Brownies, Blondies and Other Traybakes E-Book

Ryland Peters & Small

• Herausgeber: Ryland Peters & Small
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2021

Beschreibung

A collection of 65 gorgeously gooey and sumptuously sweet brownies, blondies and traybakes, from much-loved vintage classics to modern creations.

Das E-Book Brownies, Blondies and Other Traybakes wird angeboten von Ryland Peters & Small und wurde mit folgenden Begriffen kategorisiert:
Brownies, Blondies, Best brownie recipes, quarantine baking, Great British Bake-off, Chocolate, chocolate brownies, baking brownie book, sweet traybake recipes, brownie recipe, tray bake recipe book, brownie cookery book, best ever brownie recipe, brownie cookbook

Leseprobe

BROWNIES, BLONDIES

and other traybakes

BROWNIES, BLONDIES

and other traybakes

65 delicious recipes for home-baked sweet treats

Senior Designer Toni kay

Editor Alice Sambrook

Head of Production Patricia Harrington

Art Director Leslie Harrington

Editorial Director Julia Charles

Publisher Cindy Richards

Indexer Hilary Bird

First published in 2016 and

reissued in 2021 by

Ryland Peters & Small

20–21 Jockey’s Fields

London WC1R 4BW

and

341 E 116th St

New York NY 10029

www.rylandpeters.com

Recipe collection compiled by Alice Sambrook. Text © Amy Ruth Finegold, Annie Rigg, Bea Vo, Carol Hilker, Claire Burnet, Dan May, Hannah Miles, Jordan Bourke, Julian Day, Laura Washburn, Linda Collister, Liz Franklin, Mickael Benichou, Nicola Graimes, Sarah Randell, Shelagh Ryan, Victoria Glass, Will Torrent and Ryland Peters & Small 2016. Design and photographs © Ryland Peters & Small 2016.

ISBN: 978-1-78879-385-8

eISBN: 978-1-78879-405-3

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

The authors’ moral rights have been asserted. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.

A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library. US Library of Congress CIP data has been applied for.

Notes

* Both British (Metric) and American (Imperial) are included in these recipes for your convenience, however it is important to work with one set of measurements and not alternate within a recipe.

* All eggs are medium (UK) or large (US) unless specified as large, in which case US extra-large should be used. Recipes containing raw or partially cooked eggs should not be served to the very young, very old, anyone with a compromised immune system or pregnant women.

* Where a recipe calls for the grated zest of citrus fruit, buy unwaxed fruit and wash well before using. If you can only find treated fruit, scrub well in warm soapy water before using.

* Ovens should be preheated to the specified temperatures. We recommend using an oven thermometer. If using a fan-assisted oven, adjust temperatures according to the manufacturer’s specific instructions.

Contents

Introduction

Sweet and Simple

Fabulously Fruity

Absolutely Nuts

Healthier and Wholesome

Little Kids and Big Kids

Deliciously Decadent

Index

Credits

Introduction

The quest for the elusive best-ever brownie is one that never ends, it can be sprung upon you at any moment – whether eaten in the corner of a cosy café, accompanying coffee at a friend’s house, or attending an unassuming bake sale, a truly fabulous brownie is something you will find yourself lusting after for years to come. Likewise, blondies, the trendy younger sister of the brownie and the extended family of traybakes, are just as well-loved, and this genre of straightforward baking ensures goodies to suit every occasion. The bakes in this book are equally delicious consumed warm fresh from the oven with a cup of tea or coffee, packed in a box and eaten cold, or warmed through and served with cream, custard or ice cream as a dinner party dessert.

As the epitome of easy but delicious, throw-together bakes, brownies, blondies and traybakes are accessible to bakers of all levels. All you really need is a mixing bowl, a rectangular pan and a hot oven to create amazing treats.

Once you have mastered the basics you can choose to dress up your creations with different toppings and decorations to create something pretty. As with all baking, it pays to use the very best ingredients: fresh eggs, good-quality fruit and chocolate with a high cocoa percentage. You can also experiment with fancy chocolate that contains extra pre-added flavourings such as coffee, orange or sea salt. This is a fabulous collection of recipes to ignite your baking inspiration, so get in the kitchen and rustle up one of these delightful bakes.

