The Weekly Digest #25

1. Easter is coming around again (I know!), and I have just discovered a genius idea: hot cross bun loaf! I like mine toasted, but those buns are hard to fit in a toaster so this could be my new favourite thing.
2. These simple-as guide for boiling the perfect egg from bon appetit. For something so simple, its incredibly difficult.
3. DIY painted pots. Because sometimes terracotta is just so drab. 
4. And this idea from E.A.T. blog for reusing olive oil tins. I've always cut out the top, but this is genius. 
5. Brownies with stuff swirled through them. I made a batch with dulce de leche from the latest Delicious magazine, but these goats cheese & raspberry ones look amazing. Or you could just bung in some chunks of mars bar...

Rum Balls

Rum balls take me back to my childhood. They remind me of school fetes, and the strange after-burn my young palette didn't understand when someone got a bit excited with the rum.

These are another super easy Christmas treat that can be made in no time at all, and with minimal stress. Sometimes I think the simplest things are the most successful.

I must insist you use the best cocoa you can get. It really effects the taste. Cadbury Bournville is fine, but if you can get some divine Dutch stuff use that. And a note: I always use natural coloured glace cherries. None of those alien looking artificial red & green ones, despite their festivity! The taste will actually be better I promise you.

And remember to warn anyone you give these too not to drive if they have to many!

• cake crumbs (from a batch of basic cupcakes - use the lot)
• 4 tbsp cocoa 
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2/3 cup glace cherries, finely diced
• 3 tbsp rum (dark obviously, not white - and something you would actually drink)
• 4 tbsp jam (I used a mixed berry, but whatever is at hand is fine)
• 1 - 2 cups chocolate sprinkles or desiccated coconut

Combine the cake crumbs, cocoa, sugar, cherries and rum in a bowl. Gently heat the jam over low heat or bung it in the microwave on medium for 20-40 seconds until it is nice and liquid. Stir this into the bowl.

You may need to add some extra jam (or rum if you fancy) if the mixture is too dry. It needs to be damp to get the sprinkles/coconut to stick.

Pinch off small amounts (think walnuts, or smaller if you like) and roll each one in the coconut/sprinkles. Make sure they are completely, and evenly, coated.

Place them in small patty cases if you want them to look all fancy for gifts, or just straight into the airtight container you'll use to store them in the fridge.

These will keep in the fridge for a month (all that rum keeping things fresh) and the taste probably benefits from a little time so the flavours can mellow.

The Weekly Digest #21

1. The Michael Kors spring/summer 2014 collection. It's how I want to dress when I grow up. 
2. Christmas goodie bags. The easiest & most enjoyable gift to put together that's sure to please everyone. I go in for retro treats (recipes to come later this week), but choose whatever suits you best. Try these easy recipes: ratatouille chutney, fairy cakes, ricciarelli, choc-dipped sugar cookies, spiced orange choc-chip cookies, salted caramel shortbread, cream cheese hazelnut brownies, pecan pralines and white-choc lemon truffles.
3. Interesting roasts. Turkey is all well and good for Christmas dinner, but maybe we should spice things up a little this year? Try these festive updates: Guinness & honey glazed pork, beer & black pepper beef, Moroccan spiced chicken, maple-mustard pork and bacon & rosemary lamb.
4.  Are you a master Instagrammer? Wondering if those snaps can be put to good use? Why not have them printed up by kikki.K to use as highly personalised stationery. 

The Weekly Digest #12

1. These quirky newspaper blackout poems. Might give it a go over my weekend paper...
2. Maxime Simoens autumn/winter 2013 collection. Why I have only discovered it now I don't know, but I can tell you it is the ultimate combination of ladylike and fun. 
3. How adorable is this Paris necklace? I'm not normally a jewellery person, but I'm desperate for this piece!
4. Old school desserts with a twist. I'm talking a proper English-style pud spiced-up. Try these this week: arctic roll, pear & blackberry cobbler, baked apples with hazelnuts & maple cream and gingerbread puddings with salted caramel sauce. 
5. Winter ice-creams. I firmly believe there is an ice-cream for every weather. My winter picks would have to be these rich and creamy options: rhubarb & pistachio, lavender & chocolate, brown butter, peanut butter & honey with choc chip and malted condensed milk.    

