Chocolate Brownies

With Easter Sunday being the queen of chocolate eating days. What better way to celebrate than with a chocolate hit of brownies.

Soft, gooey and utterly divine.

Traditionally made with nuts (hazelnuts work really well), but you could always try dried fruit such as cranberries or cherries.or perhaps fresh fruit such as raspberries (the brownies might need a little longer in the oven, as fresh fruit contains a lot more water).

ingredients

75g butter
75g chocolate (chopped)
175g dark brown sugar
150g self raising flour
25g cocoa
50g nuts or fruit
3 eggs

1. preheat oven to gas 4, 180oc
2. grease tin, and line with greaseproof paper
3. melt butter and chocolate over a pan of hot water
4. take of the heat and stir in the sugar, then gradually beat in the eggs
5. sift the flour and cocoa together and fold into the chocolate mixture with the nuts or dried fruits.
6. spoon into the greased baking tin and bake for 30 mins.
7. cool in the tin and then turn out.
8. cut into even sized pieces.

serve on its own dusted with icing sugar, or warm with a little cream for a luxurious dessert.

Classic Victoria Sponge

With Easter symbolising the end of lent, it gives us a great excuse to indulge in a little afternoon tea.

 

Okay, okay , the Victoria sponge is a classic British good, named after one of the longest reining monarchs in British history, from 1837-1901. And although this blog is called kiwiheartsbaking, hinting the New Zealand baking theme, i do live in England and a true scrumptious classic cake won't get turned down anywhere.

The classic Victoria sponge has no cream in the middle and is normally served with raspberry jam. but for your own twist you could pop in your favourite jam, mines blackcurrant.or put a layer of softy whipped cream in the middle.

makes 1 small Victoria sponge.

ingredients

200g self raising flour

200g margarine

200g caster sugar

3 eggs (beaten)

4tbsp of jam

1. preheat oven, gas mark 4, 190oc

2.grease tins and line with greaseproof paper

3.cream marg and sugar together, until light and fluffy.

4.gradually add beaten eggs

5.fold in the flour

6.evenly divide the mixture into two tins, and level the top

7.bake until golden brown and spring back when gently pressed.

8.remove from tins onto a baking tray.

9.when cool sandwich together with jam, and cream if you don't want the traditional, or entering it for a competition.