In the Sweet and Simple chapter find classics such as the Millionaire’s Shortbread or Belgian Chocolate Blondie. In the Fabulously Fruity chapter try a zesty Chocolate, Ginger and Orange Slice or a Very Berry Cheesecake Brownie. Go Absolutely Nuts with a Pistachio Brownie or Hazelnut Praline Brownie in the chapter devoted to all things nutty. In Healthier and Wholesome find virtuous Muesli Bars and Carrot Oat Squares for those days when you need something a little lighter. The Little Kids and Big Kids chapter is bursting with fun ideas such as Brownie Pops and Whoopie Pies, which will delight kids and adults alike. Finally, discover luscious creations like the Butterscotch Blondie or Black Forest Brownies in the Deliciously Decadent chapter.

SWEET AND SIMPLE

Chocolate fudge brownies

The kind of disappointing, mealy brown cake served in some cafés as brownies is a long way from the real thing. A genuine brownie should first and foremost taste intensely of chocolate. There should be undertones of coffee and vanilla and it should be dark and nutty, with a fudge-like centre and a firm, slightly crispy outer surface. This easy recipe is intended to produce such classic brownies. To portion, refrigerate until chilled, then slice with a sharp knife.

3 eggs

220 g/1 cup plus 2 tablespoons caster/superfine sugar

300 g/10½ oz. dark/bittersweet chocolate, broken into pieces

220 g/2 sticks butter

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 tablespoon instant coffee granules

2 tablespoons water, boiling

70 g/½ cup self-raising/self-rising flour

100 g/⅔ cup chopped walnuts

a 34 x 20 x 3-cm/14 x 8 x 1¼-inch baking pan, greased and lined with baking parchment

Makes 20

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) Gas 4.

Put the eggs and sugar in a large bowl. With a balloon whisk or a hand-held electric whisk, beat together until smooth, very thick and pale, and no sugar is left in the base of the bowl.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Do not let the base of the bowl touch the water. Stir frequently until smooth and well mixed. Put the vanilla extract and coffee granules in a cup, add the boiling water and stir until dissolved and smooth. Add the melted chocolate and butter to the egg and sugar mixture, followed by the coffee infusion and stir to mix. Fold in the flour, then add the walnuts and gently stir through.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking pan and bake in the preheated oven for 35–40 minutes until just firm to the touch. Remove the brownies from the oven and leave to cool in the pan, then turn out onto a wire rack. They are best eaten warm or at room temperature but are easier to slice when chilled.

The brownies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 7–10 days. They are also good for home freezing.

Belgian blondies

If you are not a fan of white chocolate, you will still like these. If you are a fan of white chocolate, you will love these. The unique structure of white chocolate allows the batter to stay quite gooey even when cooked. For this recipe it is essential to have real white chocolate as opposed to ‘white chocolate product’, which will clump up and separate into an oily mess when melted with butter.

480 g/1 lb. good-quality white chocolate, chopped into pea-size pieces

320 g/2¾ sticks butter

2 eggs

250 g/1 ¼ cups caster/superfine sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

250 g/1 ¾ cups plus 2 tablespoons plain/all-purpose flour

a pinch of salt

a 30 x 20 x 5-cm/12 x 8 x 2-inch baking pan, greased and lined with baking parchment

Makes 12

Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F) Gas 3.

Put the chocolate in a medium bowl. Put the butter in a pan and melt until just boiling. Pour the butter immediately over the chocolate and stir with a wooden spoon until well combined and smooth.

Put the eggs, sugar and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl and beat together using a hand-held electric whisk. Pour the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and stir. Add the flour and salt and mix until just combined.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared brownie pan and bake in the preheated oven for 28–33 minutes. It should be golden brown on top and still gooey in the centre, so a wooden skewer test will not work.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the pan for 1 hour. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Remove the blondie from the pan and cut into 12 squares.

Tip: Make sure you use real, high-quality white chocolate and not white chocolate baking drops. White chocolate consists of milk, sugar and cocoa butter, while white baking drops are made of vegetable oil, weird flavouring, sugar and some type of milk product: a no-no in baking.

Bakewell slices

If you like Bakewell tart but have only ever eaten the commercially produced variety, you’re in for a treat. No sign here of sickly sweet fondant icing or a neon-bright cherry on top – just a sweet pastry base, good raspberry jam/jelly and fragrant frangipane paste topped with almonds. It is excellent as a teatime treat or served warm with cream.

PASTRY BASE

200 g/1½ cups plus 2 tablespoons plain/all-purpose flour

50 g/⅓ cup ground almonds

75 g/⅓ cup caster/superfine sugar

160 g/11 tablespoons butter, at room temperature, cubed

1 egg yolk

150 g/⅔ cup raspberry jam/jelly

FILLING

130 g/9 tablespoons butter, softened

160 g/¾ cup caster/superfine sugar

4 eggs

260 g/1¾ cups ground almonds

40 g/⅓ cup flaked/slivered almonds, to decorate

a 34 x 20 x 3-cm/14 x 8 x 1¼-inch

baking pan, greased

baking parchment baking beans

Makes 12

Put the flour, ground almonds and sugar in a large bowl and stir until evenly mixed. Add the butter and use your fingertips to rub it into the mixture until the texture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and, still using your hands, mix and knead until the dough binds together into a tight, smooth ball.

Wrap the dough in clingfilm/plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes until firm. Remove the pastry from the refrigerator and allow to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes before using.

Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F) Gas 3.

On a lightly floured work surface, carefully roll out the pastry until about 5 mm/¼ inch thick and use it to line the baking pan. The pastry is fragile to handle but any gaps can be repaired using surplus pastry. Gently press along the sides and into the corners and trim off the excess pastry with a sharp knife. Prick the base in a few places with a fork and line the tart case with a sheet of baking parchment. Fill the tart case with baking beans and blind bake in the preheated oven for 15–20 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Leave the oven on.

Spread the raspberry jam/jelly evenly over the cooled pastry base.

To make the filling, cream together the butter and sugar in a large bowl until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Add the ground almonds and whisk thoroughly.

Spoon the filling over the jam/jelly base and spread to the sides of the pan. Sprinkle the flaked/slivered almonds over the top and bake in the hot oven for 30–35 minutes or until the filling is golden on top and feels firm in the middle. Remove from the oven and leave to cool before cutting into 12 slices.

The slices will keep in an airtight container for 5–7 days.

Buttery carrot cake

Carrot cake is always a popular choice with mid-morning coffee. This version is spiced up with cinnamon, raisins and orange. The sweetened mascarpone topping has a lovely texture, less dense than the classic cream cheese. Orange zest is a simple but effective decoration, but you could always make the traditional little baby carrots out of coloured marzipan or fondant icing if you prefer.

250 g/2 sticks butter, softened

250 g/1¼ cups golden caster/granulated sugar, plus extra for dusting

4 eggs, beaten

300 g/2⅓ cups self-raising/self-rising flour

2 large carrots, peeled and grated

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

grated zest and juice of 1 orange

50 g/⅓ cup sultanas/golden raisins

MASCARPONE TOPPING

50 g/3 tablespoons mascarpone

100 g/½ cup caster/superfine sugar

zest of 2 oranges, cut into fine slivers or shavings

a 20 x 30-cm/8 x 12-inch baking pan, greased

Makes 15

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) Gas 4.

Cream together the butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs a little at a time, until the mixture is smooth. You can add a little flour in between each addition if the mixture seems to be curdling.

Stir in the remaining flour, grated carrot, cinnamon and orange juice and zest. Add the sultanas/golden raisins and stir until everything is fully incorporated. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 35–40 minutes, until risen and golden. Dust with a little more sugar and leave to cool in the pan.

To make the topping, beat the mascarpone and sugar together. Cut the cake into squares and decorate with little dollops of the mascarpone mixture and a little orange zest.

Chocolate tiffin

A firm favourite with children, using good-quality chocolate, fruit and nuts means this tasty, no-bake cake is equally appealing to adults, too. Quick to make, it can be prepared in advance and is ideal for parties.

400 g/14 oz. digestive biscuits/graham crackers

100 g/⅔ cup sultanas/golden raisins

70 g/½ cup roughly chopped pecans

60 g/½ cup chopped glacé/candied cherries

70 g/½ cup dark/bittersweet chocolate chips or chunks

250 g/8½ oz. dark/bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped

90 g/⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon golden syrup/light corn syrup

70 g/4½ tablespoons butter

a 34 x 20 x 3-cm/14 x 8 x 1¼-inch baking pan, lined with baking parchment

Makes 18

Put the biscuits/crackers in a plastic bag and tap them with a rolling pin to break up into small pieces, but not crumbs. Put the pieces in a large bowl with the sultanas/golden raisins, pecans, cherries and chocolate chips and mix together with a wooden spoon.

Put the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Do not let the base of the bowl touch the water. Add the syrup and butter and mix together, stirring continuously, until melted and smooth. This can also be done in a microwave: heat for a few seconds, remove, stir and return to the microwave, repeating until fully melted.

Pour the melted chocolate mixture into the mixing bowl with the dry ingredients and mix until everything is well coated in chocolate.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking pan, spread level and press down firmly with the back of the spoon. Refrigerate and allow to harden completely, preferably overnight. To portion, slice using a sharp knife.

The tiffin will keep for 3–5 days in the refrigerator, or freeze for up to 2 months.

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