salt and then beat until light and fluffy. At this point add the coffee beans if using.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared cases (I use an ice cream scoop to try to get each cake as equal as possible) and then bake in the oven for 20 minutes until firm to the touch.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool. Once the cakes are cool they can be iced. To make the buttercream, put the butter into a bowl.

Sift the icing sugar and cocoa over the top, add the vanilla extract and beat away. Then add the coffee. If you're using a food processor this is easy. You should beat the mixture until it becomes fluffy which is effortless with a food processor. It will take mucho elbow grease if you are doing thme by hand. If you think the frosting is too dry, add a splash of milk. If it is too runny, add more icing sugar, until you get a piping consistency.

To decorate. You can either spread the frosting across the top of the cake using  a pallet knife, or take a piping back with a large star nozzle, pipe the frosting on in huge swirls. Add a chocolate covered coffee bean on top or some grated chocolate. Deeelish!!