Chocolate Chunk Brownies Recipe

This definitive chocolate brownie recipe has a gooey centre and outer crunch. Brownie recipes don't come better than this.

Ingredients

1. 200g plain chocolate (70% cocoa solids) chopped into small pieces
2. 125g unsalted softened butter
3. 275g light muscovado sugar
4. 1 tsp vanilla extract
5. 2 large eggs, beaten
6. 100g plain flour
7. 2 tbsp cocoa powder

Method

1. 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease and baseline a 20cm square cake tin with baking paper. Put half the chocolate into a heatproof bowl, set over a pan of gently simmering water and allow to melt slowly. Remove the bowl from the heat and allow to cool while making the mixture.
2. 2. Put the butter in a large mixing bowl and, using a wooden spoon or electric hand mixer, beat until soft and creamy. Add the sugar and vanilla extract, and continue beating until the mixture is soft and fluffy.
3. 3. Gradually beat in the eggs then sift over the flour and cocoa. Spoon over the melted chocolate and stir everything together thoroughly. Stir in the rest of the chopped chocolate pieces and then poor the mixture into the prepared tin.
4. 4. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until firm to the touch but still soft and gooey in the centre. The brownies will continue to cook as they cool. Leave to cool in the tin and then remove from the tin using the paper to lift them out and cut into 16 squares. Eat warm or at room temperature.

  Source : http://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk

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Orange Double Chocolate Cheesecakes Recipe

This easy recipe for orange chocolate cheesecakes has magical properties - make the cakes, pop them in a tin and watch them disappear!

Ingredients

1. 25g butter
2. 40g orange-flavoured plain chocolate
3. 125g digestive biscuits, crushed
4. 150g good white chocolate
5. 250g tub mascarpone
6. Finely grated zest of 1 orange, plus 1 tsp orange juice
7. 142ml carton double cream
8. 3 tbsp good strawberry jam, warmed and sieved
9. 100g summer fruits (cherries, strawberries, redcurrants, raspberries or peaches)

Method

1. 1. Line a 6-hole muffin tin with muffin cases. Put the butter and plain chocolate into a pan and heat gently until melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the crushed biscuits. Divide the mixture between the muffin cases and press down lightly with the back of a teaspoon to make even layers. Chill.
2. 2. Break the white chocolate into a heatproof bowl and rest over a pan of simmering water. Remove from the heat and stir until melted. Cool slightly.
3. 3. In a separate bowl, beat the mascarpone with the orange zest, until softened. In another bowl, whip the cream into soft peaks. Mix the white chocolate into the mascarpone, then gently fold in the cream. Spoon the mixture evenly into the muffin cases and chill for 11/2-2 hours or until just firm.
4. 4. To serve, carefully peel the muffin cases away from the cheesecakes and transfer to a plate. Mix the orange juice into the jam. Decorate the cheesecakes with the summer fruits and drizzle with a little of the warmed jam glaze.

Source : http://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk

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Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Shells

Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Shells. Oven-baked pasta has a long history that goes back to the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance, when pasticci, timballi, and other forms of baked pasta were often served at the large banquets in the palaces of nobles. Pasta al forno was an opportunity for the chef to show off his creativity and inventiveness. Eventually, the dish was adopted all over Italy—its success no doubt due to its infinite versatility. Today, it’s still a staple dish of southern Italy, where it is usually prepared on Sundays, religious holidays, and special occasions.

In Italy, the great variety in preparations of pasta al forno depends not only on what you have in your refrigerator or pantry, but also on regional traditions and approaches. For instance, in northern Italy, butter, pork fat, or even bone marrow are used for sautéing ingredients or in preparing the ragù (meat sauce); while in the southern regions, olive oil is predominantly used. Southern-style baked pastas are often based on vegetables—such as roasted or grilled eggplant; peppers or zucchini; sautéed or steamed peas; spinach or chard; broccoli or broccoli rabe; or cauliflower. Often local cured meats—such as sopressata, prosciutto, or sausages—are added. Sometimes tiny meatballs or even sliced hard-boiled eggs are used. Cheeses—such as caciocavallo, scamorza, provola, and mozzarella—are layered inside to melt or form a crusty top.

Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Shells

Prep time 15 mins
Cook time 35 mins
Total time 50 mins
Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients

• 16 jumbo pasta shells (Cook a couple of extra shells to allow for a few breaking while the pasta cooks.)
• 1-1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp fresh garlic, minced
• 4 cups (packed) fresh spinach leaves, roughly-chopped
• 12 oz skim-milk ricotta cheese
• 1 cup shredded skim-milk mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
• 1 large egg
• 1 tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
• 1-1/4 cups marinara sauce

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cook the pasta al dente, according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
2.     Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the garlic and cook until it begins to brown, about a minute or two. Add the spinach and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leaves begin to wilt but are still bright green, about 3 to 4 minutes. The spinach should be reduced by half. Remove from the heat and let cool.
3. In a mixing bowl, stir together the spinach, ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, basil and salt and pepper until thoroughly combined. Pour 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce into the bottom of a shallow 8-inch by 8-inch baking dish. Stuff each pasta shell with a generous amount of the spinach and ricotta mixture, and place in the baking dish.
4. Cover with the remaining sauce and bake covered with aluminum foil for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the top begins to brown and the sauce begins the bubble, another 10-15 minutes. Serve warm with a dusting of Parmesan.

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Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake

Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake. Rich, creamy peanut butter cheesecake sits on top of a delicious chocolate crust, drizzled with warm chocolate ganache and overloaded with peanut butter chocolate candies.

Can you OD on dessert? Anytime you make a cheesecake, remember to use room temperature ingredients, as cold ingredients will cause your cheesecake to have lumps.

Only one word can really describe this recipe: rich! With two pounds of cream cheese, how could it not be?! That being said, this recipe is for the true peanut butter cup fanatic. I loved the fact that this recipe called for a brownie crust, instead of the crushed cookie or thinner graham cracker crusts out there. You could substitute for another crust, but I don’t know why you would. If you know someone who loves peanut butter cups, make this for them and they will probably love you forever.

Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake

Brownie Crust:

• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup peanut butter chips
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1-1/4 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Cheesecake filling:

• 2 lbs cream cheese, softened
• 5 eggs, at room temperature
• 1-1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup smooth peanut butter (not natural-style)
• 1/2 cups whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 6 peanut butter cups, cut into quarters

Glaze Ingredients:

• 8 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 3 Tablespoons of creamy peanut butter
• 2 Tablespoons of light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream

For Decoration

• 10 Peanut Butter Cups

Direcction:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 9-inch springform pan with butter.
• Stir together butter, sugar and vanilla in large bowl with spoon or wire whisk. Add eggs; stir until well blended. Stir in flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; blend well. Spread in prepared pan.
• Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until brownie begins to pull away from side of pan. Meanwhile make cheesecake layer (see below).
• Immediately after removing brownie from oven, sprinkle milk chocolate chips, peanut butter chips and peanut butter cups over brownie surface. Spoon cheesecake mixture over chips. Turn down oven 325°.

Cheesecake Filling:

1. Beat cream cheese in bowl of electric mixer until smooth.
2. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. Add sugar, peanut butter and cream; mix until smooth.
4. Stir in vanilla.
5. Pour filling into prepared crust.
6. Double-wrap springform pan with aluminum foil to prevent water seeping in.
7. Place springform pan into a larger baking pan.
8. Pour hot water into the larger pan so that the water comes 1 inch up the sides of the springform pan.
9. Bake at 325 degrees 1-1/2 hours, or until firm and lightly browned.
10. Remove from the oven and allow to cool (approximately 1 hour)
11. Run a knife along the edge of the cake to loosen it from the pan.
12. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before decorating and then remove cake from pan and plate.

Glaze Directions:

1. In a double boiler or a bowl set over a pot of simmering water, melt the chocolate, peanut butter, and corn syrup. When melted remove from heat and whisk in the cream until it is a smooth, creamy consistency.
2. Drizzle over cake and then add peanut butter cup around the edge of the cake.

