A few months ago, gripped by baking fever, I purchased Mary Berry's Baking Bible. I quickly decided to embark upon a mission to bake everything in the book, and turn myself from an occasional baker into a bit of an expert. My Grandad Ern was a Master Baker by trade; the man responsible for introducing Danish Pastries to England in fact, and I wish it had occurred to me to spend more time learning from him, rather than simply enjoying the fruits of his effortless labours. This project is almost a way of making amends for that; I'd like to follow in his footsteps (if not in my career, at least as a hobby) and continue the proud heritage of baking in my family.
I credit my friend Rachel with the idea to write a blog about my baking exploits, hoping that there will be more successes than failures as I attempt all 213 of the Queen of Baking's recipes.
So as not to bore the husband with a monotonous diet of sponges, followed by weeks of biscuits, I've decided to tackle the recipes by selecting the first bake from each chapter, followed by the second recipe and so on. I'm not going to pick and choose; I'm determined to face my baking demons and learn how to do everything baking-related, even if the consequences are disastrous!
Everything will be photographed, with comment about how I found baking it, and a husband rating (to be taken with a pinch of salt as he has a very selective cake-tooth).


Sunday 17 February 2013

37. Dark Indulgent Chocolate and Walnut Brownies


Sometimes there is nothing to do but bake, and subsequently feast on, gooey chocolate things. I could say I felt compelled to make these simply because I had some walnuts which needed clearing up, but the real reason was the overdue baby. Having an excess of walnuts was justification; let's forget about the trip to the supermarket to 'stock up' (on 3 big bars of dark chocolate and 3 bags of chocolate chips). I enjoyed the whole process of making these; it seemed to have a very calming effect on me, not least because I was making them at my leisure rather than against the clock for impending guests.

The first process involved melting an obscene amount of chocolate (350g) with some butter over a pan: a heart attack in a pyrex dish! There is little more satisfying than poking melting chocolate with a wooden spoon to help it on its way. While the mixture cooled, the process of blending everything else could begin - the eggs, sugar, pre-chopped walnuts and small quantity of instant coffee. I was surprised by the comparatively small amount of flour required, but brownies are supposed to be very dense without the usual 'raising' involved with other cakes. Once the chocolate was added, they needed to bake for about 45 minutes.

The smell emanating from the oven was glorious. I always enjoy disappearing upstairs while things are baking and then gradually exposing myself to the delicious aromas as I make my way back to the kitchen. My mum, meanwhile, enjoyed sitting at the kitchen table surrounded by a chocolatey fog! I checked with a skewer after 40 minutes and decided to give them another 2 to firm up the top: in hindsight they should've come out the first time, as they ended up being a little dark around the edges. We waited several hours for husband's return so we could enjoy the first tasting with him - resorting to watching out of the window for him to drive up the road, such was our desperation to get stuck in! They were worth the wait; a beautiful texture and extremely yummy.
Baker's verdict: very easy and satisfying to make; delicious with a lovely texture.
Husband rating: 10/10 - amazing brownies: rich yet light with lovely crunchy bits. Nice bursts of chocolate and nice crispy outside. Lovely. Can't fault it; perfect brownie. The second piece had some slightly burnt edges, so they lose a point for that.
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