Easter Blondies

VINTAGE POST: With Easter arriving (finally... seriously how long have the eggs been out in the supermarkets!) I felt these would be appropriate. They would be really wonderful filled with mini-eggs of your choice. I'd go caramel for the ultimate oozy pleasure! Great for using up eggs after the big day is over too. Tray bakes like this are also great if you're having a bit of a get-together with family and friends over the long weekend.

Controversial title I know. I'm a brunette, and I heartily disagree. Except when it comes to Blondies the food. Blondies are brownies. They just aren't, well, brown. Brownies are so heavy its best not to overload with fillings - stick to fresh stuff like nuts and berries (how I've-been-foraging-in-the-woods they are). Blondies though aren't so heavy, so fillings = fun! You can be as plain and simple, or as outlandish as you want. I made these ones, with crushed Crunchies and Smarties, to take to movie night at a friend's place, and they went down smashingly.

• 2 3/4 cup plain flour
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2/3 cup butter. softened
• 450g brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• however much delightful filling you want (in this batch, 1 bag of fun size Crunchies crushed and 1/2 a bag of Smarties)

Preheat oven to 180C. Beat butter and sugar til creamy, add eggs one at a time. Then add vanilla and fillings, beating gently to combine. Sift flour and baking powder into mixture and stir gently with a spoon. Spread into a 30x20cm brownie tin and bake 30 minutes until golden brown. Cool in tin before cutting into squares.

This is a great kids food, as it's so easy and they can have lots of fun with it. Best eaten with a glass of cold milk I'd say!

Choc-Cheesecake Brownie

VINTAGE POST:

I have this housemate who doesn't really like chocolate. Or so he says... Funnily enough he loves this Chocolate Cheesecake Brownie. And it does not hold back on chocolatey goodness! They are incredibly simple and you don't really need any fancy equipment, just a little elbow grease (or blender/mix-master/bamix if you're lazy like me). So chocolate haters' (and dieters) beware. These are irresistible.

• 183g butter, melted
• 1/4 cup cocoa
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup plain flour

For the cheesecake:

• 285g cream cheese (I used a low fat, spreadable version)
• 1/3 cup caster sugar
• 2 eggs

Preheat oven to 160C (conventional uses 170C). Combine ingredients in a bowl until smooth then pour into a lined 20cm-square cake tin (note that I used a 23cm-round tin as I don't have a square one).

Blend/mix these ingredients until smooth. It's possible by hand but will take some time, and the cheese will need to be really soft. Pour over brownie and swirl through using a knife or skewer (this won't work so well in the round tin).

Bake 45 - 50 minutes until firm to touch. Cool completely (chilling is recommended) before cutting and serving, otherwise the brownie component will collapse.

This is a fantastic, yet impressive, dessert. Top with some raspberries and dust with icing sugar to fancy it up. It doesn't need cream, ice-cream, etc. as it's sweet enough already.

NB: It doesn't really come out this yellow, the light when I was taking photos wasn't too good. 

Perfect Chocolate Cake

VINTAGE POST:

This isn't a heavy, fudge, put-on-20-kilos-in-a-bite kind of cake. It's more of a fluffy butter cake. The absence of actual chocolate (it only uses cocoa powder) helps that. I did choose to do a fudge icing on mine though which gives a bit of a decadent edge. It's entirely up to you though. This cake really is infallible. It's based on the fabulous Women's Weekly 'All-Occasion Chocolate Cake' from their 'More Cakes & Slices' book. It's never, ever, ever failed me (or Mum) on any bake.

• 1 cup (250ml) water
• 1 1/2 cups (330g) caster sugar
• 125g butter, cubed
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp bi-carb soda
• 1 1/2 cups (225g) self-raising flour
• 2 eggs

Line deep 19cm square cake tin (this time I used a loaf tin as I don't have a big cake tin, and it was a lot more dense. Still delish!) Preheat oven to 180C (190C conventional).

Melt butter with water, sugar, cocoa and bi-carb over medium heat. Stir until its melted and sugar's dissolved and then leave to simmer for 5 minutes (watch it doesn't boil over as mine did last night because I wasn't paying attention. That was one big, sticky mess!). Leave to cool while you prep remaining ingredients. 

Add flour and eggs to butter mix, and whisk (or use electric mixer set on a low speed) until smooth. Pour into tin and bake 40-45 minutes till cooked through (skewer/knife comes out clean). Turn out of pan and cool completely before icing (best to leave it overnight).

