Chocolate-Fudge Brownies (wheat and gluten free)

Ingredients

1/2 cup rice flour
1/2 cup plain gluten-free flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 1/4 cups caster sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
150g butter melted

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Grease a 4cm deep, 20cm x 30cm (base) slab pan. Line with baking paper.
2. Sift flour, baking powder and cocoa into a large bowl.
3. Add sugar, stir to combine.
4. Made a well in the centre, add eggs and melted butter. Using a metal spoon, mix until just smooth.
5. Spread mixture into a prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
6. Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan. Cut into squares.

I found this recipe on Taste.com.au to make for a friend who has coeliac disease. It is a wonderfully easy recipe to make for any of your gluten/wheat intolerant friends for an Easter gift. BTW: it tastes amazing. Unfortunately I don't have a photo of the brownies so I might have to make some more :-). Clearly it was so good it got eaten before I could take the photo.

Cheat's Choc Mint Pudding

Here is a recipe that Julie (one of our Facebook followers and a friend of mine) has made and said it went down well with the family. I am going to make this very soon Julie, it looks fantastic.

Ingredients

Packet of chocolate self-saucing pudding
1 peppermint crisp, roughly crushed
1/2 teaspoon cocoa added to pudding mix
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee
1/2 teaspoon cocoa added to sauce
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee added to sauce
1 teaspoon mint drinking chocolate (optional)

Method

1. Make packet choc pudding mix according to directions, except for substituting milk for the 2 tablespoons of water for the pudding mix. If it is a bit dry looking, add a touch more milk or water so you can beat it with a wooden spoon.
2. Once you have mixed the pudding, add the cocoa, mint drinking choc (optional), instant coffee and cocoa, and the crushed peppermint crisp.
3. Sprinkle the sauce mix from the packet as per instructions, then sprinkle the other half teaspoon of cocoa and half teaspoon of coffee on the sauce mix.
4. Pour on the boiling water, as per the packet instructions.
5. I made this in a large glass bowl and put it in my biggest saucepan, put some foil over the top and steamed it with the lid on for about 45 mins. Alternatively, you can make the baked version in the oven, following the packet instructions.
6. Serve with cream or ice cream.

This turns an ordinary packet dessert into something truly delicious! It was recommended by the three chocolate loving males in my family.

Cheers
Julie

If you have a recipe you want to share, email it to me (the email address is on the right of the blog post).

Chocolate brownies

Method:

MELT
220g of the best dark cooking chocolate you can buy
150g unsalted butter

MIX
1 & ¼ cups caster sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp Vanilla extract
90g nuts (optional)
1 and ½ cups plain flour
Optional, sprinkle choc ‘Bits’ across the top of the mixture.

BAKE
Bake @ 150 degrees for approx 35-40 minutes. Don’t overcook!

I have not made this one yet but a friend of mine has. I can't wait to give it a try.

Self-saucing chocolate pudding

Ingredients

1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup self-raising flour
2 tbs cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
60g butter, melted, cooled

Sauce

2/3 firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder sifted
1 1/4 cups boiling water

Method

1. Place brown sugar in a medium mixing bowl
2. Sift together the flour and cocoa powder over the brown sugar and stir to combine
3. Use a fork or hand whisk to whisk together the milk, egg and cooled (melted) butter into a bowl or jug until combined
4. Add to the dry ingredients and use a wooden spoon to beat until a smooth batter forms
5. Pour the chocolate batter into the greased 1 litre dish and use the back of a spoon to smooth the surface.
6. To make the sauce, combine the brown sugar and cocoa powder into a bowl and then sprinkle the mixture evenly over the batter in the dish.
7. Pour the boiling water over the batter in the dish and cook for about 20 minutes
8. To test if the pudding is cooked you can put a tester in the top (remember the bottom will be a sauce). The sides should be away from the edge but the cake will be dark and possibly look burnt from the chocolate on the top.

I took this out of a magazine years ago, I think it would have been 'Good Taste'. I have cooked this heaps of times because it is a quick recipe to cook in winter when friends are coming over for dinner. I have also cooked individual serves and served with ice cream.

