Foxy Brownies (with peanut butter!)

Everybody loves chocolate right? And if someone says they don't, they are obviously lying!! This recipe is extremely delicious, and I tend to add so much chocolate to it, that you seriously gain about 5kg from just looking at it!

I went to a cafe with some friends of mine a while ago, and when I tasted this brownie I almost died of happiness! So I just had to get the recipe - and the awesome chef gave it to me - and I have never looked back!! (The chef also said it is the cocoa that makes the chocolate flavour - not actual chocolate - this is why he only uses good quality Cocoa for this.)

Foxy Brownies
300g butter
125g Cocoa (the best quality you can get!) - I usually do half Nestle Baking Cocoa, and half Cadbury Bournville cocoa
4 eggs
500g caster sugar
125g flour
1/4 tsp vanilla (I never add this)
75g chopped hazelnuts (the original recipe had hazelnuts, but as I have small kids, I take out the nuts and add CHOCOLATE!)

First step is to add the cocoa and the butter together, and then melt. I usually do this in my Pyrex jug, in the microwave.

While that is melting, in a bowl, add the sugar and the eggs. Beat with a whisk until it is well combined and has a ribbon like effect.

Add the flour (and vanilla) to the egg/sugar mix, then add the cocoa/butter mix, and mix well (you can keep using the whisk for this, or use a spatula. If using a spatula, you cannot go past the Tupperware Spatula. I swear by it!)

In this batch I am using Cadbury white choc chips, and Reeses Peanut butter chips:

(I got the Reese's at my local IGA for $6 (which is pretty good as I have seen them for $10 elsewhere), and the Cadbury white choc baking chips, I got from the Golden Circle outlet. I have never seen the baking chips at Woolies or Coles before - I usually use the Cadbury White Choc Melts instead.)

Once the mixture is combined - use a spatula to add the chocolate, or the nuts, or whatever you are adding.

Tip it into a lined baking tray, and then into the oven.

Bake at 170°C for 25-30mins. If you like it less "gooey" bake it for 35mins. 

Take it out of the oven, let it cool a little and then cut it up. Serve it with some double cream dolloped on top.

My husband said he loved the addition of the Peanut butter chips, as it wasnt as sweet as normal. Me? I love the sweet!!

You can alternate anything into it really - white choc, dark choc, milk choc - you can now buy Nestle Caramal bits, or go with the original hazelnuts.

You can also drizzle some melted white and dark chocolate on the top, (before you cut it up), or simple dust with icing sugar.

I made these brownies a few weeks ago for my awesome cousin for her birthday - and she loved them! (as did her friends who kept coming back for more!)

Happy Baking!

Rach

Delicious Sweet Braised Pork

I know I haven't posted in what seems like FOREVER, but although I haven't been posting up, I have still been cooking!!

The following recipe, It was originally a marinade (a really good one!) and I adapted it so I could braise the pork in it - and it is seriously delicious! My kids keep asking me to make it - so I figure they must like it! And the bonus is - it is so incredibly easy!! Here goes!

Sticky Sweet Braised Pork

1/2 cup sweet chilli sauce (add more if you like it a bit hotter)
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tbs soy sauce
1 250ml bottle maple syrup
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper
2 tsp sesame oil
table spoon brown sugar
500ml vegetable stock
1kg pork rashers

You may ask "maple syrup?" but it is the maple syrup that gives it the smoky flavour... Don't doubt it until you've tried it!!

To start, get your pork rashers, and take off the skin. I usually use my kitchen scissors to do this.

 

 (If I am using this pork for my fried rice, I make crackle out of the skin, cut it up finely and add to the fried rice.)

I have this magical thing from Maxwell Williams, called a Microstoven. It's a dish that can go in the microwave, on the stove top, and in the oven. It is awesome for cooking on the stove and then putting straight into the oven. It does cost a bit of money, (I got mine half price!) but it is very cool and makes things like this a LOT easier!

So in my Microstoven, I put some olive oil and then cook the pork rashers until slightly golden brown - it just adds a bit more flavour. (You can cook in batches, or just throw it all in.)

Once you have started cooking the pork, in a jug (or bowl) mix together the sweet chilli sauce, garlic, soy sauce, salt, pepper, sesame oil, sugar and syrup. It is very thick and gooey. Mix it together, and then when the pork is cooked on the outside, tip this in and give it a mix.

Add the vegetable stock, and mix well, so it mixes in with the rest of the sauce you just added. Bring it up to the boil, and when it just starts to boil, put on the lid and put in a 200°C oven, for 2 hours.

Stir it every 30mins, just to check its cooking and is not burning etc.

When it is done, it will look like this:

The pork will be falling apart, and you will have this rich bbq smell going through your house!

Take the pork out of your dish, and cut on a cutting board. Serve with mashed potato and vegies, or add to fried rice like I do. I also add it to rice cooked with onion, capsicum, peas and corn for something different.

You can use the leftover sauce on top of your vegies, or rice. 

I have also used this recipe (minus the stock) as a marinade, on top of pork belly (cooked in the oven).

1/4 cup sweet chilli sauce

spoon minced garlic (to taste really)

Splash soy sauce

3/4 - 1 cup maple syrup

salt

pepper

splash sesame oil

table spoon sugar (I use brown sugar)

(If using pork chops or pieces)

Mix it all together, and marinate the meat in it for 1-2 hours before cooking.

OR

(For pork belly)

Baste the pork with a decent amount of the marinade and leave to sit for 20-30mins. Then baste every 20mins while in the oven. (Will take about 80mins to cook at 180°C).

I hope you like it!! It really is delicious!!

Happy Cooking!!

Rach