Honeycomb and Hazelnut Brownie
These Cadbury Crunchie inspired brownies were totally delicious and are a huge hit in the office and with friends.
Layer One: Hazelnut and White Chocolate Brownie
1 large eggs
110g caster sugar
55g dark chocolate
55g unsalted butter
40g plain flour
15g cocoa powder
1/4tsp salt
1/4tsp baking powder
50g hazelnuts
50g white chocolate chips
Whip eggs and sugar for 5 mins til light and fluffy
Melt chocolate and butter, leave to cool slightly before adding to eggs and sugar
Add dry ingredients, combine well and put in lined 7inch square tin
Bake at 160 for 15-20 minutes
Layer Two: Honeycomb
125g golden syrup
125g caster sugar
2tsp bicarbonate of soda
Heat golden syrup and sugar in a high sided sauce pan until melted and reaches 149C
Take straight off the heat and stir in bicarbonate of soda
Pour over the cooled brownie
Layer Three: Chocolate
125g milk chocolate
Melt chocolate and pour over set honeycomb
A Week of iPhone Vlogs
It was kind of accidental, but after having so much fun making a whole bunch of iPhone vlogs last week I just carried on during the first week back at work, and made one every day. Each one comes with a brand new soundtrack sketch too.
Vlogmas 2017 (Week Four): Christmas Day with Family, Food and Presents
The final week of vlogmas includes the lead up to, and the big days its self.
In the lead up up the big day, there's lot of food to be prepared, and celebrations with friends. On Christmas Day, there's more food, plus time with family enjoying time together and some gifts.
Christmas Day Food:
This year's dinner was very similar to last years feast, with a few changes:
- Turkey
Local, organic, free-range bird from Uptons of Bassett, roasted with rapeseed oil, lemons, clementines, garlic, onions, carrots, celery, sage and thyme - Gravy
Made from roasting juices and organic chicken stock - Pork shoulder stuffing with red onion, chestnuts, sage and cranberries
A Jamie Oliver recipe with some modifications, including dried cranberries added and gf bread crumbs - Sausages in bacon
Use thinly slice pancetta for wrapping for extra flavour and crunch - Roast potatoes
Par-boiled, left to cool, then roast in rapeseed oil, with rosemary - Roast parsnips
Par-boiled, left to cool, then roasted with honey - Carrots with butter, sugar and star anis
Cooked in butter, sugar and star anise from a Tom Kerridge recipe - Cauliflower cheese
Gently roasted cauliflower covered in a basic béchamel sauce, with lots of cheese in, and cheesy breadcrumbs over the top - Brussels sprouts with bacon and chestnuts
A BBC Good Food recipe - Red cabbage with apple and balsamic vinegar
An amalgamation of a number of recipes, including spices, red onions, apples, brown sugar and balsamic vinegar - Cranberry and apple sauce
Another amalgamation of recipes from all over, following the basics of this Jamie Oliver recipe, but with my own spices added - Green beans with lemon
Lightly boiled and dressed in fresh lemon and rapeseed oil - Butternut squash mash with spiced roasted seeds
Roasted the squash whole, mashed the flesh and served with the seeds roasted in cumin and paprika - Steamed Spinach
Simply steamed and served
Christmas Gifts
I got some amazing gifts, including my favourite scent (Givenchy Pour Homme Blue Label) and a Hans Zimmer Masterclass.
I got my family all kinds of bits. Particularly successful gifts were books for my Dad (including Post-Capitalism: A Guide to Our Future by Paul Mason — one of my favourite reads from 2017), and "Strong Girls Club" tops for my nieces from Muthahood.
Vlogmas 2017 (Week Three): Finishing Work For Christmas
Week three of vlogmas includes lots of songwriting, food, and finishing work for Christmas.
Eggs in Clouds
Never one to shy away from an Instagram food trend, I tried my hand at Eggs in Clouds this week.
The making is fairly simple: you separate the eggs, whipping the whites in to clouds which you bake briefly — 7ish minutes, so I'm told — and then add the yolks for another short flash in the oven — 3ish minutes, apparently. I chose to fully embrace the hipster food trends, and serve mine along side mashed avocado, sour dough toast, halloumi and grilled tomatoes on the vine, all of which, frankly, were by far the better elements on the plate.
