Brownie Cakes

We have an ongoing argument in the family as to what to call these, bruffins is the boys choice but they really are just a brownie.

As they are a brownie, they come out of the oven puffed in the middle and rapidly fall as they cool, the icing then fills the gap but be warned, these are rich!

Makes 16.

Ingredients

120g dark chocolate, 70% cocoa solids

120g butter

70g smooth peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

300g caster sugar

120g ground almonds, almond meal

3/4 tablespoon baking powder

3 eggs

ICING

130g butter, at room temperature

225g icing sugar

25g cocoa powder

Method

Preheat the oven to 160 degrees Centigrade.

Take two muffin tins and line 16 holes with muffin cases.

Either over hot water or carefully in the microwave, melt the butter and chocolate gently, stir in the peanut butter and vanilla.

In another bowl, measure out the sugar, ground almonds and baking powder.

In a third bowl, whisk the eggs until light and fluffy.

Pour the chocolate into the dry ingredients and then fold in the eggs gently.

Spoon into the prepared cases and bake for 25 minutes.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin.

Once the cakes are cool, make the icing.

In a food processor, blitz the icing sugar to get any lumps out or sieve it.

Add the cocoa powder and then beat in the butter.

Spread a little icing into the middle of each cake and then grate over some white chocolate.

Marmalade Chicken

Now, I don’t know about your house but in mine we seem to have a never ending drawer full of jars of jam and spreads with just dregs in them!

This is my way of using up the marmalade, simple, effective and rather tasty.

Serves 4-6.

Ingredients 

1kg skinless chicken breasts or thighs, diced

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons orange marmalade 

2 tablespoons wholegrain mustard

250mls chicken stock

Method

Heat the oil in a large oven proof frying pan, once hot add the chicken and season well.

Once the chicken is sealed, add the marmalade, mustard and stock. Cover and bring to the boil, simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Centigrade while the chicken simmers.

Now uncover th chicken and slide the pan into the hot oven, bake for 10 minutes and then gently shake the pan to cover the chicken in the pan juices.

Repeat this another couple of times over twenty minutes. The pan juices will have reduced and the chicken darkened.

Serve while hot or warm, pouring the pan juices over the chicken.

Almond And Raspberry Muffins

These little muffins are a delight, no one can guess that they are gluten free and they are definitely very moreish!

This recipe makes 48 muffins and I can guarantee they will all be eaten but if you have a few leftover they freeze well, I pop them into the school lunch boxes frozen and they are ready to eat by lunch.

Ingredients

150g ground almonds/almond meal

30g coconut flour

50g cornflour

40g buckwheat flour

1 tablespoon gluten free baking powder

100g butter, melted

140g Greek yogurt

1 egg, beaten

125mls milk

120g raspberry jam

Method

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees centigrade. Line two 24 mini muffin trays with cases.

In a large bowl, combine the ground almonds, coconut flour, corn flour, buckwheat flour and baking powder. Give these dry ingredients a whisk to get some air into the mix.

In a seperate bowl, whisk the melted butter and yogurt, add the egg and milk and whisk again.

Now, pour the wet ingredients into the dry and fold in gently, as it begins to combine, spoon in the jam and fold again to just incorporate the jam.

Using a dessert spoon, spoon the batter into the cases, around two thirds full, no more or they will come over.

Once you have filled all the cases, slide the trays into the oven and bake for 20 minutes until golden.

Allow to cool a little on a wire rack, they are delicious still warm from the oven.

Seedy Salmon

This is a fab quick dinner that sneaks some healthy seeds and nuts into the kids without them even realizing.

I have used gluten free bread here, crusts and the heel of a loaf, it’s so expensive to buy I don’t like to waste any of it! Regular bread will work just as well.

Serves 6.

Ingredients

6 salmon fillets, around 150g each

75g gluten free bread

2 tablespoons sunflower seeds

1 tablespoon chai seeds

1 tablespoon nigella/koolanji seeds

2 tablespoons dukkah

salt and pepper

olive oil

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Centigrade. Line a baking tray with baking parchment.

Check the fillets for bones and line up, skin down on the baking sheet.

In a food processor, blitz the gluten free bread to form crumbs.

Add the sunflower seeds and blitz again.

Pour the crumbs into a bowl and add the chai, nigella, dukkah, salt and pepper.

Spoon this crumb over each fillet and then drizzle each fillet with a little oil.

Pop the tray into the oven and bake for 15 – 20 minutes.

Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Caramelised Onion and Potato Pie

This is one of those comfort potato bakes that everyone loves and they all come back for seconds in our house.

Serves 6-8. You can also make this ahead of time as it freezes very well.

Ingredients

50g butter

3 large onions, sliced thinly

3 cloves garlic, finely sliced

1 shallot, finely sliced

750 g potatoes, finely sliced, I use an mandolin

fresh thyme

8 eggs, beaten

350g sour cream

400mls cream

salt and pepper

parmesan

Method

Melt the butter in a large pan, add the onions and garlic and over a low heat slowly cook down until caramelised, this can take 45-60 minutes but keep an eye on them towards the end so they don’t stick to the pan and burn.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Centigrade.

Take a large roasting dish, I use a 30x20cm dish.

Line the base and sides with baking parchment.

Whisk the eggs, sour cream, cream, salt and pepper.

Pour a little egg mix into the base of the dish, top with potato slices, followed by a little of the caramelised onions and a little sprinkle of thyme.

Top with some egg and repeat the previous layers. Keep repeating until you are using your final egg mix.

Finish with a layer egg over the onions, spread over the sliced shallot and  sprinkle over the grated parmesan.

Bake in the oven for 45-55 minutes until the top is golden and the potatoes cooked through.

Allow to cool and set a little before gently removing from the tin and cutting into portions or take this along, just warm for a picnic.