Sinful Chocolate Brownies with cranberries and walnut

A friend invited me to her potluck 40th birthday. After racking my brain for a few days over what to bring, I decided on chocolate brownies. What better way to celebrate with a bunch of women than a tray of sinful dark chocolate brownies with a generous sprinkle of cranberries and walnut. After several rave reviews from the ladies, I decided to post a photo and recipe. You'll probably do a far better job cutting up the brownies compared to me. I have a dreadful habit of impatiently chopping and cutting things in a rather haphazard manner.

The recipe is again from one of my favorite cookbooks, "In the Mood for Food" by Jo Pratt. I've replaced dried cherries with cranberries which was the only dried fruit I have in my cupboard. As for the chocolate, I used organic dark chocolate with 85% cocoa (from Green & Black), instead of 70% but either one works fine. Give it a try. The recipe is straightforward and easy to make. As for the chocolate brownies, every bite is indeed sinful and divine.




(Makes 9-12 good sized brownies. Takes approximately 25 minutes to bake)

Ingredients

200g unsalted butter
200g dark chocolate (70% or 85% cocoa solids, chopped) 
3 large eggs
300g granulated sugar (golden caster works fine too)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
125g plain flour
a pinch of salt
100g dried cherries (or cranberries)
100g walnut pieces

Preheat the oven to 180 C/ fan 160 C/ gas 4. Grease and line an approximately 20 x 30cm rectangular baking tin, 3-4cm deep with greaseproof or parchment paper. Melt the butter and chocolate either in a bowl over a pan of simmering water or gently in the microwave.


With an electric hand whisk, beat together the eggs, sugar and vanilla extract until they are lovely, thick and creamy. Mix in the melted chocolate and butter. Finally, stir in the flour, salt, cherries (cranberries) and walnuts.


Pour into the baking tin and cook for about 25 minutes until the top is cracking and the centre is just set. Leave to cool in the tin for about 20 minutes before cutting into squares.


Serve warm or, if you can resist leaving them, cold.

More on layering

I've been busy trawling through blogs and forums to get ideas on layering. Lately, I seem to throw on any available sweater and looking pretty much like a hag with way too many clothes on. I find myself wearing the same combination of separates again and again which bores me to tears. I went through my meager collection of sweaters and realize that I definitely need a few more. I've placed another order with Uniqlo which hopefully will arrive soon before the big freeze comes.

Uniqlo Super Light Cable V neck tunic £24.99

Since camel is the new black, this may work as my new neutral.

Uniqlo V Neck Merino Cashmere Sweater £29.99

I know what I'd said about not buying more greys and blacks but I simply couldn't resist.

Uniqlo Boyfriend Denim Shorts £14.99

Well, it's not quite winter material but I'm heading back to Asia and New Zealand soon where the weather's going to be hot hot hot.

I've found a few photos of celebrities in their winter gear which I'm going to try to emulate. Since I gave up corporate work to be a mom, I've stored away all my heels and suits. Although I work from home, my daily attire tends to be casual and comfortable. These are a few looks which I love.

LVMH buying over Hermes??!

From telegraph.co.uk

LVMH closes in on 17pc stake in Hermes
LVMH, the luxury goods conglomerate, is finalising the purchase of a 17.1pc stake in Hermès at a 50pc discount, in a move likely to increase speculation it will sell its champagne business to Diageo to fund a full takeover.

LVMH denied, however, that buying the stake was the start of a takeover battle for its French rival, saying it wanted to hold a minority stake.
The Sunday Telegraph understands that the company was directly offered a block of 15m shares, equivalent to 14.2pc of Hermès, on Friday, with the deal finalised early on Saturday. No banks are thought to have been involved.

The identity of the seller - or sellers - was, however, on Saturday shrouded in mystery, as speculation centred on a dissident member of the Hermès founding family, which together holds a 70pc controlling stake. Although it is possible the shares may have been bought on the open market, given the sheer scale of the transaction, and the size of the discount, a distressed seller is thought more likely.
LVMH also admitted for the first time on Saturday that it owns 3m derivative options - thought to have been built up in the past two years - which it plans to turn into Hermès shares. Such a move is expected in the coming days. LVMH stake would then be 17.1pc of the company. In a statement, LVMH said the total cost of the 17.1pc holding was €1.45bn (£1.3bn), booking an immediate €1.2bn gain on the transaction, given the €2.65bn value of the stake based on Hermès' closing price of €176.2 on Friday night. LVMH will pay for the stake in cash from continuing operations.
The overall discount is thought to have been achieved through the forward options, allowing LVMH to reduce the average value of the price paid per Hermès share. Full details of the transaction - and the identity of the seller(s) - are set to be filed with the French financial regulator, the AMF, by Wednesday.

