 
I haven't seen my dad for probably 8 or 9 years now. I haven't been back home now for quite a while. He was away the last time I was home, which was about 5 years ago now. I miss him. Not a lot I can do about it either as finances are kind of tight, but he knows I love him, and that if I could be there I would be there. He would absolutely love these brownies though! He has always been one of my biggest fans, and loves my cooking. Dad, these are for you!
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A compendium of many delicious looking brownies, each one looking a tad more decadent than the other. You will want to bake them all.
There is also some strong coffee in the brownie batter. Not a lot, just a hint. Coffee really helps to enhance chocolate flavours.
They have a perfect chemistry and affinity for each other . . . maybe that is because they are both beans . . . coffee and cacao. You don't really need a lot of it to do it's job.
*Mochachino Brownies with White Mocha Sauce*
Serves 8 - 9
For the Mochachino lover in your life. You can leave out the nuts if you wish.
For the brownies:
120g unsalted butter, plus extra for buttering the pan (1/2 cup)
115g plain chocolate (4 ounces)
2 TBS extra strong black coffee
250g golden caster sugar (1 1/3 cups)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3 large free range eggs, beaten
85g plain flour (1/2 cup + 2 TBS)
55g milk chocolate chips (1/4 cup)
55g toasted walnuts or pecans (1/2 cup) (optional)
Plus more to decorate
For the sauce:
100ml double cream (3 1/2 fluid ounces)
85g white chocolate (3 ounces)
1 TBS strong black coffee
Preheat
the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter and line a 9 inch square
baking tin. (I like to leave an overhang to lift the brownies out with
once they have cooled. Makes it easier to cut them.)
Melt
the chocolate, coffee and butter together in a saucepan over low heat,
stirring, just until the mixture has all melted and is smooth. Cool
slightly.
Whisk in the sugar, cinnamon and
eggs, one at a time. Beat in the flour, chocolate chips and
walnuts/pecans if using. Pour into the prepared pan.
Bake
in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, just until firm, but still
moist. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Lift out and cut into
squares for serving.
To make the sauce, put all ingredients in a small saucepan, and place over low heat. Stir occasionally until melted and smooth.
Place
the brownies onto individual serving plates and spoon the warm sauce
over top. Sprinkle with additional toasted nuts, if using, and serve
immediately.
I wasn't going to put any cream on top, but then I just had to see how it looked (and tasted) and so I did. WOWSA! Incredible! Happy Father's Day and Bon Appetit!
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
Angel Cake is a completely different cake over here in the UK as compared to what I thought of as an Angel Cake when I was growing up. (Angel Food Cake) North American Angel Food Cake is very light and airy, made with only egg whites, sugar, flour and no fat, and baked in a straight sided tube tin!
Angel Cake here is a sponge cake about the size of a loaf, with three distinct and separate coloured layers. White, pink and yellow.
Sandwiched together with vanilla butter cream. Its quite nice, and something we quite like in our home from time to time.
Its really not that difficult to make, but you will need either 3 loaf tins the same size, or a larger cake tin that you can divide into three.
Children love this cake because of the colours. Basically it is the same cake batter for each, just tinted separately for each layer.
The power of suggestion makes it taste better than a normal cake. What is it they say? We really do eat first with our eyes!
I love British Cakes. They are quite substantial in comparison to North American Cakes, and I really like that about them.
Mind you most homemade cakes are a bit more substantial than a cake mix cake.They have that extra added ingredient called love.
Its the same with bread . . . homemade bread always has more substance than store bought . . . and a lot less additives! My sister and I used to play a game with the white bread from the store when we were children.
We could mash and roll a whole slice of it down into a ball about the size of a pea. Try doing that with homemade.
Anyways, back to the cake. This makes a lovely tea time cake. It is very similar in texture to a pound or Madeira cake.
I tend to cut it into two thick lengthwise slices at first . . .
And then I cut each longer piece into 4 shorter pieces, crosswise. Or you can just cut it crosswise into 8 slices.
No matter how you cut it, you are sure to fall in love with it.
This is a cake that first made its appearance, becoming popular on British tables back in the late 19th century. It actually won the "English Cake of the Year" award in 1986.
So, as you can see, its a very popular cake.
It goes beautifully served with hot cups of tea or cold glasses of milk.