Felicity

Fudge Cake

Ingredients

60g low fat margarine
3/4 cup caster sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cups SR flour
2 tablespoons cocoa
1/2 cup low-fat milk
1/4 cup boiling water
1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

Chocolate Icing

1 cup icing mixture
1 tablespoon cocoa
1-2 tablespoons boiling water

Method

1. Preheat oven and grease 20cm deep round cake pan
2. Cream marg and caster sugar with electric mixer until smooth and light
3. Beat in egg into mixture
4. Sift flour and cocoa into creamed mixture alternating with milk, starting and ending with flour
5. Combine water and bicarbonate of soda and fold gently into mixture
6. Pour into prepared pan
7. Bake 35-40 minutes, until a skewer inserted comes out clean
8. Cool on wire rack
9. Make chocolate icing by combining all ingredients until smooth and spread over cooled cake.

I made this on the weekend for cousins and iced with the chocolate icing and cut strawberries. Everyone loved it and it was so easy to make. Although it is called a 'Fudge Cake' it is not too heavy and a nice cake to have seconds of!

Felicity

Mars bar slice

Here is another one for Easter. Really easy to make for gifts.

Ingredients

3 regular mars bars (not low fat) and not the mega size ones (around 65g each)
3 cups rice bubbles
85g butter

Method

1. Melt mars bars and butter
2. Add to rice bubbles
3. Press into a greased (or lined) tray
4. May be iced with chocolate icing or melted chocolate

Pamela Caterer

Choc chip pancakes

Ingredients:

1 cup SR flour
1 teaspoon bicarb soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup (250ml) milk
1/3 cup small choc chips - plain label are fine!

Method

1. Make well in centre of dry ingredients and break egg into it. gradually add milk and stir in with wooden spoon (if it's too lumpy, use a wire whisk to get lumps out!)
2. Stand for an hour if you have time - less if you don't!
3. Pour about a quarter of of mixture into a greased frying pan so the pancake spreads to about 15 cms or so (6 + inches!).
4. Cook on medium high heat till bubbles form. Flip over and cook for 30 secs on other side.
5. Serve plain, with ice cream or a smear of butter!

To be really decadent, whack some more choc chips in a microwave safe just or cup, mix in half a cup of cream, heat gently and stir to make a choc sauce. Pour some choc sauce over choc pancakes!

This recipe is good enough to serve to guests, but is a sure winner with a family with boys in it because after all - it's chocolate!

Julie Houghton

Easy easy fudge

Getting ready for Easter? Here is a really easy fudge recipe that tastes great.

Ingredients

375g choc melts
400g of tin condensed milk
2/3 cup almonds (flaked or slithered)
1/3 cup raisins (or sultanas or I have even used mixed dried fruit)

Method

1. Put the choc melts and condensed milk in a microwave save dish and microwave for 2 minutes
2. Stir well, cook another 1 minute or until thick and glossy
3. Add nuts and fruit
4. Pour into 20cm cake/slice tin
5. Put into fridge to set
6. Cut into squares and serve

It can be a little sticky so you can put some icing sugar onto it to serve.

I have made this many times to take as an after dinner chocolate to friends for dinner and it always goes down really really well.

Felicity & Pamela Caterer

"Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake

I cooked this cake the other day and it was yummy!

HersheysKitchens.com:

http://www.hersheys.com/recipes/recipes/detail.asp?id=184

Kathy Lawrence

Gluten free brownies

I had a group of friends over for supper the other night, one friend has gluten free requirements. I found  the most wonderful, easy and very yummmmmmy brownie recipe on the Taste.com.au website. Please see the link below for the recipe.

http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/17650/chocolate+fudge+brownies+wheat+and+gluten+free

Felicity

Hedgehog

Ingredients

1/2 cup (125g) butter
2/3 cup caster sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
2 tablespoons coconut
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup chopped walnuts and glace cherries (I never put these in but you can if you really want to)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups crushed sweet biscuits (just buy a pack of marie biscuits or something and throw them all in, it doesn't really matter how much there is)

Method

1. Collect ingredients.
2. Melt butter and sugar, add cocoa and mix well.
3. Remove from heat and stir in coconut and egg.
4. Add walnuts, cherries and vanilla.
5. Stir in biscuit crumbs and mix well.
6. Press into greased pan and chill.
7. Cut into fingers.

From 'Cookery the Australian Way'

Naomi Absalom