Brombley Family Celebrations: Free-From Afternoon Tea
We spent last weekend celebrating lots of special Brombley Family events — my sister's birthday, my brother's engagement and Imogen Faith coming home — with a free-from afternoon tea and lots of other treats.
Free-From Afternoon Tea
Complications from endometriosis has meant that my sister has to avoid all kinds of allergens — gluten, eggs, dairy, soya — and as someone who has had to survive on a free-from diet, I wanted to make sure she experienced what is very rare for someone on a free-from diet: to look down on a table full of treats and know you can have anything you want! With some help from my sister, I spent Friday evening baking ready for an afternoon tea on Saturday, made up of...
- Vegan Blueberry Cheesecakes
- Black Bean Brownies
- Cashew Butter Cookies
- Lemon Drizzle Bars
- Free-From Scones
Plus a selection of sandwiches and wraps using gluten-free bread.
I think the stand out for me was the scones. I was genuinely worried that I would be making gluten-free rocks, but, surprisingly, they were really, really good. Also, I'm going to say this: but vegan cheesecake is better than dairy cheesecake.
A Surprise Engagement Party
After getting engaged earlier this year, this weekend was the first chance we had to celebrate my brother and his fiancee getting engaged. Balloons, cake, and prints of a lot of Instagram selfies all helped to create a surprise celebration.
Welcome Home Imogen Faith (and an Easter Egg Hunt)
What a joy it was to have Imogen Faith home and able to come join us for our celebrations. There was a never ending queue for cuddles from Aunties, Uncles and Grandparents. And as a well done to big sister and brother for dealing with a tough week, two huge Easter eggs!
First February Weekend
It's been a busy first weekend in February....
Auxy Remix:
Auxy is an app I use all the time. Recently, the company that make the app have been running a “Beat the Clock” competition, which I've had a lot of fun entering, and even had one of my pieces shortlisted. This weeks challenge was to remix a previous winner's short track, in to a full length piece. I spent most of my Saturday lazily working through ideas, and piecing together my remix:
Sunday Walk:
Keyhaven is one of my favourite places to visit for a walk: the view across the Solent to the Isle of Wight and the Needles is stunning, and despite the bitterly cold wind, it was a beautiful day to take some photos across the water too. I took lots of pictures with my new Canon 80D, and a few with my faithful old Nikon D5100. It was nice to get some more use out of my new wide-angle lens.
Sunday Lunch:
Even when I'm cooking for just myself, I do love a good Sunday Lunch. Today's lunch included pan friend pork chop, rainbow carrots and baby parsnips all served with a side of roasted cauliflower and broccoli cheese.
Honestly, my only regret, was not going full veggie: the roasted broccoli and cauliflower cheese was hearty, and tasty enough to be the main dish — there was no need for meat at all frankly. The trick to keeping this recipe big on flavour, but cutting down the calories is to roast the broccoli and cauliflower before stirring through the sauce and baking again. The big flavours of the roasted vegetables mean you need less cheese and less sauce, which is great for keeping the calories low.
Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower Cheese — Recipe:
- Half a head of cauliflower
- Half a head of broccoli
- 12g butter
- 12g flour
- 225ml whole milk
- 25g parmesan
- 25g extra mature chedder
- 1 bay leaf
- a few pepper corns
- a fine grating of nutmeg
- a dash of mustard (english ideally, but any will do)
- 1 shallot, skin removed and cut in half
- Salt, pepper
- Split the cauliflower and broccoli in to florets, season with a little salt and pepper and roast until golden and a little crispy around the edges, around 10–15 minutes
- Meanwhile, make the sauce, buy first warming the milk with the bay leaf, peppercorns, nutmeg and shallot. Melt the butter in another pan, adding the flour and stirring to make a roux. Let this cook out for a few minutes before adding a dash of mustard. Slowly add the warm milk, straining through a seive to remove the flavourful extras you added earlier. Stir until you have a silky smooth sauce, and let it gently simmer for a few minutes. Finally, strain through a sieve to remove any lumps.
- Melt the most of the cheese in to the sauce, saving back a little for the top.
- Stir the roasted broccoli and cauliflower in to the sauce, and tumble in to an oven proof dish.
- Top with the remaining cheese and bake for 10–15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and golden
This recipe serves two as a side, or one as a main dish.
