BROWNIES WITH CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES & WHITE CHOCOLATE

The perfect way to celebrate UK Chocolate Week     

 Brownies with White Chocolate Icing & Crushed Lindt Truffles
'Magnificent!  So chocolatey!' Taster

first posted  Mar 2016

67 has been making brownies for decades and this completely indulgent recipe is about as unhealthy as brownies can get.  But, boy, are they popular.

Attempts have been made to reduce general unhealthiness.  The huge amount of sugar has been slightly reduced and half the flour is wholemeal.  The icing is drizzled, not spread.  The chocolate truffles are optional but the brownies as pictured caused a sensation.  

Keep portions small; chocaholics can always take two.


Cost: £3.50p + £1 for truffles (opt) as of June 2022
Feeds: 24 (16 for the greedy!) Recipe halves or doubles nicely.

Ingred:
   100gm/4 oz 70% dark baking chocolate (Bournville for the frugal) 
   100gm/4oz unsalted butter
   2 med eggs
   210 gm/7.5oz sugar
   75 gm/3 oz self-raising flour (half white, half wholemeal opt)
   1/2 tsp vanilla

   Icing:
     50gm/2oz white baking/cooking chocolate (not white chocolate bars)
     a tablespoon of milk or cream
     50 gm (4) Lindt chocolate truffles (any flavour)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200c/180fan/400f/gas 6
2. Line a 11x7 in/28x17cm pan or equiv with greaseproof paper
3. Break up dark chocolate and coarsely chop butter.  Place in a heatproof bowl set over but not touching simmering water 
4. Meanwhile use a free-standing mixer or electric whisk to beat eggs and sugar until pale and frothy; it will take a few minutes 
5. When the chocolate is nearly melted, remove from heat 
6. Cool to the stage where you can stick your finger in the chocolate without yelping; add 1/3 to the egg mix; beat until just blended
7. Add 1/3 flour; beat until just blended
8. Add second third chocolate; beat; then rest of flour & beat
9. Add final third chocolate + vanilla; beat only until blended.  
10. Pour into tin and level with spatula  
11. Bake 25 mins below centre of the oven; the sides should be drawing away from the pan
12. Remove from oven even if slightly sticky in the centre ; it will continue to cook; place on cooling rack
13. When the brownies are no longer hot, place cooling rack over the brownie tray and turn over; peel off paper
14. Place another cooling rack over the brownies and turn right side up again; cut into portions
15. Melt white chocolate (as in 3); meanwhile chop truffles coarsely 
16. When white chocolate is cool, add milk and stir; the mix should be of pouring consistency; use a spoon to drizzle over  the brownies
17. Sprinkle over truffles

Comments:
'I can feel myself melting into my seat with pleasure; in fact, I need to test them once more. The taste comes in 2 waves, the second more intense.' Political agent
'Magnificent!  So chocolatey!'  Political activist

Tips:

• the basic brownie recipe is brilliant on its own or can be customised when the batter is in the tin, with fresh raspberries OR salted caramel sauce drizzled over the top and swirled with a fork OR sprinkled with walnuts
• most supermarkets offer baking chocolate from £1-2 per 150 gm bar
• replacing white sugar with brown gives a more caramel taste

                            Go to Nav Bar/Recipes for more indulgent treats...

Please leave a comment in the box below                                

This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.  

TRIPLE-DUTY MUSHROOM SOUP WITH SHERRY, low-dairy & carb, dairy-free opt), luxury opt, kids' opt

A sophisticated guest-pleasing soup with neither cream nor potato... 

updated Dec 24

Creamy Mushroom Soup, silky and smooth but without cream or potatoes!
'How did you get this so smooth?  I would never have realised it didn't have any cream.  It made such an enjoyable meal!'  Taster

Nothing matches home-made mushroom soup; thick, creamy and mushroom-y with chunks of meaty 'shrooms punctuating intense savouriness.  If you're looking for a low-fat, low-carb version - no cream or potatoes -  but still offering intense creaminess and thick silky textures, look no further.

67goingon50 has created a sensational Skinny version.  And it suits vegans, pescatarians and meat eaters.

No-cream luxury Mushroom Soup with Sherry contains only a couple of tablespoons of butter (plant butter will also do), and cream is replaced with leftover fibre-rich brown rice to thicken and flavour without raising cholesterol.  

Preparation is easy and quick; apart from a little chopping, the prep is 30 mins max. The result is far superior to tinned...there's no metallic taste and no pesky preservatives.

The soup, despite looking so luxurious, is wallet friendly but if pockets are deep, replace some common-all-garden 'shrooms with wild mushrooms OR for low fodmaps, oyster mushrooms .   