It is fabulous served after supper, cut into thin slices and served with small bowls of tinned fruit and cream.
During the war years that would have been tinned evaporated milk instead of cream. Thank goodness, those days are long since passed.
In any case, this cake is bound to be enjoyed no matter what!
Don't pay any attention to my skills for cutting things in straight lines. DUH. I cannot cut or draw a straight line for love or money. I have always cut things wonkily. (Is that a word?)
I always mess it up. Never mind . . . tis just as delicious no matter the size or shape!
*Angel Cake*
cuts into 8 slices
Angel
cake here in the UK is not the same as a North American Angel Cake.
Ours is typically a three layer sponge cake, with white, pink and yellow
layers of a sponge cake sandwiched together with a bit of vanilla
butter cream. You will need 3 (8 by 4 inch) loaf tins, or you can
carefully divide a 9 by 13 inch cake tin into three equal sized
rectangles using aluminium foil.
For the cake:
200g butter, at room temperature ( 1 cup minus 3 1/2 TBS)
270g caster sugar (1 cup +2 1/2 TBS)
3 large free range eggs, beaten
270g plain flour (2 cups minus 1 1/4 TBS)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
225g sour cream (1 cup)
red and yellow food colouring
For the icing:
140g icing sugar sifted (1 cup + 1 1/2 TBS)
60g unsalted butter, softened (1/4 cup)
1 TBS milk
few drops vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter
and line 3 (8 by 4) inch loaf tins with baking paper. Alternately,
butter and line a (9 by 13) inch cake tin, carefully creating 3 separate
sections.
Sift the flour and baking powder
together in a bowl. Set aside. Cream together the butter and sugar
until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs a little bit at a time. If the
mixture starts to curdle, beat in a TBS of the flour mixture. Once all
of the eggs have been incorporated stir in the flour mixture,
alternately with the sour cream, beginning and ending with flour.
Divide the batter into three equal portions, placing 1/3 of the cake
directly into the prepared cake tins. Tint one third of the remaining
batter with red food colouring to give you a pink batter and the
remaining third with yellow to give you a yellow batter. Place each of
these into the remaining tins. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40
minutes until the tops spring back when lightly touched.
PS - I have had an e-mail from someone accusing me of using their recipe for this. I wrote them back to tell them that I had not done so, and that any similarities were an unhappy co-incidence. The original recipe comes from my old friend Doreen that she shared with me back in 2003 not too long after I moved over here.
I had eaten it at her house and she was happy to copy it out for me. I slipped it into a little green notebook I have that is filled with recipes from friends. Usually when I use a friends recipe I am quick to point it out. Today I didn't. I also make it a habit if I have used a recipe from a recipe book or another blog to link back to it, as you all have probably noticed.
Here is my notebook and the handwritten recipe. I am sorry that someone would think that I would use their recipe without sourcing them or linking back to them. I do have to say though, that baking is an exact science and measurements are likely to be similar in most instances.
I have had several looks at her recipe and yes, the ingredients are pretty much the same, except I used three separate colours instead of two. She used a special cake tin for hers, I used three loaf tins. Other than that I don't know what to say. I hate it when things like this happen, which is why I am always very careful to note my sources for everything. Just saying . . .
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
I thought I would entice you today with something delicious that you can cook up for all the Dads in your life for Father's Day. Jack Daniel's Patty Melts!
These fabulous sandwiches are sure to put a wide smile on their faces and are bound to become sure family favourites!
Minced steak patties flavoured with some seasonings and a portion of the Jack Daniel's Original Smooth BBQ sauce. They are grilled and then placed into toasted sour dough bread.
Add to that crisp streaky bacon which has been glazed with Jack Daniel's Smoky Sweet BBQ Glaze, slices of Swiss Gruyere cheese and caramelised onions, and you have a sandwich which packs a really delicious whammy of fabulous flavours!
As I said the burger Patty's themselves are flavoured with the original smooth and the bacon is glazed with the smoky sweet glaze. I was sent some of their line of sauces and glazes to try out.
I jumped at the opportunity as I just love the Jack Daniel's BBQ sauce products and actually have used them many times in the past. They are fabulously tasty sauces and glazes. I could eat them with a spoon!
