Indulgent Chocolate Brownies

• 250g unsalted butter
• 200g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), crumbled
• optional: 75g dried sour cherries pre-soaked in cherry liquor
• 80g cocoa powder, sifted
• 65g plain flour, sifted
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 360g caster sugar
• 4 large free-range or organic eggs

Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Line a 25cm square baking tin with greaseproof paper. In a large bowl over some simmering water, melt the butter and the chocolate and mix until smooth. Add the cherries, if you’re using them, and stir together. In a separate bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder and sugar, then add this to the chocolate and cherry mixture. Stir together well. Beat the eggs and mix in until you have a silky consistency.

Pour your brownie mix into the baking tray, and place in the oven for around 25 minutes. You don’t want to overcook them so, unlike cakes, you don’t want a skewer to come out all clean. The brownies should be slightly springy on the outside but still gooey in the middle. Allow to cool in the tray, then carefully transfer to a large chopping board and cut into chunky squares. These are excellent served with a good strong espresso.



Enjoy!

Lemon and Honey Cough Mixture

Two juicy lemons
150ml (5floz) clear honey
50ml(2floz) glycerine

Squeeze the juice from the two lemons and strain the juice to get it as clear as possible. Put the lemon juice, honey and glycerine into a jug and mix very thoroughly. Pour the mixture into a small medicine bottle and cork tightly

This mixture will sooth a ticklish or sore throat and is suitable for children and adults. It is ideal for singers and actors and actresses to prevent throat infections and is also delicious

Sheila Ferguson's Carrot Cake recipe

3 large eggs,separated
8 fl oz (250ml) vegetable oil*
12 oz (375g) sugar**
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsps boiling water
6 oz plain flour
pinch salt
2 tsps ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 3/4 tsps baking powder
4 oz (120g) chopped pecans or walnuts
8 oz (250g) finely grated raw carrots

* I use sunflower oil
** I like to use demerara sugar, but light brown, granulated or castor will all work well.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Preheat the oven to 375F, gas 5
Combine egg yolks, oil, sugar, vanilla and boiling water in a large bowl and beat until well mixed.
Sift together the flour, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and baking powder, then add to the egg mixture and beat well.
Mix in the nuts and carrots.
Whisk the egg whites until stiff and fold carefully into the mixture.
Pour into a well greased and floured cake tin - I use a loaf tin - and bake for 50 minutes to one hour, until the cake springs back when you press the top lightly.
Turn out and cool on a wire tray.

To make the cream cheese frosting:

7 oz (200g) icing sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
pinch salt
Tub of Philadelphia cream cheese
1 1/2 tbsps softened butter or soft margarine

Beat all the ingredients together until well mixed, and use to ice the cake when cooled.

This is a delicious, damp, nutty cake.