The sherry elevates the soup to a higher level but can be replaced with plant or  milk for kids.    

The soup works best with the base whizzed to a puree in a smoothie maker/processor (as in the photo) but it can also be served as a chunky hearty almost-stew.

Cost: £3.50- £4.50 depending on choice of mushrooms & fridge leftovers
Makes: 2 pints
  
Ingred:

   1 tbsp olive oil
   2 tbsp butter or Vegan substitute

   600gm/21oz (2x300gm packets) mushrooms, chestnut for flavour but white is fine; if pockets are deep, replace with wild mushrooms or for low fodmaps, oyster mushrooms 
   juice of one lemon 
   1/3-1/2 tsp dried thyme
  
   approx 2 cups good chicken or vegetable stock (granules are fine)
   1/4-1/3 cup med sherry/white grape juice

   80-100gm/2 3/4-3 1/2 oz cooked brown rice 

   1/2-1 tsp each pepper & salt

   whipping cream (opt) or more stock

   Garnish:
       white of spring onion, finely diced 
       plain unsweetened plant/dairy yoghurt (opt)
       whipping cream (opt)     
       
Method:

CHICKEN & CASHEW STIR FRY

Just the thing when you stumble in from work, famished

Stir-fry Chicken with Peppers & Cashews 

Stir-fry's are so fantastic: easy on the wallet, quick, intensely satisfying.  Full of protein and high-fibre veg, they can be a low-carb meal if rice or noodles portions are kept to a minimum.

Chicken with cashew nuts is a favourite dish in Chinese restaurants; it's very easy - and much less expensive than a takeaway - to make it a favourite at home, too.

The photo shows bell peppers which provide a crisp contrast to the succulent chicken and the crunchy nuts.  But any veg will do...or even none at all if the fridge is bare.

The usual marinating time is 20 mins but if you're in a rush, 10 will do.

Cost: £1.50-ish
Feeds: 1 generously

Ingred:
   a handful of raw cashews

   1 chicken breast
   1 bell pepper
   groundnut oil
   water 

   small clove garlic, grated
   inch of peeled ginger, grated
    
Marinade:
   1 tbsp reduced-salt soy sauce
   2 tbsp sherry

Method:

       Equipment: large lidded frying pan or wok

1. Toast cashews in med oven 5-7 mins or until brown; watch, they burn easily; set aside
2. Cut chicken breast in generous bite-sized pieces
3. Mix marinade ingred in flat bowl; add chicken, stirring to coat all sides; leave ideally 20 mins (time for a drink!) 
4. Top & tail pepper, remove seeds & membranes and cut in bite sized pieces
5. When ready to cook, set frying pan over high heat; when pan is smoking hot, spray generously with oil
6. Add peppers; stir-fry 2-3 mins but not till cooked through; put to one side
7. Drain chicken, reserving marinade 
8. Generously re-spray pan; add chicken in one layer; leave for a couple of mins to brown on one side
9. Stir fry for another minute or until all pink is gone; decant to a dish
10. Add 3-4 tablespoons of water to the pan, scraping at the bottom to remove any cooked-on bits
11. Add marinade; bring to a boil, cover with lid, reduce heat; bubble 5 mins
12. Add peppers & chicken; simmer 3 mins or until veg & meat is cooked to your liking
13. To thicken sauce (opt),  mix 1 tsp cornstarch with 1 tsp cold water; add to pan; stir 
14. Pour into a serving dish and scatter with cashews
15. Serve with steamed rice (opt)

              Please leave a comment

This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.   

POT LUCK ENTERTAINING

20 October 2015

HOW TO..DO POT LUCK AND OTHER FRUGAL ENTERTAINING

Entertaining doesn't have to be expensive; planning and sharing cuts costs 

Potluck meals are perfect for modern times when few have the money or time to entertain frequently.  Potluck dining originated in 19th Century Western North America as a communal meal, often religiously based.  Everyone contributed at least one dish and all dishes were shared.  The term 'potluck' was first used in 16th Century England and referred to what was given to unexpected guests -- whatever was in the pot, or the 'luck of the pot'.

Courtesy of Pinterest:  © Copyright Whoscomingtodinner.blogspot.com
 and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

POTLUCK ENTERTAINING

The first and most important rule of Potluck entertaining is that one person, usually the host, is in charge. 

• S/he works out how many starters, mains, sides, desserts and afters (cheese or chocolate) and/or drinks are needed. 
• This avoids a table heaped with desserts but only one main course, and caters for carnivores, veggies, vegans, wheat-or-any-other-food phobic.  
• The I.C. (in charge person) is also responsible for contacting guests and assigning dishes.  If guests are numerous, other responsible people can also contact guests.    