Shares in Hermès, famous for its Birkin bags carried by celebrities including Victoria Beckham and actress Katie Holmes, have climbed more than 75pc in the last six months.
"The objective of LVMH is to be a long-term shareholder of Hermès and to contribute to the preservation of the family and French attributes which are at the heart of the global success of this iconic brand," the company said. "LVMH fully supports the strategy implemented by the founding family and the management team. LVMH has no intention of launching a tender offer, taking control of Hermès nor seeking board representation. "Hermès has a market value of €18.6bn (£16.5bn) - whose controlling family stake would preclude a hostile takeover attempt - while LVMH is worth €55.5bn.

Genoise Sponge Cake

After more than a year of quick chats after the church service, we finally caught up properly with the BY family over lunch at my new place. Hubby was bemused by my anxiety attack over what to prepare for 4 adults and 3 kids, all of whom especially the latter, would be ravenous right after church. This meant food had to be prepared the night before. I settled on homemade chicken as well as the ubiquitous ham and cheese finger sandwiches. One can't forget the English staple where children are concerned - sausage rolls which meant another mad dash to Marks and Spencers. I ditched the rice after a disastrous attempt at sushi making and whipped up a quick smoked salmon quiche instead within minutes.

Photo credit: Amazon

After poring through my cookbooks, I decided to try out a recipe from my latest bargain purchase from TK Maxx, "Home Bake" by Eric Lanlard, the two time winner of the prestigious Continental Paissier of the Year. The Genoise sponge cake required 8 eggs and tons of sugar, whisked over a pan of simmering water. It was easy to make and sliced although personally, I'd much prefer a lighter sponge texture. The end result is rather impressive. Just try not to think of the cream laden filling and calories too much.

Krispy Kreme

I've never been so happy to see a steady green light on my router instead of orange today. I was ready to go out of my mind without proper broadband for 3.5 weeks. Calling Sky call centre was an utterly useless exercise as all the representatives I'd spoken seemed to excel in fobbing customers off. Okay, enough of my rant.

When Krispy Kreme opened its doors for the very first time in Sydney, Australia, I along with many others who also were sucked into the hype joined the queue that snaked around the block. Given that I don't live in Australia but happened to be there on a quick stopover, I was not going to miss the opportunity to taste my first Krispy Kreme donut. I'm ashamed to say that it wasn't all that hard to wolf down a dozen in quick succession. To my dismay,  I couldn't stomach a single donut during my pregnancy and thereafter.

My cousin's husband is addicted to Krispy Kreme donuts. It was all too easy to drive to the nearest Krispy Kreme store when he was living in the US but there was none to be found when he moved to Miri, Borneo. It amazes me how the guy remains as skinny as a beanpole despite consuming high calorie junk food. Two years ago, whilst holidaying in Hong Kong I came across the donut store on a shopping strip. I bought two dozen original glazed donuts (his favorite) and hand carried them back to Sibu (Borneo). They were immediately dispatched by bus the next day to Miri. He was beyond ecstatic. One would've thought I sent him a grand piano (he's a concert pianist and owns a music school).

It has been years since I bit into a Krispy Kreme donut but I couldn't resist getting a few on my recent shopping expedition sans the two kids (I mean, the husband and child). I think MY addiction to these American export has resurfaced again.

Layering

I'm starting to think that I've jinxed the weather in the UK. My superstitious nature started when we arrived in Christchurch, New Zealand 20 years ago. It snowed that year in a part of the country that hasn't seen snow in decades. The next year, the inopportune snowfall, reported to be the worst in a century had a catastrophic impact on the agricultural industry, killing well over a million livestock in the Canterbury region.

When we arrived in the South of England, everyone, and I do mean, everyone I'd met, told me that I've picked the best place to live because it hardly ever snowed. It snowed. Last winter, the snowfall was far worse than the previous year. I'm now told that there will be snow over the next few days. Lucky me.

The most important tip I've learned so far where fashion is concerned, is layering. Wearing one ginormous thick coat doesn't cut it unless you prefer to roast or freeze your butt of if you need to remove the darn thing. I love to drool over the gorgeous outfits on Bonpoint online store. I feel physically sick parting with that amount of cash for one single outfit but their stylists are amazing at layering. I've picked up a few great ideas from the looks they'd created. Splashes of color are used throughout to show that one doesn't have to live in grey and black during the cold winter months.

Photo credit: Bonpoint

Angel's Face Pettiskirt

I get stopped on the street by mothers all the time whenever Little L wears her Angel's Face pettiskirt. The frou frou, frothy ruffles were enough to emasculate a man (hubby cringes whenever she puts it on) but little girls love them. I came across the brand when Cindy and I were lucky enough (thanks to her helpful hubby) to attend Bubble London, a trade fair showcasing children's clothing and accessories.

Initially, I was taken aback with their designs as they were almost identical to the original Kaiya Eve. Their website is up and running now and one can purchase directly from their online store. Prices start from £35. Bear in mind that the hems dip pretty low so if you want to go for the above the knee look, get a size smaller. In fact, one of their reps at the trade show was wearing a skirt for 10-12 year olds.

Photo credit: Angel's Face Pettiskirt in Pale Pink Shake

Vintage Hermes auction at Artcurial

Artcurial, an auction house based in Paris holds two Hermes auctions a year. I've just received their latest catalogue for the upcoming auction on 9 November at 14:30. I've only ever purchased two beautiful vintage belts more than a year ago at a great price. In the excitement of bidding, I'd forgotten to inquire about the size. Hence, the only 3 ways I could physically wear the belts are 1) wear a corset to get a 24 inch waist   2) go on a diet and lose 10 pounds  3) hold my breath for the entire time I'm wearing the belt.

I'd read horror stories where the items purchased unseen were of far worse condition. So far, I was rather pleased with my first and only experience with them despite overlooking one important fact. Here are some photos from their latest catalogue.

Black & White and Sepia Photography

We've been on the move so much that I hardly frame any of my photos. The thought of packing and lugging around heavy and fragile photo frames hold little appeal.  I've been contented with having a digital photo library for a couple of years now. Hubster mentioned wouldn't it be nice to have a few black and white prints on our bare wall. I figured why pay for someone else's prints if I can take the photos myself.

I've chosen a few favorites from the numerous photos in my collection. I dragged a girlfriend to Ikea to pick up a few essentials and Ribba photo frames.

Here's a photo I took of Mr Z on my last visit to Crete. Photos were edited using Photoshop Elements 6. The original photo looked like this:






1. Dark and underexposed.





2. Fill in light. Still looking rather blah and not enough contrast.





3. Convert to black and white. A sweep of the dodge brush to lighten up the face.

 
4. I used the pioneerwoman "fresh color" command for more contrast. Next up - unsharp mask to sharpen the photo. I cropped the photo to emphasize the figure more. Voila - my own b&w photo.



5. On the other hand, let's try the pioneerwoman "colorized" command for a more vintage look.

What do you think? The black & white or the sepia version?

Winter essentials

We're seeing the last vestiges of summer which means out comes the woolen sweaters and thick coats. I tend to go back to Uniqlo again and again for basic and affordable essentials. Since I'm still on a quest to avoid a completely neutral wardrobe, by which I mean, only greys and blacks, I decided on a violet merino/cashmere mix sweater from Uniqlo. It was so soft despite the fact that it has only 10% of cashmere. Fabulous quality!

Uniqlo Merino Cashmere V neck long cardigan £19.99 

Uniqlo Super Lightweight Tunic £24.99
(I know what I'd said about greys and blacks but there are little options other than these standard colors. Designers, do we all have to look dark and gloomy in winter??)

Uniqlo Super Lightweight Hooded Cable Cardigan £29.99

I've always pooh-poohed the idea of wearing a Barbour jacket. I thought they are too stuffy, traditional, old fashioned and boring. Steve went out and bought two but I was still unconvinced until I got drenched on numerous occasions. He has been pestering me to get one. I got so sick and tired of being wet that the thought of wearing a Barbour waterproof coat is starting to sound appealing. My requirements for my new winter coat are 1) waterproof   2) comes with a hood   3) long enough to cover my derriere. I've narrowed down to a few tick all the boxes.

Barbour Storm Down Padded Faux Fur Hooded Jacket from Asos £219

Barbour Featherweight International Parka £219.95 from Barbourbymail.co.uk

 Barbour Cameron jacket £149 from Countryattire.com

Interior Decorating

I was trying hard not to dissolve into tears when Sky told me it'll be another 10 days before I have broadband at my new place. The fact that they outsource to BT (British Telecom) doesn't help matters as it just delays the entire process. Okay, enough of my whinging. For now, the free wi-fi access at the library which is located a skip and a hop from my new place is my best friend.

Lately, all I've been able to think of is interior decorating. Out went a mountain pile of stuff, accumulated within a year. It's scary thinking how easy it is to acquire stuff yet immensely difficult to get rid of them. It has made me think twice before purchasing anything. Since our new place is more spacious but nevertheless small in comparison to New Zealand standards, every piece of furniture has to serve a dual purpose.

My favorite bed time reads thus far have cbeen

From the now defunct but extremely popular magazine, Domino £11.40 from Amazon

Comforts of Home by Caroline Clifton-Mogg, Amazon £10.62

Lonnymag.com 

Anyone read a good interior decorating book/magazine lately? Please feel free to share.

Moving House

Things have been relatively quiet in the cyberworld for me for the past week. We've just moved over the weekend and everything has been unpacked in record. Unfortunately, I will be wifi-less for another week. Being so reliant on internet connection for my daily life, I feel like I've lost an arm and a leg. Fingers crossed, I'll be back on track by next week.

To all my readers, thank you so much for visiting my blog. It has only been 6 months since the I started writing. I'm ever so thankful to everyone who has dropped by. I'd love to hear from you so please don't hesitate to post a comment or two.