Recipes

Luscious Joys is just for mothers this month; to brighten your day, put a smile on your face and make you feel special (because you are). No one in the world can replace a “Mom”. After all, your children would not be here if it wasn’t for YOU; just think about that for a moment. No one deserves a more royal treatment than you—the wonderful person you are.

So for the children… Here are two Luscious and easy recipes you can make for your mother on Mother’s Day or any day – it does not have to be Mother’s Day to make your MOM feel special and loved. Also, don’t forget to take her out for a special brunch, lunch or dinner too. Indulge with her at one of the many highly-rated local restaurants our communities have to offer. She deserves to be spoiled.

There is absolutely nothing better or more Luscious in this whole world than a great brownie and I think I have finally found the perfect recipe.

CHOCOLATE BROWNIE CAKE

7 Tbsp. butter                                      1 Cup powdered sugar

1/3 Cup light brown sugar                  ½ Cup chocolate chips

1 Tbsp. golden syrup                           2 eggs

1 Tsp vanilla                                        ½ Cup plain flour

 ½ Tsp baking powder                         2 Tbsp. cocoa powder

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line an 8” x 8” cake tin. Place the butter, powdered sugar, brown sugar, chocolate chips and golden syrup in the pan and melt gently on a low heat until it is smooth and lump-free. Remove the pan from the heat. Break the eggs into the bowl and whisk with the fork until light and frothy. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, flour, baking powder and cocoa powder to the chocolate mixture and mix thoroughly. Put the mixture into the greased and lined cake tin and place on the middle shelf of the oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

TUTTI-FRUTTI ROUNDS

These sound delightful; I would love to receive these from my children.

200g bar white chocolate (Belgian white chocolate is ideal)

½ Cup butter                                       6 rich tea biscuits or 12 rich tea fingers

4 green glacé cherries                        1/3 Cup dried cranberries

2 Tbsp. raisins

Break the chocolate straight into a large microwave-proof bowl. Using a round-bladed knife cut the butter into rough chunks and add to the chocolate. Microwave on medium for about 3 minutes, stirring once, until melted. If you don’t have a microwave, pour a few inches of boiling water from a kettle into a small saucepan. Set the bowl over the pan so that it doesn’t touch the water, and let the water bubble very gently until the chocolate and butter have melted. Stir the mixture until smooth, set aside to allow it to cool to room temperature, stirring once or twice as it cools. While the chocolate is cooling, place the biscuits in a large bowl and scrunch them with your hands. Put the pieces into a large, thick freezer bag and seal the top. Crush the biscuits into little crumbs by bashing them with a rolling pin. Don’t completely crush them – they should have some crunch left in them. Rinse the cherries in a sieve under a warm water tap and pat dry with kitchen paper. Then cut them into pieces so they are the same size as the cranberries and raisins. Stir the biscuits and all the fruits into the melted chocolate and butter, chill in the bowl for about 2 hours until the mixture is almost solid. Tear off a sheet of cling wrap and spread it out on a work surface. Scoop out half of the chilled mixture, shape into a long roll on top of the cling wrap and wrap it up. Repeat with the remaining mixture. Chill overnight to firm up. The rolls can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months. Unwrap each roll and carefully cut into 16 rounds – you might find a serrated knife easier for this.

There you have it!

Happy Mother’s Day!

Kathryn Hartwell