A few guidelines to make life easier: 

1. for every 6-8 people, one of each category of dish (scroll down for categories)
2. hold back on assigning items like bread, cheese and desserts which can go to late invitees 
3. the dishes should be home-made (with exceptions - scroll down) and ready to serve with, at most, re-heating
4. exceptions from home made: those who can't or won't cook but can afford, say, fresh pasta or a desert that singletons or families might not otherwise afford    
5. the host usually provides an  impressive main course and some booze
6. don't forget food safety: hot food must be reheated to the correct temperature.  There are plenty of articles on the net about re-heating: this from Food Safety may be helpful
7. all dishes are shared, buffet-style; guests take what they like 
8. Don't forget coffee, tea, sugar & milk
9. ...and paper serviettes (most major supermarkets do 100 thin-weave for under £1; get two) and strong paper plates, plastic cutlery etc  
10. to aid portion control, keep plates, bowls, cups small
11. leftovers go to the host, although it is keeping with the spirit of things if the host provides small metal containers with waxed lids (avail most supermarkets for under £1) should any guest decide s/he can't live without more of any dish for tomorrow's breakfast or lunch
12. if not using disposable plates or not in possession of a dishwasher, enlist a washing/cleaning up team 

SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR POT LUCK GATHERINGS

(See Recipes on Nav Bar - scroll up)

NUMBERS

For every 6-8 people:  1 starter

                                 1 main course

                                 1 salad

                                 1 side (opt)

                                 1 dessert

                                 2 French sticks or equiv

                                 Cheese (opt)

                                 Fresh fruit (opt)

STARTERS 

• have at least one and max 3 starters  to soak up alcohol 
• example: nuts, crisps, crudites (raw carrot, celery and cauliflower florets) with chive and onion dip or Aubergine Tahini Dip
• or expresso sized cups of soup: Potage of Swede & Bacon + veggie option, Easy-Peasy Rich Tomato Soup

MAINS  

(DDD - denotes double duty dishes, good for carnivores and vegetarians)

Here are some frugal but deliciously worthwhile mains, nearly all of which can be prepared in advance:

Chilli Con Turkey

Southern Unfried Chicken

Tuna Casserole with Potato Chip Topping (Child-friendly)

Tuscan Chicken with Potato Carrot & Onion Melange

Turkey Meatloaf

Marvellously Meatless Moussaka (not as frugal as others but fabulous)

And some main course soups (all DDD):

• German Potato and French Bean Soup
• Corn Chowder Four Ways 
• Easy-Peasy Rich Tomato Soup

Beef & Dark Beer Stew is not exactly frugal but is spectacularly good and goes far.   

SIDES

(Salads are essential.  Luckily, they cost little and look terrific; they can be prepped in advance -- on the day, if poss -- wrapped tightly in cling film and served with dressing on the side)

• Fantastic Frugal Salad
• Mixed Salads

(Dressings (found in body of posts:

Yoghurt-mayo, balsamic & french vinaigrette)

Better made on the day: 

• Apple Coleslaw with Nuts
• Beetroot and Orange Salad
• Wonderful Waldorf Salad

Some cooking required:

• Sun-Blush Tomato Flavour Bombs
• Potato Salad, Carnival
• Unfried Potato Wedges, Low-cal

BREAD

  

   Bakery

• French Sticks
• Good wholemeal bread

   Homemade Common Wheat-free Easy-Peasy Quickbreads (spelt flour)

• Cornbread with Chilli & Green Onions 
• Soda Bread, Light Wholemeal, No-sugar, Low-gluten,

DESERTS

• Platter of fresh fruit - Must
• Apple Pie, Low or No sugar
• Chocolate Mousse, Dairy& Egg Yolk Free, No- added sugar
• Nigella's Veggie Chocolate Cake  (Blogger: superb & easy!)
• Fat-Free Sponge Cake
• Gingerbread Cookies, no butter (Sophisticated; perfect adult fare on Hallowe'en) 
• Hot Pineapple Pudding
• Orange & Berry Plate
• Pear, Ginger & Blueberry Crumble
• Deconstructed Plum, Ginger & Orange Crumble (wonderful for guests with allergies or specific food preferences)
• Irish Coffee Cheesecake, skinnier (easy-peasy)
• Swedish Plum & Ginger Cake
• Skinny Chocolate Mousse 
• Cheese (opt) -- one large wedge of a good cheese is classy but most adore having an assortment 

Please leave a Comment in the box below

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This information has been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission