Riverford Farm Chocolate Beetroot Brownies......Heaven!!

While at Riverford Farm last month for the family day my husband had one of their Beetroot Brownies. Ever since he has been on at me to get the recipe, so I emailed the farm and they kindly sent me the recipe......after wards I realised it was in their cook book all along, which I have and highly recommend!

So last night I got baking and these are the finnished product, sticky, dense, very chocolatey, rich and delicious! When I find a good thing I believe in sharing it with as many people as possiable so here you are........happy baking!

250g dark chocolate, the higher the cocoa % the better, I used 85%.

200g unsalted butted, cut into cubes.

1 table spoon Tia Maria (optional)

250g cooked beetroot.

3 eggs

1 drop vanilla extract

200g caster/fine white sugar

50g cocoa powder

50g rice flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

100g ground almonds.

Melt together chocolate and butter, I used the microwave on low.

Remove from heat and stir in Tia Maria, if using.

Puree the cooked beetroot in food processor. Add the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla and sugar, and mix until smooth.

Sift the cocoa, rice flour and baking powder and stir in the ground almonds. Stir chocolate into the beetroot mixture and then fold in the dry ingredients.

Use a baking parchment to line a rectangular tin. pour in the mixture and place in an oven preheated to 180c/gas mark 4. Bake for 30-35 mins, until just firm to the touch.

Do not over cook; a skewer inserted into the centre should come out slightly sticky.

Leave to cool and cut into squares.

Feel free to add things , like nuts or mini marshmallows. At Riverford they had added fresh raspberries.....Divine!

Sugar cookies.......made by little fingers!!

2 cups soft butter.

2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

2 tbsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp salt

5 cups plain flour

in bowl cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

add eggs, vanilla and salt. Mix until combined.

add flour slowly.

refridgerate until firm.

roll out.

cut shapes.

bake at 170c for 15 mins.

decorate how ever you want.

enjoy!!!!!

Magnolia cupcakes.....perfection!

These are the best cupcakes going.
The recipe is from Magnolia in New York City.


CUPCAKES:
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

ICING:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
6 to 8 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 180c.
Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers.
In a small bowl, combine the flours. Set aside.
In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about three-quarters full. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.

Icing.......

Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. (Use and store the icing at room temperature because icing will set if chilled.) Icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Summer Yum!!!!

If you like fresh strawberries these are the cakes for you, they are perfect for summer tea parties!

Strawberry and Polenta cupcakes.

For the cakes.......

140g unsalted butter, softened.

140g golden caster sugar.

Zest of 1/2 a lemon.

85g polenta.

3 eggs beaten.

140g plain flour.

1 tsp baking powder.

1 tbsp milk.

140g strawberries, chopped.

For the icing......

140g icing sugar.

5 strawberries hulled and chopped.

lemon juice.

6 strawberries halved for decoration.

Line a 12 hole muffin tin with paper cases and heat oven to 180c.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and lemon zest until pale and fluffy. Add polenta and continue to whisk until combined. Beat in the eggs.
Sift in flour and baking powder, then fold in quickly with a large spoon. Stir in milk to loosen, then fold in the chopped strawberries.

Divide into the muffin tray and bake for 20 mins until tops are golden and springy to the touch.

Cool for a few mins and then place on wire rack to cool completely.

To ice......

Carefully Peel the cases off the cakes. Sift the icing sugar into a bowl. place the strawberries into another bowl and add 1 tsp of lemon juice, mash with fork until pulpy.

Push through a sieve over icing sugar. If needed stir in a little more lemon juice until you have a thick but fluid paste.

Dip each cake in the icing and then top with half a strawberry. Leave for icing to set and then serve.

Cakes keep for 2-3 days.

KitchenAid love!

Well a couple of weeks ago we had a team of people come and visit the organization that my husband and myself run.

They wanted to bless me with a gift and thank me for the work I do with the orphans of KZN.

The gift that they chose to give me was a Colbalt blue KitchenAid mixer!!!!! I could not believe my eyes when I saw it! I have wanted one of these Mixers for about 8 years, this was the best gift ever!!!

So now that I have this mixer I have gone baking nuts, my family are loving it!