Not so raw brownies

THIS recipe is based on one I stumbled across which only had four ingredients.

After a quick check of the pantry for those ingredients I started making it, without reading the entire recipe first – actually I do that quite often, launch into a baking frenzy only to realise what I’ve chosen to cook takes three hours to prepare.

This one didn’t take that long, but it was a raw recipe and required a decent amount of fridge time to set.

I don’t know why ‘raw’ recipes annoy me, I certainly don’t mind eating things that haven’t been cooked, but sometimes I just feel someone has just done it because it’s hip to be raw. 

Well, not in this household. What wins you big here is having something ready to eat at afternoon teatime, as unfortunately children don’t seem to understand that the delicious thing they watched you make now has to sit in the fridge for two hours.

So I added my own spin and I would encourage you to do the same, as honestly this recipe could probably do with a little more tweaking. But it tasted really good like this so I just had to share it.

Not So Raw Brownies

Ingredients

1 cup pecans

½ cup almonds

1 cup dates

2 eggs

½ cup cocoa

¾ cup wholemeal plain flour

½ cup dark chocolate chips

Method

Combine the pecans, almonds and dates in a bowl and cover with water to soften (ideally about two hours, but you can use warm water to hasten the process).

Pre-heat oven to 180C and line a 20cm square cake tin or similar with baking paper.

Drain the water and blitz the nuts and dates in a food processor until you reach a desired consistency.

Add the eggs, cocoa, plain flour and pulse a few times to combine before adding the chocolate chips.

Spoon into cake tin and smooth the top.

Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Cut into squares when somewhat cool and tuck in.

Enjoy!

Pancakes!

Having three lads under five, sleep is something we value very highly in the Everyday Baker household.

What's my secret? The bags under my eyes will soon tell you that I hold no such secrets, especially when it comes to the littlest of our lads .

But I will openly admit to bribing the other two lads at least once a week. I tuck them in tightly, tell them a story, sing them a song... then tell them that if they sleep all night and stay in their own beds, I will gladly make them pancakes in the morning.

It works. Although I'm mindful of not overusing the incentive, I don't want the magic to wear off and who can be bothered making pancakes every day? (though if all three slept all night, I would happily make them pancakes with chocolate and unicorn dust and whatever else their little hearts desired!)

So I've been refining my pancake recipe over the years and will share with you my favourite, it has oats in it, which I find keeps tummies filled for longer. Also very adult-friendly!

Oat Pancakes

Ingredients 

3/4 cup oats

1 1/2 cups buttermilk (which I rarely have in the fridge, feel free to use a blend of yoghurt and milk)

3/4 cup wholemeal plain flur

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon bi-carb

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg, beaten

Method

Mix the oats and buttermilk in a bowl and rest for as long as possible.

In another bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, bi-carb, nutmeg and salt. 

Add the egg and mix with the oat mixture.

Melt some butter in a frying pan and put in a dollop of mixture, frying until bubbles start to form on top and then flip. Repeat until the mixture is all gone.

Adorn with fresh fruit, yoghurt and maple syrup.

Enjoy!