Caramelised Nuts

MUNCH RATING: 4/5

I made these nuts to go into Brie & Pesto tarts which worked out OK, but these nuts are so much better just eaten on their own as a snack!

You will need: medium saucepan

Ingredients:

• 1 cup nuts (I used already toasted and slightly salted cashews*)
• 1/3 cup sugar
  

Directions:

1. To make the caramel: sprinkle the sugar evenly over bottom of your pan.
   
2. Cook over a medium heat, without stirring, for about 5 minutes until the sugar is melted and has turned a nice amber colour and has the consistency of syrup. Once the sugar starts to melt you can swirl it around the pan to evenly melt all the sugar. When the sugar has melted then you can stir the caramel (stirring too soon will cause the sugar to recrystallise and create a grainy caramel)
   
3. Remove from the heat.
4. Quickly add the nuts to the pan and return to the heat. Stir until the nuts are evenly coated with the caramel.
   
5. Transfer to a plate to cool completely.

There are a variety of things you can do with these nuts:

• Coarsely chop them on a chopping board or put them in a zip-lock bag and smash it on the counter a few times and then use them in recipes on sprinkle on top of ice cream.
• Create nut clusters (as shown in the picture) by using 2 teaspoons to make little balls and putting on a plate to cool.
  
• You can store them in an airtight container up to 2 weeks - but they really won't last that long as they're very moreish!
  

* If your nuts aren't already toasted then you will need to cook them in medium frying pan over medium heat for 9 to 12 minutes until light golden brown. Transfer to a small bowl.

Chewy Cocoa Brownie Cupcakes

MUNCH RATING: 5/5

With just one week left in San Francisco and lots of baking ingredients to use up, I was on the hunt for a recipe that could help empty the cupboards.

I had an almost full pack of Nestle Toll House Cocoa and on the back was this recipe. I was a bit dubious about making the brownies as I've never had much success in the past - they've always been either too dry or undercooked with no hope of salvation.

But these are an absolute winner! The top is slightly crisp and chewy and the inside is soft and moist.

The recipe called for a 13x9 inch baking pan (which will make 2 dozen brownies) but I didn't have this, so I made cupcakes instead. I used normal sized paper fairy-cake cases and put them in my silicone muffin pan.

They are quite deep, therefore I needed to cook them for the full 25 minutes. When I inserted the toothpick it came out very sticky, but as they cooled down they continued to cook with the residual heat and the end result was perfect.

• Makes: about a dozen cupcakes
• Oven temperature: Gas Mark 4/350°F/180°C
• You will need: muffin/cake pan lined with paper cases*

Ingredients:

• 1 2/3 cups (330g/11.5oz) granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks or 180g/6oz) butter or margarine, melted
• 2 Tablespoons water
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/3 cups (160g/5.5oz) all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup (75g/2.5oz) Nestle Toll House baking cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (110g/4oz) chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4/350°F/180°C
2. Place paper cases in muffin tin.
3. Combine sugar, butter and water in a large bowl. Stir in eggs and vanilla extract.
4. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Stir into sugar mixture.
5. Stir in nuts if using.
6. Fill paper cases to the top, they don't rise that much so won't overflow.
7. Bake for 18-25 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in the centre comes out slightly sticky.
8. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.

* Because I used a silicone pan which is really flexible but not very stable, I put it on a baking sheet when I put it in the oven (just thought this might affect the cooking so thought I'd mention it).

Mac 'n' cheese, chilli bake with butternut squash

MUNCH RATING: 4/5

I had some leftover chili that Steve had cooked and some roasted butternut squash in the fridge and this is something I threw together. I wasn't going to blog it but Steve insisted it was so nice that I should write about it, so I've done my best to remember the quantities, but really it is a dish you can play around with. The roasted butternut squash on the top is really the concept we want to share as it's a surprisingly good addition because it adds so much natural sweetness.
Credit goes to Steve for the photo - I was too busy eating!

• Serves: 2 generously
• You will need: small but deep baking dish (I used a 9 x 5 x 3 inch silicone loaf pan)

Ingredients:

• 225g/8oz macaroni
• About 1 cup leftover chilli
• About 3/4 pint cheese sauce
• About 1 cup of roasted butternut squash

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to Gas Mark 7/425°F/220°C.
2. Cook macaroni until just al dente then drain well.
3. Mix half of the cooked macaroni with the chilli and spoon into a baking dish.
4. Mix the other half of the macaroni with the cheese sauce and spoon on top of the meaty pasta.
5. Scatter the roasted butternut squash over the top.
6. Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until the cheese is slightly golden.