Monday, 18 May 2015

Birthday Brownies

What to make for my own birthday?  - especially as hubby is away and the wee ones are not quite up to full on cake construction solo....

Triple choc, nut and honey brownies YUM



They'll do until a delayed birthday celebration calls for the necessary over-the-top cake !

200g 72% dark chocolate
250g salted butter
1 hugely scooped dessert spoon full of Manuka honey
4 free range eggs
1/3 C fairtrade cocoa powder
1 1/4 C plain flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
100g choccie drops
100g bashed mixed nuts (use a mortar and pestle)

icing sugar shaker to serve


Preheat the oven to 160 degrees Celsius

Melt the dark chocolate and butter in a pan on low heat until smooth

combine honey and eggs in a large bowl until well mixed

Add the melted choccie mixture

Add the cocoa, flour and baking powder, stir to mix

Fold in the choccie drops and bashed nuts

Pour the mixture into a greased/lined tin (say 20cm or so)

Bake for 45 minutes until a skewer comes out cleanly

Leave to cool slightly but these lovelies are best eaten warm !

Enjoy




Friday, 16 January 2015

The Big Bad Mouse!

My wee ones just LOVE Julia Donaldson's The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo's Child and Axel Scheffler's drawings are irresistible.

Santa brought my smallest wee one the mouse for Christmas but he was missing one vital accessory....


Thankfully Gigglinggoblin provided exactly what I needed - a knit pattern for a lovely mouse sized hazelnut  !

I used DK brown for the main nut and a fawn coloured scrap of fine alpaca blend for the top of the nut - the mouse, and my wee one are very happy !