All I've done over the past couple of days is sleep, make desserts and wash up. Here's some tasty help on how to do that.
Chocolate Brownies
What you'll need:
-250g dark chocolate
-200g caster sugar
-three eggs
-125g plain flour
-50g cocoa powder
-200g butter
What you'll need to do:
1) melt the chocolate and butter.
2) whisk the sugar and eggs in a bowl.
3) mix the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture.
4) sieve the flour and cocoa powder into the bowl containing the chocolatey eggy mixture.
5) line a small tray or dish with foil.
6) pour the mixture in and bake for 20-25 minutes at 160°C.
Blackberry Tart
What you'll need:
-blackberries! (I hand picked mine at Banstead Woods, and used enough to fill your average Chinese takeaway container.)
-any jam
(for the pastry)
-200g plain flour
-50g icing sugar
-125g butter
-two egg yolks
-pinch of salt
(for the pastry cream)
-25g plain flour
-50g sugar
-50g butter
-two eggs
-150ml milk
-two capfuls of vanilla essence
What you'll need to do:
1) sift the icing sugar and flour into a bowl and rub in the butter.
2) add the egg yolks to the mixture and bring it together in a ball.
3) sprinkle some flour on the work surface and roll out the dough.
4) grease the dish and line the dish with the pastry. It doesn't matter if it breaks up, just piece it back together. prick with a fork.
5) put foil or paper on top of the pastry and pour on baking beans. (I use rice as an equivalent). put it in the oven at 190°C. (go to step 7 while the pastry cooks).
6) after fifteen minutes, take off the baking beans and put back in for another 4 minutes.
7) while the pasty is cooking, make the pastry cream. start by melting the butter and stirring in the flour and sugar.
8) break in the eggs and beat the mixture until smooth.
9) pour in the milk, stirring constantly.
10) when the sauce gets thick, turn off the heat, whisk until smooth and stir in the vanilla essence. Cook for a further two minutes.
11) once the base and cream have cooled, spoon the pastry cream into the base.
12) add your chosen berries in any pattern you like.
13) melt some jam on the hob with some water to use as a glaze.
14) spoon some over the fruit and put in the fridge to set.
Song of the day: The Wave Pictures- I Shall Be A Ditchdigger. (Well worth clicking the link for.) I'm thinking about making a brief video for this song- it's not even on Youtube yet to the best of my knowledge! It should be!
http://soundcloud.com/acuarela-discos/the-wave-pictures-susan-rode