Source : http://www.bestyummyrecipes.com/peanut-butter-cup-cheesecake/

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Lamb & eggplant pide Lamb & eggplant pide recipe

Photo:  Lamb & eggplant pide Lamb & eggplant pide recipe

With these tasty pides in the freezer, it's easy to treat your family to the taste of Turkey in a flash.

To Prep 0:40
To Cook 0:40
INGREDIENTS 18
DIFFICULTY CAPABLE COOKS
MAKES 4

Ingredients

250ml (1 cup) lukewarm milk
2 tsp (7g/1 sachet) dried yeast
1 tsp caster sugar
375g (2 1/2 cups) plain bread flour
1 tsp salt
2 tbs olive oil
Olive oil, to grease

Lamb & eggplant filling

60ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
1 (400g) eggplant, cut into 1cm pieces
2 tsp olive oil, extra
1 brown onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
375g lamb mince
2 tsp Middle eastern spice mix
1 vine-ripened tomato, coarsely chopped
2 tbs chopped fresh continental parsley
1 egg, lightly whisked
2 tsp sesame seeds

Method

Step 1 Combine the milk, yeast and sugar in a bowl. Set aside for 10 minutes or until foamy. Place flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre. Add yeast mixture and oil. Use a round-bladed knife in a cutting motion to mix until combined. Use your hands to bring the dough together in the bowl.

Step 2 Lightly brush a large bowl with a little oil. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in the prepared bowl. cover and set aside in a warm, draught-free place for 1 hour or until the dough doubles in size.

Step 3 Meanwhile, to make the filling, heat oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. cook the eggplant, stirring, for 5 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a plate. Heat extra oil in pan. cook the onion, stirring, for 5 minutes or until soft. Add garlic. cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until aromatic. Add mince. cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up any lumps, for 5 minutes or until browned. Add spice mix. cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until aromatic. Stir in the eggplant, tomato and parsley. Season. Set aside to cool completely.

Step 4 Preheat oven to 200ºC. Punch down the dough. Turn onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth. divide into 4 portions. Roll out each portion on a floured surface to make an oval shape about 15cm wide and 25cm long. divide the filling along the centres, leaving a 2cm border. Fold and pinch the long edges together, leaving the centres open. Brush with egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds. place on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.

Nutrition

Energy 3560kJ
Fat saturated 11.00g
Fat Total 44.00g
Carbohydrate sugars g
Carbohydrate Total 79.00g
Dietary Fibre 8.00g
Protein 36.00g
Cholesterol mg
Sodium mg

All nutrition values are per serve.

Notes

Encased in a crispy golden crust is a delicious spiced lamb and smoky eggplant filling.

Make-ahead tips: To freeze: Cool at the end of step 4 then wrap in 1 layer of plastic wrap and 1 layer of foil. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Thaw and reheat: Thaw pides overnight in the fridge. Unwrap and cover individually in foil. Place on baking trays and bake in oven at 180C for 20 minutes or until heated through.

Australian Good Taste - January 2012 , Page 53
Recipe by Miranda Farr

Photography by Chris Jones

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Saba Braised Lamb Shanks – A New Find and an Old Rule

This absolutely delicious saba braised lamb shanks recipe will hopefully serve two very important purposes. First, to expose anyone currently unexposed to the wonderful world of saba (seriously, Google it). This thick, sweet, syrupy substance is basically cooked-down wine must (grape juice plus seeds, skins, and stems). It’s very similar to aged balsamic vinegar, and although I’ve only recently discovered it, I consider it a “must” have.

The second part of the mission is to reinforce an old rule of thumb for braising meats, which goes something like, “Don’t stop cooking until it’s tender and awesome!!” Sounds simple, right? Yet, I get emails all the time saying my short rib, pot roast, or lamb shank recipes didn’t work because “the meat wasn’t tender.” Sorry, but that’s all you, Chef Took-it-out-because-the-timer-rang.

