Gooey Gooey

Did quite a lot of baking last week but not much writing about it...

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR BANANA BREAD MAKERS: I made one for Sal's mum on Friday and added a large teaspoon of lovely cinnamon. This was clearly the missing ingredient as it was delicious. Also I added an extra banana and found it more moist than before. Go figure.

ALSO: I made some lemon versions of the blood orange slices I made before. Although these were a lot tidier looking, they did not taste as good because it turns out that my slightly burned shortcake was the key to the slices' success. Still they were proper yummy. Here's photographic evidence:

But the real story of this blog is the brownies I made. I'd read a couple of recipes using marshmallow in brownies and, because I had a bag of mini ones in my hot choc corner of the cupboard, I thought I might as well go for it. Seemed wrong to do just two layers though so I ended up popping a ganache on top. They're pretty much to die for. The brownies are so moist that everyone will want to be your friend. Here's the recipe, scroll down for a pic:

Ingredients (brownies):

200g of 70% coco dark chocolate (don't skimp, you'll regret it)
500g caster sugar
375g butter
225g plain flour
Pinch of salt
Dash of vanilla essence

Ingredients (toppings):

Bag of mini marshmallows
200g dark choc
274ml whipping cream

We'll starts, as is our custom, by pre-heating the oven to 180 deg celcius. You gas mark folks can figure the rest out on your own. Line a square tin with some greaseproof paper if you have it. Or maybe just butter it a lot like I did... up to you if you want to risk this. I did and wished I hadn't.

Melt the butter and chocolate together over a low heat, stirring it quite a bit as you go. While that's gooing away, mix the sugar, salt, vanilla and eggs together in a bowl. Add the melted choc and butter. This will look WELL NICE but try not to lick the bowl yet. Next add the flour. Mixy mix. Spoon the mixture into the tray and put in oven for about 20mins. If you like it gooey, don't leave it in any longer.

Whilst that is in the oven, make the ganache topping by heating the cream until almost boiled then pouring it over smashed up chocolate in a bowl and giving it a mix. Shove it in the fridge if you want to thicken it up.

When the brownies are out of the oven, sprinkle the whole mag of mallows evenly over it and put the tray back in the oven until the mallows are all melted together and seriously gooey. Don't worry if they brown slightly, the ganache softens them back up. When ganache has reached your preferred consistency, spread it over. Cut into squares and forget your diet:

Look at those, wacky. Duzza tried to eat one in the car... I'd be careful with that. DO NOT BROWNIE AND DRIVE.

Word!

A x