I say nearly defeated very consciously.
Nearly...... because every day is a new day.
An opportunity to make right.
To try a little harder.
To see a little clearer.
To love a little bigger.
To forgive a little easier.
To enjoy a little more.
To let go a little better.
To hold a little closer.
To say a little less of the negative....
And more of the positive.
Today was a new beginning.
And despite the very clear (and very expensive) oil stain all over the floor.....
I was able to wake today and look at it and laugh.
Today we could start again.
A new day.
MATTHEW EVAN'S EXCEPTIONALLY GOOD BROWNIES:
I made these the day before as Matthew's gorgeous latest cookbook 'Winter on the Farm' was on the table and one of my kids had opened it onto this page and asked if I could make them. You may know of Matthew from the Gourmet Farmer series on SBS.
I am not the kind of mumma that bakes. I know that seems strange. Yes I love to cook but I don't do the whole muffins and cakes for the lunchbox thang. But I made a exception. When a recipe asks for an entire block of 70% dark chocolate it is really pretty hard to refuse- non?
Earlier in the year on our trip to Tassie we had spent the day with Matthew, Sadie & Hedley & other good friends making our annual Tomato sauce (you can read about that here).
He inscribed my copy of his book with the kindest of words....it was just what I needed to read yesterday. As I flipped it open to look at the recipe his words made me feel so much better after a very trying day....that and a few of the brownies of course!
Thanks Matthew!
WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
- 150g butter
- 200g chopped dark chocolate (70%cocoa)
- 4 eggs
- 300g sugar
- a pinch of salt
- 100g plain flour
- 150g chopped walnuts
Preheat the oven to 180C.
Grease a 20cm x 30cm baking tin and line with baking paper. The bigger the tray the less cakey the end result.
Put the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl & place over a saucepan of barely simmering water, making sure the base of the bowl does not touch the water. Stir till melted.
Set aside to cool to just above room temperature.
Using electric beaters, beat together eggs, salt & sugar in a large bowl until pale.
Fold in the chocolate mix, followed by the flour.
Last of all fold in the walnuts; try not to overmix or it will lose some of it's air.
Spoon into tin and bake for 25-35 minutes; when tested with a skewer it won't come out completely clean like it does when testing a cake but it should not have raw mix on it either.
Remove from oven and allow to cool in the tin. Turn out and cut into squares to serve.
Store in an airtight container for 3-4 days at the most.
(The last line made me laugh.....as IF they will last 3-4 days....ours are gone already!!!!)
I can vouch for their EXCEPTIONALITY!!! And so will my kids....they are dark chocolate fiends and really loved these! They were lovely and crunchy on the outside and gooey lovely dark chocolatey goodness on the inside with a little crunch of the walnuts. Sooo good!
Today the coveted Mercury prize was awarded to my fave rock Goddess Polly Jean Harvey for the second time but seeing as I posted a track by her on my last post I thought I would post a song by the dark horse of the prize this year. A collaboration between John Hopkins & King Creosote that created an album I love- Diamond Mine.
This track has the noises of a busy cafe in the background....I love it. Hope you do too. x
Sinking in to the couch is HEAVEN especially with a vino or a voddie in hand.
ReplyDeleteThank Buddha for new beginnings.
Those brownies are making me drool x
Beautiful post for the lovely new day! Those brownies look yummy and I adore baking so will be making them xx
ReplyDeleteI'm a baker but you knew that. I can't wait to try these. I rEally try to think of each day as a new one. The sheer amount of juggling at the moment, exhaustion & a lot of spewing up from the smallest member of the house today make that day tomorrow for me! Thanks for the reminder. Xxxxxxxx
ReplyDeleteI managed to catch Gourmet Farmer this week. I was so, so homesick watching it though...
ReplyDeleteBut, now I'm going to hunt down this book, a little piece of home to add to the heart of my home, my kitchen.
And today, as my heart aches for my Isle, I'll make his brownies and feel better.
xxx
I have been reading your blog for a few weeks now. We are living parallel lives, the differences are I in the country ( gippsland) and I have one boy and four girls (5,4,3,2 and .8). Reading that you cooked exceptionally good brownies made me giggle. I been baking these from the delicious magazine article on matts book. I now keep blocks and blocks of 70% choc in the cupboard!! I loooove as do the children the mustard cheese shepards pie from the same book. It warms my heart to know I not alone.
ReplyDelete