Little Box Brownie

A Baking Blog from Melbourne, Australia

Recipe

Spice up your life

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The first time I came across chilli and chocolate was in the movie ‘chocolat’ staring Jonny Depp and Juliette Binoche. I have never experimented with this favour combo in my cooking, well that is until now. I have however had chilli hot chocolate at some of the beautiful chocolatier shops that are scattered throughout Melbourne. I love the flavour combo, so I decided I would try it in a brownie. The chilli flavour is very subtle, you probably wouldn’t even know it was there unless someone told you. It just ascents the flavour of the chocolate creating the slightest spice, left lingering your mouth. 


Chilli & Chocolate Brownies

150g butter
500g chocolate buttons
5 eggs
2 cups brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
1 teaspoon of chilli powder
3/4 cup of flour


Pre heat oven to 175C

Cube the butter, then place into a bain marie, with the chocolate. Slowly heat until the chocolate and butter have melted.

In a separate bowl place the eggs, sugar, essence and chilli, beat until the mixture becomes glossy and thick. Slowly add the chocolate mixture to this while stirring constantly. Then sift in the flour and stir until combined.

Pour into a 20×30 cm tin and bake for 20 minutes or until cooked.

Peaches and Strawberry Slice

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Peaches and Strawberry Slice

I know, I know, whats with all the strawberry recipes?? Well the simple fact is they’re so incredibly cheap at the moment, every time I go past the veggie shop they call to me.
Buy me, buy me, they sing. They sit at the front of the shop and wait, I swear they do.

Who can resist a beautiful strawberry, who am I kidding – who can resist any kind of strawberry, even the not so good ones can be made into a beautiful pie, tart or cake. So these, not so beautiful strawberries that found their way home today, have been paired with some peaches, which also sat at the front of the shop and waited for me. Would you believe I went looking for apricots to make and apricot tart? Well, that was not meant to be as there was not a single apricot to be found. Anywhere.

I shall try not to bring you anymore strawberry dishes, but I’m not promising. Summer finished here in Australia on the 28th of February, so we are officially in Autumn (fall for all my American followers). I expect strawberries will soon be on there way out, and the winter fruit and veggies will be on their way in. So best to make the most of them while they’re still around!!!

Shortcake slice

Peaches And Straberries

Slice with icing sugar
Peach and Strawberry Slice

Filling

7 fresh peaches
1/4 cup of water
8 strawberries chopped


Base/topping

200g butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups of flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder

Pre heat the oven to 175

Cut and de-seed the peaches into eighths. Place in a saucepan with the water and heat until the peaches become soft and start to break up. Remove from the heat and set aside
To make the base/topping, place the butter and sugar into a bowl and cream together with and electric mixer. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Sift in the flour and baking powder and stir until a dough forms.
Press 2/3 of the mixture into a lined 15x20cm tin. Then pour over the peaches, and press in the strawberries. With the remaining dough pull pieces off and place randomly over the top of the fruit until mostly covered. Place in the oven and bake for 35 minutes or until golden.
Cut up slice

Rustic slice

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Cookies

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This one is for all the American readers out there. I have never tried peanut butter cookies before and well, all I can say is you guys know a good thing. Wow, how good are they!!! I normally like a soft centre gooey cookie, but these are soft, melt in your mouth almost like eating whipped peanut butter, with the added goodness of chocolate. I think these are my new favourite cookies. I’m going to start experimenting with more peanut butter in my recipes after this one. Do you have great peanut butter recipe you want to share??

 

Peanut butter and Choc Chip Cookies

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Cookies
Author: Sophia Purvis
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Ingredients
  • 100g butter
  • 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons greek yoghurt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking power
  • 1 ½ cups plain flour
  • 250g chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Pre heat the oven to 175C
  2. In a bowl cream butter, peanut butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Stir through the egg and yoghurt, then sift in the flour and baking power and combine. Stir through the chocolate chips, then spoon the cookie dough onto a lined tray.
  3. Bake in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until cooked. Fabulous to have with a coffee tea or great with a big glass of milk.

 

Apple Cider Scones

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Scones
When I lived in London I would pick up these amazing magazines from a supermarket called Waitrose. They were a free monthly magazine, they were so inspiring and filled with amazing photographs. When I returned to Australia, my bags were so full, we even had to send some things back to Australia by post which I think cost about $500. Anyway, there was no way I was leaving these behind, so I smuggled them into my already overflowing bag, without my travelling partner knowing, as I’m sure he would of thought that I was ridiculous, and I managed to get them back to Australia safely. 
When I returned I even wrote to the supermarket to ask if I could get them to send them to me, but sadly they unfortunately said that they could not. I know I’m a little obsessed with these books, but they really are wonderful. 
There are so many great recipes in these books, and one of them is scones with vodka soaked strawberries, which to be honest where a bit strong in the vodka department. So using the idea of the vodka soaked strawberries, I have come up with this next recipe. Apple Cider Scones served with strawberries infused with cider. The cider is subtle taste but is definitely there.

Apple cider scones

Scones

Scones with apple cider strawberries

Scones on a plate

Scones
Scones

2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup of thick cream
1/2 cup of apple cider
2 tablespoons milk

Strawberries

100g of cut strawberries
1/3 cup apple cider

Place all the ingredients into a bowl, stir until the ingredients combine. Pour onto a floured surface and knead until a dough forms.
Press out using your fingers until 2cm thick then use a 3cm cookie cutter and cut out, place on an oven tray and place in the oven for 25-30mins or until cooked.

 Cut the strawberries into pieces. Place in a saucepan with the cider, heat until the strawberries start to break down and the cider reduces.

Serve with whipped cream
Apple cider scones

Apple cider scones
Apple cider scones

Apple cider scones