Paddy's After Eight Brownies

Storm Darwin prevented me posting delicious Valentine's Day recipes, so I'm doubly excited for St. Patrick's Day! Last year's After Eight Cupcakes were such a hit, I decided to incorporate the mints into another classic dessert- the brownie.

These brownies are no-mixer, one-bowl, easy peasy so you've no excuse not to make them! You could probably melt down the After Eights but I decided to just layer them in between the brownie batter and they melted during the baking process anyway!

The brownie recipe was featured here and is a Picky Palate original! This has become my go-to brownie recipe as I have yet to find a more delicious one, but feel free to use your favourite recipe instead!

You will need:
1/2 cup butter
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup cream flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup cocoa powder
1 cup chocolate chips
1 small box After Eight mints

1. Preheat oven to 165 degrees Celcius.
2. Line 9x9 baking tray with baking parchment.
3. Partially melt butter in microwaveable mixing bowl (40 seconds on high).
4. Mix oil and sugar into the melted butter.
5. Add eggs and vanilla, mix until incorporated.
6. Sieve in the dry ingredients and mix well.
7. Add chocolate chips and mix until the batter becomes thick.
8. Pour two thirds of mixture into baking tray, and smooth out.
9. Layer the After Eight Mints over the entire surface.
10. Cover with the remaining batter, ensuring all of the mints are covered.
11. Bake for 35-40 mins until baked through. To check this, lift the bottom of the brownies from the baking parchment, if they remove cleanly you're good to go! Be careful doing this, test only a corner so your brownies don't fall apart!
12. Allow to cool before cutting.
13. Enjoy!

Whatever you get up to have a fantastic St. Patrick's weekend!

Stay sweet! x

Plan the Perfect Picnic and Become a Kitchen Beautician

Find yourself spending too much on skincare and cosmetics?  Sick of boring dinners indoors?? 

Eat al fresco with great skin! Ha, seriously this week's show was a real pot-luck content-wise. A lot of the students at UCC are now preparing for exams so procrastination is at an all time high!

Here lies the perfect penny-pinching pick me-up, a picnic! Or have a night in with the girls and pamper yourselves with face masks, a lip tint, hand scrub or body scrub using only what you have in your own kitchen! 

Here's the show, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Stay tuned for some scrumptious cookies ;)

Stay sweet! x

Friday Bakeoff: The Best Brownies

One of my daily favourite foodie sites is Jenny Flake's blog, Picky Palate (especially since, I have one picky palette!) When I saw her box-mix style brownies last week, I knew I had to try them out!

 Here's the recipe, and the pros:

• Super easy, just mix with a wooden spoon until combined
• Not as much butter as Jamie Oliver's recipe
• Everything's mixed in one bowl- bonus washing up points!
• Lift easily from baking parchment
• 35 mins worked perfectly in an 8x8 tin at 165degrees Celcius for me

These are by far the best brownies I have ever made, they are less dense than Jamie Oliver's, but softer than the Ghiardelli mix (which can produce quite a hard crust). They cut easily and are deliciously more-ish, but yet not sickening.

I love that, like a box mix you could put together the dry ingredients and make your own brownie-in-a-jar gift for someone, particularly handy if you forget a birthday or run out of time at Christmas! :)

These are top notch, I implore you to bake them this weekend! Guaranteed good-mood-food!

Stay sweet! x

Jamie Oliver's Brownies

I absolutely love love love brownies!! They're the best snack imaginable- half cake, half fudge, all chocolate, mmmmmmmmmmm.....

Anyways, I had made these brownies years ago and only again quite recently. I intend on testing out some brownie recipes in the coming weeks because my family were horrified at the amount of butter that went into these. 250g doesn't sound like a lot, but I assure you, if anybody has high cholesterol, evacuate them!!

These were uber gooey, dense and utterly more-ish. They really were a hit, with everyone- even the butter-phobes took second and third helpings.

Definitely a treat for a  special occasion, what do you think? Do you have your own favourite brownie recipe? Or will you be trying out Jamie Oliver's Brownies for yourself?

Talk to you on air later, 11-12noon on UCC 98.3fm!

Stay sweet x

Cheat's Treats

A few weeks ago I had friends over for a good ole fashioned slumber party!! There was chocolate, sweets, crisps and some homemade treats too! My contribution was modest to say the least... Caught for time I relied on Mrs. Betty Crocker to pick up the slack! The results were delicious!

Betty's double chocolate chunk muffins (with my addition of a splash of orange juice!) were a huge hit, but didn't hold a flame to her brownies.



My sister had made these for my birthday and the Smarties act as chocolate chunks *note to self, they are a scrumptious substitute!* 

I have made brownies using chocolate chips, Dutch processed cocoa powder, melted chocolate, you name it I've tried it, but Betty's are without a doubt, the easiest, least stressful, cheapest and most delicious option!

The brownies were gooey with crispy edges and the surprise of the sunken Smarties made every bite amazing! Patrick Swayze and Richard Gere may have had something to offer us, but these brownies were in a league of their own!

Oooey Gooey Chocolatey Deliciousness!!