Speaking about Filippo Ioco got me thinking about brownies.
Flourless Chocolate Brownies with Hot Chocolate Sauce
Ingredients:
Ioco's Chocolate Heaven
Nothing's right. And I've just been told that I complain to much, so I'll leave it at that. I'm not going to worry about the fact that the sun is dying, and I'm going to prove that cooking is alive and well by taking the time to make delicious brownies as prescribed by Nigella Lawson (my goddess). They're proven to cure a broken heart, to flex all muscles required to smile, and to momentarily stop time. What's more, they're easy and they're flourless, which is good, because the last thing I want is to feel bloated after eating the entire tray.
Flourless Chocolate Brownies with Hot Chocolate Sauce
Ingredients:
FOR THE BROWNIE:
225g dark chocolate, 70% cocoa solids
225g butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
200g caster sugar
3 eggs, beaten
150g ground almonds
100g chopped walnuts
FOR THE SAUCE*:
75g dark chocolate, 70% cocoa solids
125ml double cream
2 x 15ml tablespoons
Camp coffee or 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder dissolved in 2 tablespoons water (optional)
1 x 15ml tablespoon golden syrup (optional)
225g dark chocolate, 70% cocoa solids
225g butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
200g caster sugar
3 eggs, beaten
150g ground almonds
100g chopped walnuts
FOR THE SAUCE*:
75g dark chocolate, 70% cocoa solids
125ml double cream
2 x 15ml tablespoons
Camp coffee or 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder dissolved in 2 tablespoons water (optional)
1 x 15ml tablespoon golden syrup (optional)
Method:
For the brownie:
For the brownie:
- Preheat the oven to 170°C/gas mark 3. Melt the chocolate and butter gently over a low heat in a heavy-based saucepan.
- Take the pan off the heat, mix in the vanilla and sugar, and let it cool a little.
- Beat the eggs into the pan along with the ground almonds and chopped walnuts. Turn into a 24cm square baking tin or, most sensibly, use a foil one.
- Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, by which time the top will have set but the mixture will still be gooey. Once cooler, cut carefully, four down, four across, into 16 squidgybellied squares.
- Break up the chocolate and put into a heavy-based saucepan.
- Add the remaining ingredients, then place the pan over a gentle heat and let everything melt together.
- Once everything has melted, stir well, take off the heat and pour into a jug to serve.
*If you are like me (a poor student), you might not have everything for the sauce. That's ok! Melting down chocolate and adding a little milk does just as well.
I came across body painter Filippo Ioco's work today and noticed that he had at one point dabbled in food art. Prints from his exhibition Fun Foods are available for purchase on his site. Here's a taste to get you salivating for his art, which is at times beautiful...
I had planned to mention another artist but found these too cute not to mention. These foodscapes are the product of photography duo Akiko Ida and Pierre Javelle (known jointly as Minimiam) . Taking a closer look at the way we see food, from a completely different perspective. This project seemed to reach its peak in 2008, but the art is available, you just have to look hard enough.
The colours in this one are epic.
image from doobybrain.com
Today, I considered eating my emergency timtam. I didn't. They are just too hard to come by in my city and the one I keep in case of emergencies is an original from Oz. They're popular in Australia, where they originate but should be distributed all over the planet IMHO. For those of you who are wondering, Timtams themselves are nothing more than a chocolate wafer cookie made by Arnott's. What makes them so special is the product that comes from combining the cookie with coffee. The very formal process is known as a TimTam Slam. I would rename it 'orgasm'.
Instructions for a TimTam Slam.
1. A small piece is bitten off of each short side, to expose the porous centre
2. The biscuit is inserted into a cup of coffee and is used as a straw.
You will notice that it will quickly start to melt...
3. ...Slam it back before it does.
The end product is heaven.
This past weekend was a disaster. Not the greatest when all I was looking to do was relax. I blame all foolishness on the wine. I feel like wine is continuously evolving. New grape blends and juice extracting techniques, and sense of aesthetic.
Killibinbin. My favourite found so far
Much loved and highly talented artist James Jean lends a coupl illustrations
Not long ago I was given the opportunity to do a wine tour in Tassie. It was brilliant and really shed some light on the very complicated and very involved process of finding the right taste. But I haven't got all the time in the world so I've come across a company that will do the work for you. Just fill out a quiz to find your "wine ID". Check out 94 wines.
Mollydooker by MASH
Winery arts by Moruba
Esulé
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