NUTTY FUDGE BROWNIES

December 2, 2023 / Lyn Jones / 0 Comments


Ingredients

  • .5 c (80g) raw macadamia nuts
    ½ cup (60g) walnut pieces
    ½ cup (75g ) raw pistachio nut kernels
  • 1 cup (250g) unsalted butter, cubed or chopped
  • 250g good quality dark cooking chocolate, at least 62% – 70% cocoa solids, roughly chopped
    3 eggs
  • 1 cup (200g) brown sugar, packed
  • .125g tsp fine-grain sea salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
    .75g (115g) plain flour
    .25g (40g) SR
  • (or  try 1.75 cups / 145g Almond meal, passed through a sieve)

    1.  Pre-heat oven to 170ºC FF. Lightly toast all nuts on a baking tray in oven about 8 mins. Cool.
    Lightly oil & line the bottom and sides of a 28 x 18 cm shallow tin with baking parchment, being sure to leave an overhang around each long side.

  • 2.  In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the butter & chocolate together on low heat until smooth. Cool slightly. (I don’t bother with a double boiler with these brownies; as long as the butter and the chocolate are melting together on a low flame, the chocolate won’t burn, but if you’re wary of burning your chocolate, feel free to use one). Cool 5- 10 mins. Will be granular.
  • 3.  Whisk or use electric beaters for the eggs, sugar & vanilla essence until pale & foamy. Add choc. mixture, beating briefly to combine. Fold in the flour, then the nuts.
  • 4.  Pour into prepared tin, bake for 35 mins, until the top looks light in color, and feels soft to the touch. (Kamran Note: Using a cake tester to judge doneness for these brownies will serve absolutely little to no use; the cake tester will come out wet, even if the brownies are done.)
  • 5.  Allow to cool in the tin. Use paper to lift it out and when completely cool on wire rack, place in freezer for 15 minutes for easy cutting. Cut into 16 or 25 squares.
  • Enjoy at room temperature with a glass of milk, or frozen with some ice cream! These brownies will keep in an airtight container in a cool place (fridge preferably) for up to 1 week.

LEMON POLENTA CAKE (no raising agents)

December 2, 2023 / Lyn Jones / 0 Comments


INGREDIENTS
  • 65 grams flaked almonds
  • 200 g butter – at room temperature
  • 275 g (1.25c) caster sugar
    1 T finely grated lemon rind
    3 eggs
    225g (1.5c) SR  (or xchange for some ground almond meal)
  • 75 g (.5c)  fine polenta* (or cornmeal) or add almond meal here?
  • .5c (125 ml) lemon juice
    1. Oil & line 20cm round cake tin & the base lightly with butter then baking paper.
      Spread the almonds onto non stick frypan on low heat and 2-3 mins til lightly golden and spread evenly over base of tin. Preheat oven to 160°C FF.
    2. Using electric beaters, beat the butter, sugar & rind til pale and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition. Gently fold in the flour, polenta & lemon juice until just combined.
    3.  Place mixture into tin by large spoonfuls, so the almonds on the base don’t move around too much. Carefully smooth the surface of the mixture.
      Bake 50-55 mins til a skewer comes out clean. Leave in tin 5 mins then invert onto a wire  rack to cool.

      NOTES * You can soak more coarse polenta for a less gritty feel to the teeth once cooked –
      To pre-soak: Combine water with cornmeal in a large mixing bowl and let stand, covered, at room temperature overnight. When ready to cook, scrape soaked cornmeal and water into a large saucepan and set over high heat. Buttermilk is even better as the slight
      alkilinity breaks down the enzymes in the corn.IF ALSO ADDING ALMOND MEAL, DO THIS INSTEAD AT 2b: (Nigella’s – note she adds a syrup after cooked too)
      If combining both almond meal & polenta, mix together and beat some of this into the butter-sugar mixture then followed by 1 egg, then alternate dry ingredients and eggs, beating all the while, then beat in the lemon zest and pour, spoon or scrape the mixture into your prepared tin and bake in the oven for about 40 minutes.

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