BROWNIES with YUMMY ICING ON TOP

Brownies with chocolate chunks. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

BROWNIES INGREDIENTS:

1 cup butter, cubed
3/4 cup baking cocoa
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts, optional

FROSTING INGREDIENTS:

 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1-1/2 cups cold 2% milk, divided
1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
1-1/2 cups whipped topping
 Chocolate curls optional decorations

METHOD:

1. In a small saucepan, melt butter; stir in cocoa until smooth. Remove from the heat. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla for 1 minute. Gradually add flour and salt. Stir in cocoa mixture. Fold in chocolate chips and, if desired, nuts.
2. Pour into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with moist crumbs (do not overbake). Cool on a wire rack.
3. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and 1/2 cup milk until smooth. Add pudding mix and remaining milk; beat for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in extract; fold in whipped topping. Spread over cooled brownies. Refrigerate until set.
4. Makes approximately 30 Brownies.
   
   Recipe originally published as "Snowcapped Brownies" in 'Country Woman's Association' Christmas Annual 2009, p57

DATE SCONES

At Richoux, in London. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Ingredients

Serves: 8

• 2 cups (250g) self raising flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup (70g) chopped dates
• 1 small egg, beaten
• 150ml milk

method

Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: 10 minutes

1.  Preheat oven to 200 degrees C.

2.  Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar into a large bowl.

3.  Rub in butter until mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

4.  Stir in the chopped dates.

5.  Combine the egg and milk in a jug. Stir into the flour mixture to make a soft sticky dough.

6.  Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 30 seconds or until just smooth.

7.  Cut the dough into about 8 squares or rounds, brush tops with a little milk and place on a tray.

8.  Bake about 10-15 minutes or until golden.

You can replace dates with sultanas or other dried fruit  you have on hand.  Add a little bit of museli for some interest as well.  Makes a nice change see!

#3 Flour & friends (Photo credit: mrlins)

ANZAC BISCUITS

This is a massive old favourite this one and so healthy!

Anzac's

Pre- Heat the oven to 160 degrees Centigrade of 300 degrees Fahrenheit

Ingredients:
1 Cup Rolled Oats
3/4 Cup coconut < ------ the dry ingredients
1 Cup Plain Flour
1 Cup Sugar

125 grms Butter
1 Tablespoon Golden Syrup

1 and a 1/2 teaspoons Bi- Carbonate of Soda
2 Tablespoons Boiling water


Method:

1. Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl
2. Melt Butter and Golden Syrup in a saucepan
3. Mix Soda with Boiling water and add to syrup mixture
4. Mixture froths up to the top and as it is almost to the top take off the heat.
5. Pour this syrup mixture into the the dry ingredients in the bowl and mix well
6 . Form small well formed balls and cook on a greased or papered biscuit slide
7. Bake at 160 degrees for 20 minutes

This recipe makes approximately 36 biscuits.
Image via Wikipedia


I have regularly made a double batch of these over the years when the kids were growing up as they are a hearty nutricious yummy sweet biscuit.

If you attempt a double batch be aware of the frothing of twice as much butter / syrup mix and choose a bigger saucepan for the job.

JAM DROPS

This is me on a biscuit making frenzy.  In this picture the Jam drops are in the biscuit barrel but they are still cooling and I am already onto making Anzac biscuits here. 

I had my first Jam drop at Aunty Emma's house at The Summit near Stanthorpe.  Emma Shatte was a legend to me and when I was little she was in her eighties then.  She could do fine needlework with no glasses.  Her eyesight was perfect.

My kids loved me making these biscuits and they never ever lasted long and I always made double this recipe for that reason.  I usually made double the recipe for most things.  It goes with the territory of having lots of mouths to feed.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees centigrade temperature.

Ingredients:

2 Cups Self Raising Flour
125 grms Butter
1/2 cup Castor Sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 Egg
3 to 4 tablespoons of milk
Raspberry Jam

Method:

1. Sift Flour into a bowl
2. Add butter and rub in with fingertips
3.Add vanilla and sugar
4. Lightly beat in the egg
5. Gradually add milk
6. Roll into tiny balls
7. Indent each ball and place a tiny bit of raspberry jam.
8. Bake in 200 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes or until nicely cooked
9. Cool on a wire rack
10. Recipe makes approximately 30 tiny biscuits and 24 larger ones.

Images by Mezza - Jam drops by the dozen made by me.