For the icing you have a variety of options. Basically just pick your favourite kind! I did a fudge icing for this one which comes from the Women's Weekly 'Cooking Class Cakes' book which is pretty much the cake bible. 

• 90g butter
• 1/3 cup (80ml) water
• 1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar
• 1 1/2 cups (240g) icing sugar
• 1/3 cup (35g) cocoa powder

Combine butter, water and caster sugar over low heat. Stir until sugar dissolved and butter melts - DON'T LET IT BOIL! Or you'll end up with a funny burnt taste and the sugar will start to crystallise. Sift in icing sugar and cocoa and whisk till smooth. Pour into a bowl and chill until thickened and spreadable (recipe says 20 mins, I've discovered it takes longer. I put it in the freezer for about 30 minutes). Spread over top of cake and store in the fridge. Because I used a loaf tin, I iced down the sides as well.

Dessert time! And what goes better with chocolate than chocolate
when contemplating you next feast?

Mars Bar Slice

Mars Bar Slice is a recipe I know by heart. Family legend has that I taught my Aunt to cook it one day when she was babysitting. I don't remember it, though I was only 3 or 4.

It is a super-delicious, super-easy treat that everybody loves. Put a batch of this out and it'll be gone in the blink of an eye! Not that it matters; you can make it that quickly too.

This is a no-bake, no-stove, barely need a fridge recipe. My only stipulation is that you use actual Mars Bars. Anything else messes with the consistency.

• 3 regular size Mars Bars OR a packet of fun size bars*
• 3 1/2 cups puffed rice cereal (aka rice bubbles)
• 90g butter

*If you want it a little fudgier try using extra bars.

Chop Mars Bars and butter and place in a microwave-safe jug/bowl, or in a pan over the stove. In a microwave, melt in bursts of a couple of minutes and stir after each. On the stove, melt over low heat.

The consistency wont be perfectly smooth (the nougat goes a little stringy), but its done when the chocolate and butter are melted and the nougat has broken down. 

Mix the cereal in gently so as not to crush too much, ensuring everything is coated evenly.

Spread into a lined (foil or baking paper) 20 - 25cm square tin. Set in the fridge until firm (though I found mine did set quite quickly in a cool spot out of the fridge) and cut into squares to serve.

You can ice this with melted chocolate or chocolate icing, but I never have and have found you loose the Mars Bar taste when you do.

Brownie Cookies w/ Peanut Butter Frosting (aka heaven)

VINTAGE POST:

Ok, so I'm diving straight into the ingredients here because I'm so excited to share these with you. They are the MOST INDULGENT FOOD EVER! Thank you so, so, much Donna Hay.

• 350g chocolate (All or mostly dark is best. Chop if using a block.)
• 40g butter
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cups caster sugar (150g)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract/essence
• 1/4 cup plain flour (35g)
• 1/4 tsp baking powder

So, preheat your oven to 180C. Melt 200g of the chocolate and butter over low heat, until smooth and glossy. Set aside.

So I had to hand whisk this next step, but do use an electric mixer because it you'll still be able to use your arm afterwards. Whisk eggs, sugar and vanilla until pale and creamy (approx. 15 minutes - longer if you're doing it by hand). Stir through the sifted flour and baking powder. Add the melted chocolate, and the remaining chocolate (buttons, or chopped pieces).

Stand for 10 minutes - this thickens it up. 

Spoon tablespoon amounts onto lined baking sheets. Really space them out (I didn't and they turned into a giant cookie sheet...). And make sure you have an even number so you can sandwich them. Bake 8-10 minutes until puffed and just cracking on top. Cool on trays. 

Now, this next bit is super, super amazing. Peanut butter frosting is now essential for life to continue as normal!

• 1 cup icing sugar (160g)
• 1 cup smooth peanut butter (You could use crunchy for an extra kick. Nutella is also good for a hazelnut variation.)
• 80g butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract/essence
• 1/3 cup pouring cream (80ml)

Beat sugar, butters and vanilla until light and fluffy (again hand-mixing is a crazy idea...but do-able). Add cream and beat further 2 minutes. Spread the base of a cookie with the frosting, then sandwich together with another (bare) cookie. Continue until you've used them up (and try not to eat them straight away!). 

That last picture is from Donna Hay - shows what they should look like, rather than my massive sheet of brownie goodness. This recipe is in the current issue of Donna Hay magazine, and can be found on the website.