food
Winter Warmers As the Christmas season approaches, we find ourselves reaching for those much-loved winter recipes to warm us up and remind us of home. Here at the food team, we wanted to get together and share our favourite winter warmers to help all of you welcome in the cold weather. Whether it be an unhealthy chocolate brownie that warms you up, or a vegetable pot pie, we’ve got a nice little selection to help you get creative in the kitchen.
Brownies
words by: Sasha Nugara When first thinking of a warming dish, hot stews and soups often come to mind as the ultimate winter companion. However, I don’t think there’s anything better to warm you up than chocolate! It’s the ultimate comfort food and undeniably makes you feel good. Scientists have found that there are ingredients in chocolate that release endorphins; what warms you up better than a feeling of happiness? My brother’s brownie recipe is famous amongst my family and friends, so I thought I would give out some winter love and share it! These rich chocolate brownies can be warmed up and served with chocolate sauce and ice cream to create the perfect accompaniment to Christmas movie.
Ingredients:
Method:
· 125g dark chocolate (broken up) · 175g butter · 3 large eggs · 275 caster sugar · 75g plain flour · 1 tsp baking powder · ¼ tsp salt
1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius 2. First put the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a pan containing 5cm of simmering water, without the bowl touching the water. When it’s melted, take it off the heat. 3. Whisk the eggs and sugar lightly together – do not overdo this. 4. Stir the egg mixture and all other mixtures into the chocolate. 5. Pour the mixture into a 20x26cm tin and bake in the centre of the oven for 35-40 minutes until springy in the middle (stick a skewer in to check its fully cooked) 6. Leave to cool in the tin to cool completely before dividing into squares. 7. To warm you up on a cold winters evening, heat in the microwave for 30 seconds and serve with a chocolate sauce!
Vegan Banana Bread words by: Indigo Jones
Home cooking and family recipes are the foundations of the winter season. When you think of Christmas you think of traditions and cooking in the kitchen with your loved ones, so what better than a comforting recipe from my father. In our house there has always been a variety of dietary requirements, and over lockdown my mother and I took the big leap to become vegan. Luckily, in this time my father adapted his traditional banana bread recipe and made it vegan. This recipe is perfect for a quick breakfast or perhaps a nice accompaniment to a hot beverage when watching a film. Either way, banana bread is both hearty and comforting and is easy to make on these cold Winter days.
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