The only reason tough cuts of meat, like these lamb shanks, don’t get tender enough, is because people go by time instead of common-sense testing. In the video I say to roast, covered, at 200 F. for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours, before starting the final glazing step, but that’s just a guess. I don’t want you to stop when the timer rings, but only when the point of a knife goes into the meat easily.

Remember, a lamb shank cooked 30 minutes too long is still a succulent and delicious thing. The same cut cooked 30 minutes shy? A chewy disappointment. Not to mention all that dental floss you’re going to waste. So, now that there’s no way your lamb isn’t going to come out all moist and tender, the only thing left to do is find yourself some saba, and give this great winter dish a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 portions:
(I used a 9x12-inch dish)

4 lamb shanks

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper   

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp dried rosemary

1 large onion, sliced

6 cloves garlic, peeled, slightly crushed

1 cup chicken broth

1/3 cup saba or aged balsamic vinegar

1/2 tsp freshly chopped rosemary to finish sauce

- Roast 30 min at 450 F. uncovered

- Add liquid and roast covered at 200 F. about 3 hours, or until knife tender

- Uncover, roast at 350 about 20-30 minutes, or until very tender and glazed. Turn in sauce several times during this final step.

- Strain and reduce sauce

*Note: 3 hour braising time will vary depending on size of shanks.

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Soup Weather

From what I hear, this could be the coldest winter in decades, and although that plush Snuggie does a decent job of keeping you warm (and fashionable), there's nothing like a steaming bowl of soup when it's freezing outside. Here's a small, but comforting collection of my all-time frigid weather favs.

Of course, it's absolutely gorgeous today in San Francisco, and isn't even winter for half the world, but I always like to tailor these recap posts to the least fortunate (weather-wise) among us. So keep warm, inside and out, and as always, enjoy!

	Bumblebee Soup No actual bees were harmed in the making of this awesome soup.
	Spanish Bread and Garlic Soup More proof that when it comes to food, the Spanish are winning.
	American French Onion Soup I forget what makes it "American," but it must be something great.
	Cream of Cauliflower with Bacon Gremolata Did we mention the bacon gremolata?
	Minestrone Soup First ballot "Winter Soup Hall of Fame" inductee.
	Cream of Asparagus Soup Might seem a little more spring-ish, but that's the idea. It warms while it reminds.

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Baklava loaf recipe

Photo: Baklava loaf recipe

Serve this crossover baklava, swiss roll, scone recipe warm with some vanilla ice-cream and the left-over syrup.

To Prep 0:35
To Cook 1:05
INGREDIENTS 9
DIFFICULTY EASY
SERVINGS 8

Ingredients

1/3 cup blanched almonds
1/3 cup walnuts
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 quantity Basic scone ingredients (see related recipe)
1 egg, lightly beaten

Honey syrup

3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup water

Method

Step 1 Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line a 6.5cm deep, 10cm x 21cm loaf pan.

Step 2 Place almonds and walnuts into a food processor. Process until finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in sugar and cinnamon. Set aside 1 tablespoon of mixture.

Step 3 Follow steps 1, 2 and 3 of Basic scone recipe.

Step 4 Roll dough out between 2 sheets of baking paper to a 21cm x 36cm rectangle. Brush with egg. Sprinkle nut mixture over dough. Starting from 1 short end, roll up like a Swiss roll. Place into loaf pan.

Step 5 Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Stand for 5 minutes in pan. Turn onto a wire rack.

Step 6 Make syrup: Place all ingredients into a saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil. Boil, without stirring, for 5 minutes.

Step 7 Pierce top of warm loaf all over with a skewer. Drizzle with half the syrup. Sprinkle with reserved nut mixture. Stand for 5 minutes. Serve warm slices with remaining syrup.

Nutrition

Energy 2170kJ
Fat saturated 7.00g
Fat Total 18.00g
Carbohydrate sugars 37.00g
Carbohydrate Total 77.00g
Dietary Fibre 4.00g
Protein 10.00g
Cholesterol 54.00mg
Sodium 476.29mg

All nutrition values are per serve.

