Following a bit of twittering with the lovely Mat from Bakestore, he volunteered to send me a 12-hole brownie pan and asked me to come up with a brownie/Easter type idea. The pan is a brilliant thing. It is of fantastic quality and is non-stick. It makes the perfect size brownies and they come out beautifully formed and ready to serve. I also plan to use it with other traybake recipes, especially when I am sending in kids cakes to school for birthdays. I find traybakes much less hassle than cupcakes for such occasions, and this will thwart the need to cut it all up and try to make it look pretty.
Anyway, back to the brownies. Having pondered recreating Jesus’ tomb out of stacked brownies, I had a much better idea. Lemon brownies. I really should be calling these ‘yellowies’ but it doesn’t really have the same ring to it, does it?
Now, I am a sucker for all things lemon. Not literally *winces* BUT it is absolutely my favourite flavour for pudding or cake. It is also the lovely sunny colour we associate with Easter. Add a few of those bizarre little chicks (which I have a great fondness for) and a generous helping of mini-eggs and I reckon you have yourself a gorgeous pudding for Easter lunch. Who am I kidding? I am going to be scoffing them at every opportunity over the Easter hols and, as you will see, they package up rather nicely as a gift for friends, family or teachers. Much prettier than a box of Creme eggs and some hastily picked daffs.
I tried a few recipes and in the end, fell back on my lemon drizzle cake recipe for the sponge. Then, for the icing, I mixed 200g sifted icing sugar with the juice of one lemon and a couple of drops of lemon colouring. Gently spread the icing on top of the cool sponges and hastily scatter with springtime sprinkles before the icing dries.
Now, if all this leaves you thinking ‘But I want CHOCOLATE!’ then fear not. I have a chocolate brownie recipe for you too. All that Lentian abstinence can be rewarded with a few of these on Easter Day.
Ingredients:
- 100g unsalted butter, cubed
- 200g milk chocolate
- 4 medium eggs
- 250g caster sugar
- 100g plain flour
- 1tsp baking powder
- 30g unsweetened cocoa powder
Grease and lightly flour your brownie tin (I am using an individual brownie tin from Bakestore)
Preheat oven to 180°C (160° fan)
- In a bowl over a simmering pan of water, melt the chocolate and butter and allow to cool slightly.
- Then, using the paddle attachment on your blender or hand-held whisk, mix the sugar and eggs together until pale and thick.
- Next, carefully fold the chocolate mixture into the whisked sugar and eggs.
- Sieve the flour. baking powder and cocoa powder into the mixture and carefully fold in.
- Put a generous tablespoonful of the mixture into each hole in the pan. They should be about half-full.
- Bake for 10-12 mins until crusted on the top but gooey in the middle.
- Leave to cool in the tin for 5-10 mins before removing to wire rack. Dust with icing sugar and serve whilst warm!
Makes 24
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