Chocolate Brownies

Brownie Ingredients

This recipe calls for:

6 Tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa

1/4 Cup Butter

1 Cup Sugar

1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla

1/4 Teaspoon Salt

1/3 Cup Flour

2 Eggs

1 Cup Toasted Pecans 

 

 

 

First Step: Melting and Mixing

First, in a microwavable dish, melt the 1/4 cup of butter (make sure that the butter is completely melted, otherwise it will not mix in with the other ingredients, and you will have to start over). Then stir this into the 6 Tablespoons of Unsweetened Cocoa.

 

Second Step: Mixing Brownie Batter

Now, combined with the butter and cocoa--mix in thoroughly:

I Cup Sugar

2 Eggs

1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1/3 Cup Flour

1/4 Teaspoon Salt 

 

Third Step: Brownie Batter

This is how your final batter should look. If you would like to add pecans to your batter, do it now.

Now, pre-heat oven to 325F degrees.

 

Fourth Step: Flouring The Brownie Pan

You will need to flour the baking pan. First, cover the glass dish with Crisco (vegetable fat) or butter. Then, put a few tablespoons of flour or cocoa in the dish, and shake it until the sides and bottom are covered. This will keep the brownies from sticking to the dish.

 

Fifth Step: Pouring Brownie Batter

Pour the brownie batter into the dish.

 

Sixth Step: Cooking and Cooling Brownies

 After your oven has preheated to 325F, put the brownies into the oven for 35-40 minutes. Poke your brownies with a toothpick. If the tooth pick comes out clean, your brownies are done! Now, take them out of the oven and let them cool until slightly warm. You are ready to cut and serve. 

By Maryam Ali

Chocolate cake

Recipe of Chocolate Cake

Preparation time

less than 30 mins

Cooking time

30 mins to 1 hour

Serves

Makes 1 cake

Dietary

Vegetarian

Perfect for birthdays, this is a great recipe for an easy, foolproof chocolate cake. It’s moist and fudgy and will keep well for 4-5 days.

Ingredients

For the cake

• 225g/8oz plain flour
• 350g/12½oz caster sugar
• 85g/3oz cocoa powder
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• 1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 free-range eggs
• 250ml/9fl oz milk
• 125ml/4½fl oz vegetable oil
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 250ml/9fl oz boiling water

For the chocolate icing

• 200g/7oz plain chocolate
• 200ml/7fl oz double cream

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Grease and line two 20cm/8in sandwich tins.
2. For the cake, place all of the cake ingredients, except the boiling water, into a large mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon, or electric whisk, beat the mixture until smooth and well combined.
3. Add the boiling water to the mixture, a little at a time, until smooth. (The cake mixture will now be very liquid.)
4. Divide the cake batter between the sandwich tins and bake in the oven for 25-35 minutes, or until the top is firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
5. Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool completely, still in their tins, before icing.
6. For the chocolate icing, heat the chocolate and cream in a saucepan over a low heat until the chocolate melts. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk the mixture until smooth, glossy and thickened. Set aside to cool for 1-2 hours, or until thick enough to spread over the cake.
7. To assemble the cake, run a round-bladed knife around the inside of the cake tins to loosen the cakes. Carefully remove the cakes from the tins.
8. Spread a little chocolate icing over the top of one of the chocolate cakes, then carefully top with the other cake.
9. Transfer the cake to a serving plate and ice the cake all over with the chocolate icing, using a palette knife.

By Maryam Ali