Chocolate Brownies

Hi does anyone fancy a chocolate brownie, because they are delicious. All gooey inside and a nice crispy top, best ones I have ever made.

To make these little chocolate delights you will need:

200g dark chocolate

175g butter

325g caster sugar

130g self raising flour

3 eggs

You will also need:

Heatproof bowl 

saucepan

scales

mixing spoon

To get started you need to heat your oven to 160C.

Boil the kettle and put the water into the saucepan, place the saucepan onto a medium heat on top of the cooker. Then put the chocolate and butter into your heatproof bowl and place your bowl unto the sauce pan make sure that the bowl doesn't touch the water. Then allow to melt.

Remove the bowl from the heat (with tea towel or oven gloves) then add the sugared stir in until well incorporated then add the flour until incorporated finally add the eggs and mix until smooth and thick (this needs to be done quickly or the eggs will cook).

Pour your mix into the prepared baking tray and bake for 40-50 minutes. They should be flaky on top and soft in the centre (don't worry if they look undercooked they will continue to cook as they cool down).

Once completely cool cut up and enjoy.

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Emma

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Homemade bread

Hi everyone,

I have another great recipe. This time to make your own delicious white crusty bread.

Equipment

Stand mixer with hook attachment (not needed if you wish to mix ingredients by hand)

2lb Bread tin

Measuring spoons

Strong arms!

Ingredients

500g Stong bread flour

7g Dried yeast (usually one packet)

300ml Luke warm water

Sugar

Salt

15g Butter

Method

Start by weighing all your ingredients out and placing them into separate bowls.

Place the flour and salt into the mixing bowl  stir in the sugar and yeast. Mix this together well with the hook attachment or a wooden spoon. then 'rub in' the butter.

Add enough water to form a soft dough.

Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for about 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic you will be able to tell the dough is done if you form it into a tight ball and gently press you finger into it the dough will bounce right back into the ball.

Once you have reached the right consistency it will need to rest I place mine into the hotpress as it has to be somewhere warm to rise. (Proving is the yeast activating and filling the bread with air) I usually put mine into the tin I am going to bake it in (oil your tin first) then shape and place your dough in, cover with a damp tea towel or clingfilm the cover has to be very loosely laid on top if it is tightly wrapped around it will not rise well leading to dense bread.

It will need to prove for 45 minutes or until doubled in size, then place into the oven at 230C (fan assisted) 210C (non-fan) (Gas 8) for 15 minutes then turn down to 200C (fan assisted) 180C (non-fan) (Gas 6) for a further 15-20 minutes. Then turn onto a wire rack. 

You will know it is ready by tapping underneath it will sound hollow.

Tip: if you would like your bread soft wrap it in a tea towel while it is cooling.

Emma

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Leek and goats cheese tartlets

Hi Everyone,

Great recipe for you today, leek and goats cheese tartlets sounds impressive but they are so simple and taste amazing (I love goats cheese).

So onto the recipe.

You are going to need:

2 largish baking trays

Sharp knife

Medium saucepan

Wooden spoon

1 ready roll puff pastry (or you can be adventurous and make your own)

350g of leeks

Knob of butter

Aprox. 200g of goats cheese

1 tsp dried oregano

Salt & pepper (I use cracked pepper)

First Heat your oven to 220C.

Add the butter to the medium saucepan and melt over a medium heat.

Cut your leeks up medium/thick and add to the melted butter, once they have wilted add the oregano and salt and pepper to taste. Allow to cook for another 5-6 minutes.

While the leeks are cooking unroll you pastry and cut into 12 portions (3x4). Once you have your 12 portions make a slight indentation with your knife the whole way around you pastry about 0.5cm from the edge of you pastry.

Add your leeks to the pastry then top with the goats cheese and place in your oven for about 10-15 minutes.

Once they have turned a golden brown they are ready to eat.

So enjoy these tasty treats and don't forget to share and subscribe.

Emma 

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50 Shades of OPI

Hi Everyone,

OPI recently launched a nail polish set for the 50 shades of grey movie. Its not an overly exciting set as it had 4 different shades of grey a sparkly polish which I think is more of a top coat than a polish on its own and a red polish in it.

Not really expecting much I gave them a go and I have to say that I really like them they go on great 2-3 coats and they dry really quick as most OPI polishes do. I tested them on nail extensions to show you the colours because after my last nail polish post I swore my nails were going to crumble of my hands.

My Silk Tie is a metallic silver it was opaque in three coats lasted 2-3 days with a top coat and had a really nice metallic shine of it.

Dark Side of the Mood is an almost black-grey colour three coats for opacity and a nice glossy finish it it is a creme formula and had very small shimmer to it but you really had to look at it to see that. 3-4 days with a top coat.

Romantically Involved is a nice pop of colour in this really rather grey set, its a creme finish has a nice glossiness and was opaque in two coats 3-4 days with a top coat.

Embrace the Grey when I painted this one onto the extension while I was sitting at the table in the kitchen there was a slight outburst of "Cool Ferguson grey!" I won't embarrass the culprit but it was a good way to describe this one. It has a creme finish and lasted 3-4 days with a top coat.

Shine for Me is a dense glitter polish but still took 4 quite thick coats to get full opacity I do believe it is more of a top coat to add a bit of glitter to the other ones this lasted 5 days with a top coat before chipping.

Cement the deal is the last polish in this set and is a lighter grey two coats made this polish opaque it has a creme formula and a glossy finish. This one lasted 3-4 days with a top coat.

This is a nice set if you are into collecting but these polishes are basic colours and can defiantly be got cheaper in other brands. My favourite ones are defiantly Dark Side of the Mood and Romantically Involved if you are goinf to get any I think those are the best ones or a cheaper option is to buy the mini set and get all the colours in mini (£19.95 on OPI site for the mini set each full sized bottle is £11.95).

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Emma
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