The Ridiculously Good Gluten Free Brownie Recipe

It hasn't been that long since I posted a brownie recipe on my blog (The Healthy-ish Brownie Recipe) so you could be forgiven for thinking that I'm some sort of brownie fiend who needs my fix just like the cookie monster needs his. In actual fact it's not often any more that I get into the kitchen to bake up a batch of deliciousness but this is a recipe that needs to be shared.

Although I'm not gluten free it's always nice to have recipes on hand that have our food intolerant friends in mind and when I found this Nigella recipe (so you know it's going to be deliciously bad for you) for gluten free brownies I knew it was going to be a party-in-my-mouth situation and oh boy is it good.

You may wince at the ingredients listed as there's nothing remotely healthy about it but I'll be damned if it isn't the best dessert brownie I've ever baked. Check it out, whip it up and give it to all your gluten-free buds and prepared to become their most loved person ever.

Ingredients:

Brownies:
225g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
225g butter
2 tsp vanilla extract
200g caster sugar
3 large eggs (beaten)
150g ground almonds
100g chopped walnuts

Chocolate Sauce:
75g dark chocolate
125ml double cream
2tsp espresso powder
2tbsp hot water
1 tbsp golden syrup

Method:
To make the brownies
1. Preheat the over to 170 degrees C. Melt the chocolate and butter gently over a low heat.
2. Remove the pan from the heat and mix in the vanilla and sugar letting the mixture cool a little.
3. Beat the eggs into the pan along with the ground almonds and chopped walnuts. Pour into a 24cm baking tin.
4. Bake for 25-30 minutes, enough for the top to have set but the mixture to still be gooey. Once cooled cut into squares.

To make the sauce
1. Break the chocolate into a heavy based saucepan.
2. Dissolve the espresso powder into the water and add to the saucepan along with the remaining ingredients. Melt everything together on a gentle heat.
3. Stir well once everything has melted together and pour into a jug.

Serve brownie square with hot sauce and ice cream. Nom.

Excuses That Can Hold You Back From Blogging

If there is one thing I regret about blogging it would be that I didn't start doing it sooner. Today I wanted to address some of the silly excuses that I left myself be held back by from starting my own blog. If you are familiar with any of these than you know what it is like to have self doubt about starting something scary and new. If any of these excuses are holding you back, don't let them!

You are not an expert. I think the main reason I put off starting my blog was that I'm not an expert on writing about books or doing book reviews. I would see other book bloggers who would consume books within a day or two and worry that I didn't read enough to be a good book blogger. But I realised that some of my favourite bloggers aren't experts in their fields either, rather just normal people with a passion for sharing what they do know. The most important thing is that you do have an opinion on a subject. Chances are there will always be other people in the world that like and share your view on things even if its a beginners or novice view.

I don't know where to begin. Well I can't blame you for this one as in the beginning it does take a bit of time and effort in starting up a blog. I did a couple months worth of research and planning and tweaking of my blog before publishing my first post. An awesome blog I got a lot of practical advice from is Wonder Forest. Just Google anything you don't know how to do. There is bound to be a tutorial out there that can help.

My equipment isn't fancy. I would say the only things you really need to blog are a computer and a camera. They don't have to be fancy MacBooks or the best DSLR's when you first start. I blog using my iPad and my boyfriend's tough camera. Yes, it's not ideal and doesn't take the best photos in the world but I'm loathe to invest in an expensive camera before I could prove to myself that I wanted to blog for the long term. Natural lighting and a nice background or creatively posed photo can go a long way to making a great photo.

People will judge me. I read a great quote from JennyPurr's blog the other day which was 'You will be judged or you will be ignored.' Such is the nature of the internet. However, the vast majority of people reading blogs do so because they enjoy reading and sharing fabulous content. Don't let other people's opinions hold you back from doing something that could potentially be super awesome!

So, in short if you're not a blogger and want to blog what is stopping you? If you are a blogger did you have any excuses holding you back from beginning?

Authors To Note: Tracy Chevalier

When it comes to historical fiction (my favourite of genres to read) you really can't look further than Tracy Chevalier. Here are my favourite books from this much loved author:

Girl With A Pearl Earring. I mentioned in my favourites bookshelf that this is one of my most adored books of all time. The story captures the mundane and everyday life of a dutch servant girl who captures the eye of master painter Johannes Vermeer. This book whole heartedly captured my imagination and transported me fully into its 16th century surroundings.

Burning Bright. Thomas Kellaway and his family move from rural Dorset to the bustling streets of  London. Chevalier mixes history with fiction as she includes characters from real life including Philip Astley and William Blake, but it's her descriptions of London life, it's packed streets and colourful inhabitants that really bring this book to life.

Remarkable Creatures. The story of two women who make remarkable discoveries of fossils, buried beneath the earth millions of years ago. In an age where women weren't involved in the scientific community Chevalier's female characters fight to have their discoveries noticed and accredited to them.

Falling Angels. Chevalier captures the suffragette movement as women fought for the right to vote. Told from multiple points of view Falling Angels captures the difficulties in this mother-daughter relationship and the careful balance relationships are built on.

Have you read anything by Tracy Chevalier?