JACK DANIELS BBQ SAUCE RANGE
All suitable for VEGANS (except for the HONEY BBQ GLAZE)With Jack Daniel’s Sauces, it’s easy to surprise and delight family and friends. Simply serve up luxuriously sticky, glazed chicken wings and ribs, add depth to ‘low and slow’ dishes like pulled pork or beef brisket, or use the sauces as a delicious dip for fries, wedges and veggies.
The latest addition to the range is Jack Daniel’s® Tennessee Honey™ Barbecue Glaze, which is infused with the soft flavours of the popular Jack Daniel’s® Tennessee Honey™ Liqueur, giving the glaze a smooth hint of honey.
Each Jack Daniel’s Sauce is virtually fat-free with around 40 calories per typical 25g serving. Each of the sauces is suitable for vegetarians. Jack Daniel’s Barbecue Sauces are available nationwide from Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Asda and Waitrose, RRP £2.00. Jack Daniel’s® Tennessee Honey™ Barbecue Glaze is available in Waitrose and Tesco stores nationwide RRP £1.99
Lets get real here . . . who doesn't love a patty melt! Not I!
I adore them, and I am slowly bringing my husband around to my way of thinking. The only difference between us now is that I eat mine by hand and he uses a knife and a fork!
I'll be up front here and tell you I didn't cook four of these, only one, which was plenty large enough for the pair of us to enjoy.
I used a lovely Polish rye sourdough that I had picked up at the shops. Oh boy, was it ever good! Look at that cheese melting onto the grill pan and those caramelised onions. Wowsa good!
As you can see it makes for a lovely and hefty sandwich, which is not only a mouthful but a delicious handful as well!
I like to keep the meat patties fairly thinnish. Bear in mind that they will shrink when you are cooking them a bit, so pat them out larger than you want them to be so that they fill the bread well.
I put some of the BBQ sauce in the meat mixture and I glazed the patty with some of the glaze while I was cooking it so that I could really get that lovely Jack Daniel's BBQ flavour into every bite!
Mmmm . . . the bacon was also glazed with some of the Jack Daniel's glaze for a really delicious sweet and salty finish!
Just look at all those delicious layers . . . toasted bread, caramelised onions . . . melted cheese . . . crisp sticky sweet bacon . . . all melded together with that lovely minced steak patty.
Now that's what I call a Patty Melt to die for!!! I think the dad in your life will more than agree!
*Jack Daniels Patty Melt*
Serves 4
Easy and delicious. The dad in your life will love LOVE this!
6 TBS softened butter
1 large onion, peeled, halved and cut into thin half moons
1 1/2 lb. minced steak
65g Jack Daniels Original Smooth BBQ Sauce
1/2 tsp each garlic and onion powders (not salt)
salt and black pepper to taste
12 slices of streaky bacon
Jack Daniels Smoky Sweet BBQ Glaze
8 large slices of Gruyere Swiss style cheese
8 slices of sour dough bread
Melt 2 TBS of the butter in a skillet. Add the
onions. Cook slowly over medium low heat, stirring occasionally, until
caramelised and golden brown. Keep warm.
Preheat
the oven to 220*C/425*F/ gas mark 7. Line a baking tray with some
aluminum foil. Place a baking rack on top of the baking sheet. Lay the
slices of bacon on top of the rack. Bake in the oven for about 8
minutes. Brush lightly with the BBQ Glaze, flip over, brush the bottom
side with the glaze and return to the oven and roast for a further 8 to
10 minutes or until as crisp as you want your bacon to be. Remove and
keep warm.
Mix the ground steak with the BBQ
sauce, garlic and onion powders, and salt and black pepper to taste.
Divide into 4 and shape each into a large oval flat patty, roughly the
size of your slices of bread.
Melt 2 TBS
of butter in a large skillet. Add the beef patties and grill over
medium heat until done and no longer pink in the middle, about 4 minutes
per side. Brush with some of the BBQ Glaze half way through the cooking, if desired. Remove and keep warm.
Heat
a large griddle pan over medium heat. Butter all of your slices of
bread lightly on one side. Place four slices, buttered side down on the
griddle. Top each with a slice of cheese, 1/4 of the onions, 3 slices
of the cooked bacon, and one burger patty.
Place another slice of
cheese on top of the burger patty and the final four slices of bread,
butter side up. Grill the sandwiches until golden brown on the bottom,
carefully flip over and grill until golden brown on the other side. The
cheese should be melted and the bread crisp. Cut in half and serve!
