Birthday Brownies and Pistachio Ice Cream

When we went to Bumpkin my boyfriend got served his brownies and ice cream in a Kilner jar and he was amazed, he has that make at home and he kept joking that he would bring in his massive one and ask them to fill ‘er up so for his birthday I thought I would provide the brownie and ice cream and a massive Kilner jar.

The original! Bumpkin dessert, sooooo tasty

For the brownies I made one following the hummingbird recipe I used before just adding in chopped pecans as a little extra. 

The other I went off piste…

I used milk chocolate instead of dark (don’t think I’ll make that swap again there is too much oil in the milk chocolate so the oil separated out from the mixture like in my carrot cake and freaked me out again, I had to send up a little prayer to the Bake Gods) 

I then made up a batch of cookie dough using our favourite recipe from BBC good food. I got my tray dotted around the cookie dough and poured over a cascade of brownie mix and stuck it in the oven. 

Adding a little extra milk to soften it up

It took a lot longer because it was about double the size but I didn’t need to turn the temperature down I just kept checking it with a tooth pick and it took about 25 minutes longer. It was really interesting how it turned out all the brownie sunk and formed a bottom layer and the cookie dough cover the whole top layer very tasty though!

For the pistachio ice cream I followed this recipe from BBC, of course. I put in all the pistachios instead of saving some and I tried to used my ice cream maker, it’s the one were you put the base into the freezer but I think it was a little too much for it to handle and I should have done it in batches. Instead I put the mixture into a container and stuck it in the freezer till it was solid and volia ice cream!

I actually had to give him this feast a day after his birthday because we ate so much on the day and he did refrain from eating a whole massive Kilner jar of supped up calories and went with a bowl instead as we have a holiday coming up and I got a big thank you kiss.. and then a bowl of brownie and ice cream!!!

Thanks for Reading xx

Brownie Cupcakes!

I really fancied a chocolate fix and thought the best way to deal with that would be to make some brownies but I had also come across some sweet cupcake cases from Dr Oetker in the supermarket so I came up with the plan for cupcake brownies! I know, I am a total genius you don’t need to say it…

I used a Hummingbird recipe for the brownies from their book which is pretty much the only bakery book I have bought because I am a massive BBC Good Food fan as you may have been able to tell? I also added in some orange zest and chocolate chips which pretty much melted instantly so they were a bit pointless but the white chocolate added a nice swirl on some. The recipe was really easy to follow and quick to do, it made 24 cupcakes and I cooked them for 20 minutes.

For the frosting I kept with the orange theme and added orange zest and juice to plain vanilla butter icing and did a piped splodge on top of each cupcake. I then garnished them with a piece of dried orange from my bag of mixed dried fruit.

The brownies only came out of their cases cleanly once they had thoroughly cooled so I would suggest making them the day before they need serving and with it making 24 its fine if a couple going missing, the chef should always get to eat a bake good warm out the oven!

Loved these brownies, the recipe book and getting to do some quick and easy piping so this is something I will definitely repeat in the future.

Let me know if you give it a go!

Thanks for Reading xx

All my ingredients laid out! Getting started!!

Dr Oetker cupcake cases

Melting butter and chocolate in a Bain marie

Adding my orange zest to get chocolate and orange brownies

What the mixture looks like after adding sugar

Action flour shot!

You can see how smooth its gotten this is the last egg!

Chocolate chips!!!!

Finished batter

It easily made 24 cupcakes

Where the white chocolate has melted and swirled 

Adding a little zest into the butter icing

Halfway through mixing in my icing sugar

Adding orange juice to get the icing light

Just out the oven

Piping ready!

Chef share with some whipped cream because they were too hot for icing

All Done!

Bumpkin Westfields

The other day we got to go to an incredible little restaurant that just added a new location, its third, to Westfields at Stratford . Bumpkin has stayed true to its roots and offers up British classics like fish and chips and chicken pie but also does British twists on American dishes like the burgers and milkshakes, their version is more of a frappuccino.

The first time I went I got the burger which was delicious, you have to try the guacamole it is incredible and get the chips they are so moreish! However my heart really lay with the baby back ribs. I knew I was going to get messy and I didn’t want to have to be the only caveman at the table so I recruited in my boyfriend and we headed back. You can also get ribs for a starter but we were there for the main course and they came out on a wooden board with two rib racks stacked and a sprig of rosemary on top. I love eating with my hands probably because it’s such a novelty and I definitely got to do that here and get a little messy along the way. The ribs were amazing the meat pulled off cleanly the marinade was flavourful even though it did get a little too sweet towards the end, it maybe needed a touch of mustard and more rosemary to bring that down and make it even more British but I totally wanted another set when I got to the end of mine. Luckily we had both spicy wedges, I was thankful we got offered mayonnaise because they pack a spicy little punch after a couple, and chips, salty, crispy and delicious, to fill me up and prevent me going back for more!

Then just when we thought it couldn’t get any better we ordered dessert! I went for a brownie, it was all that I could squeeze in, and asked for it warm and I was soooo happy I did it came gooey and chocolately and made me ahhhh in appreciation. Next time I’m getting ice cream too! The other side of the table was a dessert heaven, on the menu it offered to wrap up part of it so you could take it home or recommended you share and it disappeared in about 2 minutes, maybe less I was distracted by a brownie. Part came in a Kilner jam jar, similar to a Mason jar, that was filled with brownie, ice cream and caramel sauce and then you had three mini jam doughnuts, with a definite British twist, on the side and it was all so tasty! I am very lucky to have found a guy that doesn’t mind giving me a taste.

So what I have learnt from my two trips to Bumpkin; go with someone you don’t mind getting messy in front of so you can get the ribs, don’t get the milkshakes somethings are better American, always get chips and order the biggest dessert on the menu because it is all delicious. Oh and get ready to go back again because there is so much stuff to try, next time I think I am going to have to try out a pie.

Pictures below!

Thanks for Reading xx