A recipe for Easter. Mini Egg Brownies

Wishing all my lovely blog readers a Happy Easter! 

These Mini Egg brownies really are a minimum effort, maximum output Easter treat.

Easter to me has always been about the food. A delicious leg of Lamb on Easter Sunday. Easter Eggs galore and any Easter themed dessert of some sort. If you are not in a chocolate coma by Easter Monday, you haven't really celebrated in my opinion.

I also believe it is essential to have 'Mini Egg' themed treats at home. Either chocolate nests, cupcakes or brownies just like these. These Brownies have MiniEggs both inside and on top. Plus a layer of melted chocolate on top! Deliciously rich and a real chocolate explosion! 


Ingredients:

250g soft unsalted butter
250g good quality dark chocolate (off the shelf chocolate not cooking chocolate)
4 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
300g caster sugar
150g plain flour
2 bags of Mini Eggs (90g per bag) 1 bag for decoration and 1 bag to go inside the brownies.
PLEASE NOTE: PUT ONE BAG OF MINI EGGS IN THE FREEZER. THIS ALLOWS THEM TO KEEP THEIR COLOUR WHEN BAKED IN THE OVEN.

Makes approx 20 large brownies. Or a minimum of 30 little ones. 

Method:

Preheat your oven to 180c fan. Line your brownie tin, greaseproof paper is best. 
(I use a tin measuring 13 x 9 inches. So if your tin is smaller increase baking time slightly as your brownies will be deeper)
Melt the butter and chocolate together in a large saucepan on a very low heat. 

Whilst the butter/choc is melting find a large measuring jug or mixing bowl and beat the eggs with the sugar and vanilla extract.

When the chocolate mixture has melted, leave to cool slightly to avoid scrambled eggs. 

Then beat in the eggs/sugar. When all combined, mix in the flour and 1 bag of mini eggs (taken from the freezer).
Either put them in whole, or use a rolling pin to bash them into small pieces if you prefer?

Mix to combine smoothly and then scrape mix out of the saucepan into your lined tin.

Bake for approx 16 -18 mins. It doesn't seem very long, but the difference between dry and gooey brownies is minutes. You will know when it is ready as the top will seem paler but the middle still gooey. 

Keep them in the tin to cool as they continue to cook whilst in the tin. 

Once cool, turn the brownies out onto a chopping board ready for decorating.

Melt some chocolate in a bowl above boiling water. Drizzle this chocolate over the brownies and use the remaining bag of mini eggs to decorate however you fancy.

To serve, trim the edges off (devourer secretly).

Then use a very sharp knife to cut into squares.

Enjoy!

Slow cooked Beef, Chilli and Ginger Stew

Seeing as the weather is still positively chilly, I thought I had better continue with the theme of slow cooker recipes.

I am always experimenting with new casserole recipes. There is nothing quite like a wet and warming stew in the winter months and this is a real favourite in my house. It is something I can rustle up quickly with ingredients I tend to have at home anyway. It takes less than 20 mins to prepare. You can then leave in the slow cooker to cook itself for a few hours in the afternoon.

The combination of ginger, chilli and plenty of coriander makes this stew fragrant and spicy. Yet the beef is meltingly tender and delicious. It is perfect served with rice and steamed green veg and it feels slightly more healthy than a more traditional stew served with mash.

I am useless at photography, so the photos don't do this stew justice. Please give it a try. It is foolproof, minimum effort and so tasty.

To serve 2:

300-400g of diced casserole/braising beef steak.

2 medium onions chopped

fresh ginger (tip * I always buy frozen and it has just the flavour in my opinion)

2 cloves of garlic chopped

1 red chilli (use more or less depending on your chilli tolerance!)

Plenty of fresh coriander (again I buy frozen - such a cheat, but it is cost effective and saves waste)

A dash of light soy sauce

1 pint of beef stock

1 tsp chinese 5 spice

I dessert spoon of plain flour

salt and pepper

Method:

Add a good glug of olive oil to your casserole dish and heat.