Putting this in to MyFitnessPal, it works it out to to be about 260 calories as a side, or 520 as a main. Your milage may vary.
Engagement:
My brother and his girlfriend — now fiancee — are engaged! I couldn't be happier for them both, but also, very happy for myself, to be gaining a new sister-in-law too. After two Christmases shared with Helen and her family, she felt like part of the Brombley's already, so it feels even more special that it will finally be official.
Black Bean Brownies
When these vegan, gluten free, low carb brownies popped up on Facebook today, I knew I had to try them.
The recipe comes from So Vegan and it's basically fool proof: you blend everything in a food processor and bake. The only thing I would do differently next time, is to smooth the mix down a little better before baking: the mix doesn't flatten out in the oven like a regular brownie mix does, so mine turned out a little gnarly, although still quite pretty thanks to the whole walnuts I put on top.
Honestly though — and it's not just the mid-January diet desperation talking — these tasted incredible. Gluten free needed or not, vegan or not, these were packed full of deep, rich flavour and a bunch of healthy ingredients... plus some less healthy ones... but a treat is a treat.
Links:
Banana Pancakes (Three Ingredient Recipe)
It's January and I'm trying to eat healthier. I had some over-ripe bananas to use up, and it felt like a great time to test out one of Buzzfeed's three ingredient recipes: banana pancakes!
For a quick and easy, healthy pancake alternative, they were fuss free and pretty tasty. Would I make these again? Sure. Will I never want to make a full stack of American style pancakes again? Not a chance!
Recipe:
- 2 bananas (mashed)
- 2 eggs (whisked)
- a dash of cinnamon
Plus your choice of toppings to serve: I went with pecans and maple syrup
The method is easy enough, mash the banana, whisk in the eggs, add a dash of cinnamon and fry til golden and fluffy. It's not even worth breaking down in to steps.
Buzzfeed says one banana to two eggs, but I had small bananas and large eggs (no giggling please), and the resulting batter looked a little thin, so went two-to-two. I actually only needed half of that mix for one portion, so feel free to adapt as you see fit.
2016
If my 2016 has a theme, it is probably this: finding comfort amidst the confusion.
An Unsure Start
Finishing university in 2015 meant I was back in my old job — the reason I had gone to uni in the first place — and wondering what my plan was going to be. In September 2015, I gave myself a year to find the next new challenge, and so had set about writing a funding bid to Youth Music for a new project at work. That application went off in January, and kick started so much of this years big moments.
M-Tech
By May, we found out that our funding bid was successful and my new role as M-Tech project manager had begun. It's meant incredibly long hours, and so much extra work, but it was the challenge I needed when I decided it was make or break last September. It's been an incredible start, and one of my first jobs when I'm back in January is to wrap up what we've learnt from the Autumn term, which I can't wait to share.
Pyra
Over the year, I've been recording with Pyra, continuing to work on new music together. This year, we both feel like we're creating our best work yet, and whilst much of it remains hidden until it is finished, 2016 did see two songs we worked on go out in to the world: ‘Ride U Better’ and ‘Bodies’ (embedded above).
Invaleurs
In August, I released an EP under the name Invaleurs:
I have a confession.
For too long, the anxieties I experience around sharing my music online have kept me from creating things I love. But when I set out writing these songs, I made them just for me.
With that freedom, I could explore more freely, able to push beyond the boundaries of my own comfort zone, to create songs I am proud of. And so, I am sharing them with you
If you enjoy them, if you share them too, then I feel honoured to know that these songs have found new connections beyond the ones I hold with them. If you don't, that's fine too. I've already done what I set out to do.
Family Holiday
This year we went on a big family holiday to Cornwall, and it was an unforgettable experience: a wonderful, special time spent with family in such a beautiful location. I video blogged the trip to try and keep the memories captured to remember in years to come.
The family holiday came accompanied by two big announcements:
1. Becoming An Uncle (Again)
My brother and his wife, and their two beautiful children, are adding to their family with another one. And later in the year, I got to help them make a special announcement about it...
2. My Sister's Engagement
And the second big announcement was that my sister got engaged!
