Brownies (Microwaved)

Brownies come in a variety of forms. They are either fudgy or cakey, depending on their density. They may include nuts, icing, cream cheese, chocolate chips, or other ingredients. Brownies are typically accompanied by either milk or coffee. In our house, it doesn't matter whether they are fudgy or cakey, they will be gone in a jiffy. Sometimes we just eat it as is, especially if they just came out of the oven, sometimes, we serve it with whipped cream or sometimes, just dust with icing sugar. One thing is definite, whatever we put on top, it will be eaten, because it's one of our favourites. This recipe is a very simple one and a quick one too. If you need a quick fix of chocolate, this is for you. Enjoy ...

Ingredients:

METRIC/IMPERIAL

75 g/3 oz plain chocolate, broken
100 g/4 oz butter
2 eggs
225 g/8 oz sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
100 g/4 oz plain flour, sifted
100 g/4 oz mixed nuts, chopped

AMERICAN

3 squares semi-sweet chocolate, broken
½ cup butter
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
1 cup chopped mixed nuts

Directions:

Line a 20 cm/8 inch square box or dish with plastic cling film. I used a rectangular pyrex dish.

Put the chocolate and butter in a bowl and Microwave on high for 1 ½ minutes until the chocolate is melted.

In another bowl, beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla essence (extract) together until thick and creamy. Fold in the flour and chocolate mixture in alternate spoonfuls. Fold in the nuts.

Turn the mixture into the lined box and spread smoothly. Microwave on high for 5 – 6 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean; give the dish a quarter turn every 1 minute during cooking.

Leave in the box or dish until cold, then turn out and cut into squares.

MAKES 16 TO 20 BROWNIES

Peach Kuchen

This is a very refreshing cake. Considering the amount of sugar I used in this recipe, surprisingly, it's not very sweet. It's best to eat when it's been in the fridge for 2 hours or so. Of course, that's not a rule, if you want to eat it as soon as you finished decorating it, go for it. Alternatively, you can use mangoes when they are in season. That's also very very delicious. It will be called mango cake then, right? Left, my sons will tell me. Hope you enjoy this as much as we enjoy it. Cheers!

Ingredients

10 egg whites
1 cup caster sugar
10 egg yolks
¼ cup water
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 cup caster sugar
2 cup sifted self raising flour

Directions:

Preheat oven to 180 C/350 F. Spray a square or round pan.
Beat egg whites until foamy.
Gradually add 1 cup of sugar, continue beating until very stiff but not dry. Set aside.
Beat egg yolks with water and vanilla until creamy.
Gradually add the other cup of sugar, beating well until thick and lemon coloured.
Fold half of the egg whites into the egg yolks. Mix well.
Then, fold the egg yolks mixture alternately with flour into egg whites.
Pour in the prepared baking pan and bake for 20 -25 minutes or until done.
Cool. Ice and decorate.

To decorate.

Beat/whip some double cream (I use 400 ml) until thick and spreadable. Or you can buy the ready mix stuff.
Split the cake in the middle. Make the cut even as much as possible.
Spread the whipped cream on the bottom cut layer. Arrange the slices of peaches.
Place the other half of cake on top and spread the remaining whipped cream. Sometimes I also spread whipped cream on the bottom side of the top cake before I lay it on top so that the peaches are sandwich with whipped cream.
Garnish with the rest of the peaches. Chill and serve.