Dark Chocolate Brownie Mix

Having been sent a Dark Chocolate Brownie Mix (which is gluten and dairy free) by Amanda at Hill Cottage Bakery, we were keen to try it out. 

It comes in a cylinder and contains the mix and a piece of greaseproof paper.  Such was the simplicity of the set, Sous Chef J decided he'd be able to manage alone... even opening the mix sachet easily which was something he was very pleased about.

Having read the instructions on the pack, he gathered all the equipment and ingredients needed.

The dry mix was placed in a bowl and the eggs and oil were added to it.







This was a chance for Sous Chef J to try out his new, cordless 3in1 Twisting Mixer from Morphy Richards (we'd spotted this a while ago and thought, because it's lightweight and quiet, it may work well for J.)  He loved it!  Simple to operate, lightweight and QUIET... plus he could do the whole 'bbrrm, brrrmmm, brrmm' thing that boys seem genetically programmed to do with power tools.

Having mixed for one minute (as instructed on the packet), the mix was placed in the baking tray.  As you will see, we didn't have a 7" square tin to use so 'improvised' with our trusty 6" x 10" tray which we lined with greaseproof paper... and, seeing as the mix would be thinner in this tin, we discussed that the cooking time would need to be reduced.

The brownies were placed in the oven, preheated to 150ºC and baked for 12 minutes (instead of the 15 minutes quoted for the 7" square tin.)


Whilst cooking the brownies, the kitchen was filled with a delicious aroma... and, having cooled the brownies in the tin for about 15 minutes, they were removed and left to cool completely before being cut into portions.

The bonus of having a larger baking tray is that we got more brownies from our mix than the 9 suggested on the carton... we had enough to save some for the next day's coffee break in a lock'n'lock box.


Sous Chef J decided he liked the idea of strawberries and cream to accompany the brownies and took a pic of his 'serving suggestion'...

... he tried a sample before agreeing the brownies were delicious and 'plating up' our dessert.


This was a really successful baking experience for Sous Chef J and we all loved the brownies.  They kept well overnight and were just as moist the next day having been stored in an airtight pot (away from hungry tums!)

At £7 a mix, buying these mixes would definitely be considered a treat here - as there's the cost of eggs, oil and baking to factor in - but we do think they're a great idea as a gift for gluten and/or dairy avoiders.  The price includes P&P which is good and the resultant brownies were 'squidgy and tasty'... just like chocolate brownies should be!

Disclosure:  Thank you to Amanda for sending us the Mix to try for free, we have not received payment for this post.

Crispy Crumb Chicken

 

We needed a speedy tea for post-horseriding sustenance this evening.  Having scoured the cupboards we found a packet of Gluten Free Discovery Crispy Crumb Coating and Sous Chef J decided to 'give it a go'.

Gathering the three ingredients, which were some mini chicken fillets, a beaten egg and the crumb coating, we set to work.

The crumb coating was poured onto a plate, each chicken fillet was covered in egg and then placed into the coating.














Once all the fillets were ready, they were cooked in a small amount of oil in a frying pan until cooked through.




The chicken fillets were served with boiled potatoes, peas and sweetcorn and Sous Chef J liked them "very much indeed".

One comment about the packaging is that the serving suggestion on the back is for Fajitas... and then the recipe lists flour tortillas amongst the ingredients to make this.  Having checked the very helpful allergen list on the Discovery Foods site, it was disappointing to find that NONE of the flour tortillas (including the corn ones) are listed as suitable for coeliacs.  However, there are lots of products that are OK so will stick to buying and eating them!