Super Food Ideas - September 2004 , Page 84
Recipe by Dixie Elliott

Photography by Ben Dearnley

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Creamy Bay Scallop Spaghetti – An Almost Perfect Post-Holidays Pasta

After all those rich, complicated, and time-consuming holiday recipes, I’m always craving something light, fast, and easy; and this creamy bay scallop spaghetti is all that and more. Literally “more,” in that this is not light, but quite delicious, and in roughly the time it takes you to boil spaghetti, the sauce should be just about ready.

With some similar recipes to this, the chef will have you remove the scallops as soon as they’re seared, to be added back right at the end. Sounds smart since these little mollusks only take a few minutes to cook, but I think it’s a mistake. Yes, the scallops will be smaller and firmer using my method, but the trade-off is a much more flavorful sauce.

Sometimes cooks are so afraid to overcook and ruin something, they never extract as much flavor as possible. Sure, if you boiled these bay scallops another ten minutes or so, they’d get start getting dry and rubbery, but here they’re still plenty tender and moist enough, and I think you’ll agree the sherry sauce benefits significantly.

Regarding the sherry wine: If you can’t have or don’t want to use it, you’re on your own with replacements. While this would probably still work with none, or any number of sort-of-sweet, sort-of-acidic substations, I make mine with sherry, so I can’t tell you what will happen if you stray.

The meat’s another story. Feel free to switch out the scallops with any cubed protein, so really, if you think about it, I just shoed you like a dozen new recipes. You’re welcome! I really hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 appetizer-sized portions:
1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 pound bay scallops

2 tbsp butter

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp lemon zest

pinch red pepper flakes

1/3 cup sherry wine

1 cup heavy cream

salt and pepper to taste

juice of 1 lemon or to taste

8 oz cooked thick spaghetti

2 tbsp Italian parsley, divided

Parmigiano-Reggiano to taste

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Shawerma Enchiladas Recipe

Photo: Shawerma Enchiladas Recipe

Serves: 6 persons
Difficulty: Medium
Cost: Medium

Preparation time : 15 minutes
Cooking time : 50 minutes

Ingredients

For filling:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

800 g chicken breast fillet, cut into strips

1 medium onion or 120 g, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon ground cloves

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ cup water or 60 ml, hot

1 cube MAGGI® Chicken Bouillon or 10 g

For sauce:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

¼ cup plain flour or 50 g

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 cup water or 250 ml, hot

1 cube MAGGI® Chicken Bouillon or 10 g

1 cup tomato puree or 200 g

6 pita bread or 360 g, warmed

1 can chick pea, canned or 400 g

2 medium tomatoes or 200 g, diced

1 cup cheddar cheese or 100 g, grated

2 medium spring onions or 30 g, finely chopped

Preparation

To prepare Filling: Heat Vegetable Oil in a deep frying pan and cook Chicken pieces on medium-high heat. Add Onions, Garlic, Spices, Water and 1 cube MAGGI® Chicken Bouillon , cover and simmer on heat until onions are soft and chicken is fully cooked and all the liquid is absorbed.

To prepare sauce: Heat Vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat, add Flour and allow to fry until color is slightly golden.

Add spices and sauté for another 1-2 minutes. Taking care not to burn the flour.

Add Water and 1 cube MAGGI® Chicken Bouillon , stir to dissolve. Add Tomato Pure and finish the sauce. If sauce is too think, add some water. Consistency should be that of heavy cream.

To assemble Enchiladas:In an oven proof baking dish, pour 1/3 of the sauce and spread evenly on the bottom.

Divide filling into 6 portions, lay each Pita Bread flat on a clean work surface, spread 1/6 of the Hummus Pure in the center and spoon over a portion of the filling. Gently roll over the pita bread covering the filling and place in the baking dish over the sauce with the seam down. Repeat for the remaining bread and filling.

Pour the remaining sauce over the rolled Enchiladas and spread across evenly.

Spoon over chopped Tomato pieces over the sauce, cover with shredded Cheddar Cheese and bake in a pre heated oven at 175 degrees C for 20-30 minutes or until cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling.

Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped spring onions and serve.

Adopted from Nestly Family

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