Annora Bird
Two of my very best friend's a simply the most adorable little baby in to the world, and every time I see them together, my heart swells with pride and love for them all: I couldn't be happier. I wrote a song for her, on the day of her birth, and Emma writes the most incredibly honest, funny and frank blog about what it's like being an expectant, and then new, mum.
UK Music Award
As a result of the successful M-Tech bid, I was nominated by Solent University for the UK Music ‘Outstanding Contribution to Music’ award. It was an honour to be nominated amongst other high achieving new graduates.
Starting a Blog
Finally, in 2016 I started this blog. As I wrote about in October, I started this blog as a way of creating and releasing music that was better for my mental health. And I'm so happy with what I've started to build. As this blog grows, and develops, it's been fun to explore what shape music can take when you remove the constraints of the old methods of production and consumption. I don't feel like I have any answers yet, but asking the questions has been reason enough on its own.
It started with Summer Shorts...
Moving on to Autumn Pieces...
And finishing the year with Vlogmas.
So, to finish, I come back to the theme of 2016: finding comfort amidst the confusion. With all that has happened this year, I have tried to learn to bring myself more fully in to each moment, to enjoy and take comfort in friends and family, and to be a little kinder to myself. What did you learn in 2016?
Vlogmas (Parts 8–10): A Very Brombley Christmas
From Christmas Eve through Boxing Day, the Brombley clan, along with assorted others we've pick up throughout the years, come together for Christmas celebrations. Every year, I make the food.
Food & Recipes
Christmas Dinner:
- Turkey
Local, organic, free-range bird from Uptons of Bassett, roasted with butter, lemons, clementines, garlic, onions, carrots, celery, sage and thyme - Gravy
Made from roasting juices and organic chicken stock - Pork shoulder stuffing with cranberries
A Jamie Oliver recipe with dried cranberries added - Sausages in bacon
Use thinly slice pancetta for wrapping for extra flavour and crunch - Roast potatoes
Par-boiled, left to cool, then roast in hot goose fat - Roast parsnips
Par-boiled, left to cool, then roasted in hot goose fat - Carrots
Cooked in butter, sugar and star anise from a Tom Kerridge recipe - Cauliflower cheese
Gently cooked cauliflower covered in a basic béchamel sauce, with lots of cheese in, and over the top - Brussels sprouts with chestnuts
A BBC Good Food recipe - Red cabbage with apple and balsamic vinegar
Another Jamie Oliver recipe - Cranberry sauce
Another BBC Good Food recipe with a cinnamon stick thrown in for extra festive cheer - Yorkshire pudding
I used this Jamie Oliver recipe
Boxing Day Lunch:
- Ham in Coca-Cola
4kg ham, from Uptons of Bassett, cooked according to Nigella's recipe - Coca-Cola sauce
I used a recipe from Rock Recipes, replacing soy sauce with tamari to make it gluten free for my sister - Dauphinois potatoes
I used a BBC Good Food recipe - Roasted sweet potato
Par-boiled and roasted in rapeseed oil - Carrots
Boiled and glazed with honey - Green Beans
Steamed and dressed in fresh lemon - Squash
Roasted whole, then mashed and served with toasted seeds - Whole Roast Cauliflower
I used a fairly plain recipe, as this was a side, not a main, but there are many more exciting versions out that would make an incredible main dish - Spinach
Quickly sautéed, and well drained - Broccoli
Steamed - Sausages in bacon
Just like Christmas day
A couple of staples I cannot cook without:
- Maldon sea salt flakes
The best salt for everyday cooking - Rapeseed oil
A British crop, with lots of the goodness of olive oil, but a higher smoke point
Vlogmas (Part 7): Festive Sausage Rolls
This quick three ingredient recipe was a bit of a freestyle, but sausage rolls are a must-have at Christmas, and homemade ones don't come easier than this.
Puff Pastry and Sausage Meat (plus optional egg wash). Easy. Buy the good stuff (it's Christmas) and make Sausage Rolls. Is it easy? Yes. Is it cheating? Sure. Is that worth worrying about? No.
The Ultimate Christmas Cake
Mid-November is the time of year to bake the annual christmas cake: leaving just enough time over advent for it to be fed and mature. With a mix of alternative Christmas songs playing, it is time to bake.
I must confess, despite the title of this post, I don't subscribe to the idea that there is any one ultimate version of a food. As someone who love to cook and bake, I do have countless personal preferences on ingredients and techniques, but I also love to try new things.
