Peanut Butter, Coffee, Chocolate Brownies

Just in case you have not eaten enough sweet morsels over this holiday season, here is another that is just delish and something you have to try.  This recipe came about from sheer desperation. It was one of those moments when I was craving something sweetish and the pantry shelves just stared back at me with nothing ready-made on option.

It was time to get back to basics and raid the shelves for two of my favourites ... peanut butter and Nutella.  Pull a few staples from the fridge and presto ... a delish dessert baked in the oven in less than 10 minutes.

What I really like about these brownies is they are not too sweet as the peanut butter and coffee cuts through the hazelnut chocolate spread, so a really good balance.

To serve, I spread a little extra Nutella on the top of the cooled brownie and for the saucy base, I whipped up one of those instant pudding mixes - caramel to be exact.  For a little festive snow, dust some icing sugar and serve.

Peanut Butter, Coffee & Chocolate Brownies

Serves 4

60ml Nutella chocolate spread
60ml smooth peanut butter
1 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1.2 tsp instant coffee
5 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp baking powder

Preheat to 170'C (350'F).  Add Nutella, peanut butter and egg to a bowl and mix by hand with a spatula to combine all well.

Add vanilla essence and coffee to a small ramkin and stir until the coffee has dissolved.  Add coffee liquid, flour and baking powder to the chocolate mix and stir thoroughly by hand until all is mixed well.

Add mixture to a small square oven dish, lined with baking paper.   Spread mix smooth over the top with the back of a spoon.  Bake for 11 minutes, or until a skewer removes clean and allow to cool before slicing.

Enjoy ...
~ Michelle ~

Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

This is my kind of cake, not only is it delicious and moist, but it only has 3 ingredients.

Catching up on my Master Chef Australia series, food critic Matt Preston whipped up this little beast in a contestant Master Class.  I could not believe how it turned out and had to give it a try.

The results ... nothing but delicious, light and moist.  Not you're usual textured chocolate cake for the obvious reasons, no flour and all the typical ingredients - but more like a mousse.

The secret here is fold, fold and fold.  You need to keep the folding light as not to let all the air out of the eggs.  However, it needs to be folded well so all the Nutella is mixed, otherwise it will weigh and cook to the bottom of the cake.

Happy scoffing

~ Michelle ~ 

RECIPE

(serves 4 - 6)

4 eggs

240g Nutella

1 tsp vanilla extract

Pre-heat oven to 175’C

Soften Nutella over a double boiler

Beat eggs for 6 min on high in an electric mixer

Add vanilla and a ½ of Nutella to the egg and carefully fold together

Add remaining Nutella and fold, fold and fold

Make sure you take the chocolate off the bottom of the bowl and fold it in

Place in a greased baking tin

Bake for 25 min in the middle of the oven