Now that was one mightily delicious mouthful!!! Bon weekend and Bon Appetit!
Note - Although I was sent product free of charge to use in this post, any and all opinions are my own. I quite simply love these sauces. I would never recommend you to use anything that I didn't like myself!
I adore potatoes. They are my favourite vegetable. I could easily live without peas or carrots, but I could never live without potatoes.
They are a wonderful vegetable in all of their incarnations . . . new, old and in between. I love them baked, mashed, boiled or fried. I love them any way I can get them. They are a very versatile vegetable lending themselves to many type of preparation.
A member of the nightshade family, which also includes tomatoes and aubergines, they originated in South America and have been grown widely in Europe since the 1500's.
I love roasting them, either as wedges or in chunks. This recipe I am showing you today is one of my favourites. I adore nachos, but my husband isn't fond of anything that is too hard or crunchy.
He does love potatoes however, like myself, and so it seemed a natural stretch to me to turn my favourite roasted potatoes into nachos, by a clever use of spices and herbs.
You can leave the skins on or peel them for this, both are delicious. I love potato peels, but my husband isn't overly fond of them, so I usually peel them for this purpose.
Its a very simple recipe, quick and easy, but the flavours are amazing!
I use North American Chili powder for these, which I bring back when I go to Canada. I haven't been in quite a while now though, but I have several bags of it in my freezer.
I also had a reader on my FB page send me some lovely Penderies Original Chili blend some months back, which I am using at the moment.
I am almost out of it though, so I will soon be relegated to using what I have in the freezer. This Penderies is really delicious.
Don't be tempted to use what is sold here in the UK as chili powder for this in the same amount that I have recommended in the recipe. It is far toooooooo strong.
I made the mistake of thinking it was the same as the North American one when I first moved over here, and just about blew my husband's 84 year old Aunt's head off! Whew!
The chili powder over here is completely unadulterated with anything else. It is pure chili. So if that is all you have DO cut it way back to what you can reasonably tolerate!
Potato chunks are tossed together with a mix of chili powder, ground cumin, ground coriander, oregano, salt, pepper, garlic, onion powder, oil and green Tabasco sauce.
Spread them out onto a lined and oiled baking sheet in a single layer and bake in a fairly hot oven.
You bake for 10 minutes, give them a stir and then bake them for 10 minutes longer, at which time they are crisp and golden brown on the outsides and tender and sweet on the insides.
Oh boy, they are so good. I could eat them just like that . . .
But instead I scatter cheese over top and return them to the oven just long enough to melt the cheese. A final scattering of chopped spring onion and they are ready to eat.
I serve them with sour cream, just as I would any nacho, and you could of course add any toppings you like. We like them just like this, especially if we are having them as a side dish.
Quick, easy and delicious. Works well for me!
*Roasted Potato Nachos*
Serves 2
This
serves two people, but can easily be multiplied to serve more. What
can I say other than that these are absolutely flippin' delicious!
4 medium potatoes, peeled, (or not) and cut into 1 inch cubes
2 tsp mild chili powder (don't use full strength unadulterated chili powder to this amount,
it will be far too strong. If that is all you have, cut it back accordingly)
1/4 tsp each ground cumin, ground coriander, garlic granules, onion granules
1 tsp dried oregano flakes
salt and black pepper to taste
2 TBS olive oil
splash hot pepper sauce (I like the green Tabasco)
To serve:
60g grated cheddar or jack cheese (1/2 cup)
2 spring onions, finely sliced
sour cream 
Preheat the oven to 220*C/425*F/ gas mark 7. Line a baking tray
with aluminium foil. Spray with non-stick baking spray. Set aside.
Toss
the Potatoes into a bowl along with the seasonings, oil and hot pepper
sauce. Spread out onto the baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove
from the oven and flip the potatoes over. Return to the oven and roast
for a further 10 minutes. They should be tender by then. Sprinkle with
the cheese and return to the oven only long enough for the cheese to
melt. Sprinkle with the spring onions and serve immediately with sour
cream if desired.
You could of course eat these completely on their own and be happy with a variety of toppings and add-ons. Guacamole is fabulous with these. Today I served them as a side dish which we enjoyed with some bacon chops and green beans. Todd was in heaven. Bon Appetit!
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