If you're looking for a tried and tested fail-safe christmas cake bake, then I suggest you use the Delia Smith recipe that forms the basis of my own and read no further. However, if you're interested in some of my own personal and opinionated takes on a classic, then read on at your own risk.
1. Say No To Currents
Currents — and candy peel whilst we're at it — are evil and wrong and have no place in a cake, let alone one of the most important cakes of the year. Currents, or "dead flies" as I prefer to call them, are a far lesser dried fruit than so many other great options. My personal preference is for raisins, dried cranberries and dried apricots. I also prefer a dried cherry (preferably sour) over a glacé cherry too. And totally avoid the deplorable ingredient that is candy peel.
But honestly, you do you: stick to 900g in total and you'll be fine. I've never once used the same combination of fruits, and I've not had a disaster yet.
2. Rum Not Brandy
It might seem like sacrilege, but honestly, swapping dark rum in place of brandy is one of the best ideas I've ever had. Sailor Jerry's works — the old recipe even more so — and Bacardi Oakheart is this years choice, and I've every faith it will be just as good. Delia says to soak the fruit in 100ml over night. I find that to be far to stingy. I soak my fruit in lots of rum and that works for me.
3. No Nuts
No nuts.
4. Maple Syrup Not Treacle
Honestly, I just go fed up of having a sticky red tin sat in the cupboard that only gets on tablespoon taken out once a year. So I've given up on treacle and, in danger of becoming someone who puts avocado in a cake and calls it "healthy", replaced it with maple syrup.
5. To Ice Or Not To Ice?
Whenever I do Ice, it is always ready rolled. I have no time for rolling my own icing, let alone making it. I've not decided on whether to ice or not this year, as sometimes even the minimal effort of unrolling single sheets of marzipan and icing seems like too large a barrier to place between the choice to take the cake's first slice and actually being allowed to cut it open. However, I always appreciate the seasonal joy that comes from the look — and additional sugar — of an iced cake, so I expect I will endeavour to do so again this year.
With the cooled cake fed with rum, wrapped in baking parchment and foil, and stored away in an airtight container, it will come out every two weeks to again be splashed in rum up until Christmas arrives.
So, what makes your ultimate christmas cake? What you would put in or leave out?
Self Care Sunday: Brunch, Baking and Music
Sometimes, you have to take a day for yourself: turn off notifications, write a todo list for work that can wait until Monday, and just relax. For me, that means food — food and music.
Brunch
I've never made hollandaise before, and I'm terrible at poached eggs. So what better way to relax than to try both? But actually, taking time to make poached eggs and hollandaise without any rush meant that it was much easier to get it right.
I followed a Jamie Oliver recipe for the sauce, and free-styled the rest. I will confess that I substituted sourdough in place of the muffins: a much better carb option in my humble opinion.
The results were delicious: well worth a bit of effort to have such an enjoyable treat for an easy Sunday morning.
Lazy Baking: Salted Chocolate Blondies
Lazy Sunday baking requires the right soundtrack, that's why I put together a playlist of some of my favourite songs to lazily bake along to. Raveena is one of my favourite new artists right now. And Ashanti is a given. Honestly, I can't even preheat an oven without hearing the worlds "Awww Baby".
I've not made my favourite salted chocolate blondies in a long time, so there was frankly no other option for baking today. I use this recipe from The Whole Bite blog and it has been fool proof for me. I use cup measures for everything like the recipe gives, but I use weight for the butter (110g) because, even though this is lazy baking, I still don't have the patience to shove butter in to tablespoons.
Other Treats
Burning candles is a must for any kind of self care activity in my book. And this Zoella Lifestyle candle was a birthday present I'd been saving for just such an occasion. The smell is a little sweet for my usual taste, but not unpleasantly so.
It wouldn't be a self care day for me without a bath and some time to take care of my skin and hair. I use Elemis face care daily, and it just gets along with my skin so well. I use a Liz Earl cloth to wipe the products off for a gentle exfoliating effect. The Happy Naturals sea salt body scrub is a great body exfoliator, with a fresh, clean smell. And the Super Drug Argon Oil Hair Treatment is an absolute star find: affordable, yet so nourishing for my hair.