Double Chocolate Brownies

My name is Jessica and I'm a chocoholic. There I said it.. 

This recipe should kill the cravings and satisfy any chocolate lovers needs.

Serves: 20
Preparation: 30 mins
Cooking time: 34-40 mins

Ingredients:

150g Milk Chocolate
50g White Chocolate Chips (You can use more.. i just ate mine whilst cooking)
3 medium eggs (Or 2 Large)
115g Butter
200g Dark Brown Soft Sugar
Pinch of Salt
140g Strong Wholemeal Flour (You can use Plain Flour)
2 tbsp Cocoa Powder
1 tbsp Golden Syrup

Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4/180C/350F

Grease the base of a square baking tin approx 18cm-7inch.

Place butter and milk chocolate in a small heatproof bowl and place over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted. Once smooth add the Golden Syrup and take off the heat. Leave to cool slightly.

Stir in the sugar and salt. Add the eggs, one at a time and blend well.

In a separate larger bowl sift together the flour and cocoa powder.

Fold in the chocolate mixture until smooth. Add the Chocolate chips then pour into the prepared tin. 

Bake in Pre Heated oven for approx 35-40 minutes or until a skewer is inserted into the centre and comes out almost clean. Leave to cool before cutting.

WOLAH! enjoy :)

Vegetable Stew and Dumplings

I love stew, its a warming winter dish that's really easy to make. There are lots of different variations, so here is my simple recipe. Feel free to add any vegetables to it that you want!


Serves: 6-8 
Approx: 1 hour


Ingredients:

1 Leek
3 Carrots 
2 Peppers ( i chose red and orange but you can use which ever you prefer)
Peas 1 medium bowl
7 Medium Potatoes
Chickpeas
Tin Tomatoes
3 Quorn fillets (optional)
Shredded Vegetable Suet (i will make a recipe for my own dumplings at a later date)
Vegetable Stock Cube
Tomato Ketchup
Gravy Granules

I started off by Pealing and cutting the potatoes and putting them on to boil in a large Saucepan. Don't cut the potato too small as they will be cooking the longest and could break up.

Now that the Potatoes are on the boil you have time to cut all the Vegetables. Make sure you wash them beforehand. You don't have to peal them however i have chosen to. Stews are quite chunky so dont worry about cutting them too small.

Place the carrots in with the potatoes and put lid on saucepan.

Next step is to make the dumplings, i used the VictoriaFoods Shredded Vgetable Suet mix. The recipe is on the back of the packet. Easy Peasy. 

Mix 100g Self Raising Flour, The suet mix, a pinch of salt and 5tbsp of Water. 

Divide in to 8 pieces and leave aside for later.

Fry together the Leeks, Courgette and pepper in a frying pan keeping an eye on the Potatoes. Its easy to let them go soggy. If they do seem to be cooked already turn the heat low until the vegetables are fried.

Drain most of the water from the Saucepan (save it in a jug for later) and add the tinned tomatoes- a little tip, always add a pinch of sugar when using tomatoes.

Drain the chickpeas and add the fried vegetables to the saucepan.

Add a stock cube and some gravey granuals then mix in some water to the thickness you desire. 

Place the Quorn Fillets in the microwave for approx 2 minutes or until defrosted then cut into big chunks and add to the stew. 

Place peas in microwave for approx 2 mins and add to the stew.

Now season, i used Salt, Pepper, Mixed Herbs, Cajun, Tomato Ketchup, Soy Sauce and Sweet Chilli Sauce. 

The only way to do this is to taste the stew as you go along to see what you feel it needs.

Its now time to add the dumplings. Place them on the top of the stew, Add some more water as it will thicken on standing. Leave to cook with lid on for 15-20 minutes. 

After 20 minutes the dumplings will be a darker colour and will have gotten larger.

WOLAH! enjoy :)