Place the beef in a shallow bowl. Add the flour, a good sprinkle of salt and pepper and the 5 spice. Ensure the beef is evenly coated in the seasoning. You can do this in a sandwich bag if you prefer.

By now, the oil should be sizzling hot. Slowly add the beef pieces to the dish to brown, turning frequently. You want to cook for only a few minutes until nicely browned. Remove the meat and place in a clean bowl.

Now add your chopped onions, garlic, ginger and chilli to the same casserole dish. Add a little extra oil if needed. Stir until the onions translucent and beginning to caramelise.

Return the beef to the casserole dish, add a dash of light soy sauce. Slowly add the beef stock, letting the liquid thicken slowly. Bring to the boil, then simmer to reduce.

Then season well. Add a good sprinkling of chopped coriander (saving some for later) and add the casserole dish to your preheated oven. Cook on low 140 degrees C. Or transfer to your slow cooker.

This needs a good 4 hours to cook. Stirring occasionally. 

Serve with plenty of chopped coriander. I find rice and plenty of steamed green veg go well with this dish.

Enjoy!

Just to say, as this dish is slow cooked. I am sending it to March's slow cooked challenge. Which is a

blogging event hosted by Lucy from Baking Queen 74. If you haven't checked out her food blog. I highly recommend. Especially if you like slow cooked recipes. You can find a link to her blog here:

http://bakingqueen74.co.uk

She jointly hosts the event with Janice from Farmersgirl Kitchen. Another fab and inspiring blog. A link to her site is here: http://farmersgirl.blogspot.com

Slow cooked Beef and Parsnip Stew

So many of you have asked me to post slow cooked recipes and I think beef stews are often the best.

Nothing quite beats the flavour of beautifully tender beef, plus I love how versatile the meat is. I have so many variations of a 'Beef Stew' and this is one of my favourites. So I have to share it.

It is a very classic Beef Stew, almost like a Beef Bourguignon, as you fry the onions/shallots with garlic and lardons. However the difference is, I don't add red wine with this recipe. The parsnips add a delicious sweetness and flavour and I don't think you need wine.

You can of course add wine if you like. However, if you don't have any to hand to cook with, or any to spare, this recipe works really well without it.

You can choose to cook this on low in your oven. Or your slow cooker. Both work well.

To serve 2 people (generously)

330g of British Beef diced casserole steak
2 large onions or 4/5 shallots
2 rashers or streaky bacon chopped finely. Or one of those little pots of pancetta already diced
2 cloves of garlic chopped
1 large parsnip chopped - large pieces work well.
1 carrot chopped as you wish
1 pint of beef stock
Fresh Parsley
Salt and Pepper

Method:

Firstly add a glug of olive oil to your casserole dish and heat gently.

Coat your beef with a light dusting of flour (a dessert spoon is fine) and a generous helping of salt and pepper.
* Mary Berry recommends adding the beef, flour and seasoning to a freezer bag and shaking to avoid any mess. Very good idea! I tend to just put it all in a bowl and then let the dishwasher get to work afterwards.

When the oil is hot. Add the beef and cook for a few mins, turning to get each piece nice and browned. Set aside in a bowl.

Add the onions, pancetta and garlic and fry gently until all cooked nicely. By now your casserole dish will have lots of very brown bits from the beef/flour earlier. Do not worry about this. As when you add your stock it will dissolve and add plenty of flavour.

Return the beef to the casserole dish and mix with the onions/pancetta and garlic. Slowly add the stock. Stirring as you go. Scrape all the burnt bits into the liquid as you go. At the end you should have a lovely consistency of stock.

Add the parsnip and carrots and give a final stir.

Add to your slow cooker (on low) or in your pre heated oven on about 100 degrees C.

Cook for at least 4 hours. But up to about 8 is fine! Check it occasionally making sure you give it a nice stir. If you know it is cooked perfectly and the meat is beginning to fall apart. Just turn off and heat up again when it is ready to heat.

When ready to serve. Add some black pepper and salt to taste. Plus a generous sprinkling of fresh parsley.

This is perfect with mash potato, jacket potato, a puff pastry top, rice, or even some lovely warm crusty bread.

Enjoy!