The Ultimate chocolate brownies recipe.

Luscious, special brownies with a crisp and fragile top and moist inside, made with extra virgin olive oil instead of butter.

Chccolate Brownie Recipe

This chocolate brownies recipe makes 12

115g / 4oz best 70% cocoa chocolate

80ml/ 5 ½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil

70g/ 2 ½ oz self raising flour

1 level tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt

3 medium eggs

150g / 5 ½ oz caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Icing sugar for sprinkling (optional)

Place chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bowl does not touch the water. Stir until chocolate melts. Alternatively melt in the microwave for around 20 seconds. Do not overcook in the microwave. Whisk in oil. Leave to cool.

Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. In another bowl whisk the eggs and sugar until light and pale. Stir in the vanilla extract and chocolate mix. Gently fold in the flour mix, until all is incorporated. Line an 8in / 20cm square non-stick tin with baking parchment and oil lightly. Pour in brownie mix and smooth over.

Bake in a pre-heated oven, Gas 5 / 375F / 180C for 20 – 22 minutes. Test with the point of a thin sharp knife – which should come out just clean, but slightly moist. Cool then cut into squares. Serve sprinkled with sifted icing sugar.

Will you try this chocolate brownies recipe?

wedsbloghop

PUMPKIN SOUP WITH LOSELEY SUMMER MEADOW BUTTER

Pumpkin soup is ideal for warming cold hands for Halloween particularly when served in mugs.

INGREDIENTS

Loseley Summer Meadow Butter 25g (1oz)

Onion 1, peeled and chopped

Carrot 1, peeled and chopped

Peeled Pumpkin 350g (12oz), roughly chopped

Milk 750ml (1 ¼ pints)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Natural Yoghourt 150g (5oz)

Dried Pumpkin Seeds to garnish (optional)

METHOD

Melt the Loseley butter in a large, lidded saucepan and add the onion and carrot. Cook gently to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, until all the vegetables are soft but not brown.
Add the pumpkin, milk and seasoning and bring gently to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, until all the vegetables are soft.
Transfer the soup to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth, in batches if necessary. Return to the saucepan, reheat gently and serve swirled with yoghourt and garnished with pumpkin seeds. Accompany with hunks of warmed bread.

10 minutes preparation time

40 minutes cooking time

183 Kcal per portion

8.8g fat per portion of which

5.4g is saturated

4 servings

Suitable for freezing

Suitable for vegetarians

My Random Musings
Cuddle Fairy

Seared Thai salmon recipe with strawberry sauce

Super speedy

Incredibly versatile, strawberries taste great added to sweet chilli dipping sauce, with extra chilli and ginger for an oriental twist.

Salmon dish

Tasty!

Serves 4

Prep: 20 minutes

Cook: 8-10 minutes

250g (9oz) strawberries, hulled
½-1 red chilli, halved, deseeded, finely chopped
2.5cm (1 inch) piece root ginger, peeled, grated
1 tablespoon sweet chilli dipping sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon fish sauce
4 salmon steaks, each about 150g (5oz)
200g (7oz) thin rice noodles
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
300g (10oz) stir fry vegetables with bamboo shoots and water chestnuts
150g (5oz) frozen edamame beans
Small handful fresh coriander, roughly chopped
Lime wedges to serve

Method

1. Mash the strawberries in a bowl then mix with the chilli and ginger then stir in the dipping sauce, soy and fish sauces.

2. Line the grill rack with foil then put the salmon steaks on top and spoon about 1 tablespoon of the strawberry sauce over each salmon steak. Grill for 8-10 minutes, turning over once until browned and the strawberries have made a deep coloured glaze.

3. Meanwhile add the rice noodles to a saucepan of boiling water and cook for 2-3 minutes until just tender, then drain.

4. Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan, add the stir fry vegetables and frozen edamame beans, stir fry for 2-3 minutes. Stir in half of the strawberry sauce then add the noodles and cook for 1 minute.

5. Add the remaining strawberry sauce to a small bowl, set this on a large platter, stir half the coriander into the noodles then spoon on to the platter. Break the salmon into large flakes, scatter over the noodles with the remaining coriander. Serve with lime wedges, if liked.

Cook’s tip
For steak fans, cut a grilled steak into thin slices and add to the noodles instead of the salmon flakes.

Will you be trying this Thai salmon recipe?