Softening dates/Annabel langbein tonight

chi-chi, Nov 24, 7:42am
Annabel Langbein was making Brownies on her show tonight and she added something to the dates to soften/break them up faster before adding to the Brownie mixture. It may have been baking Soda.does this sound correct!I missed that part.

carlosjackal, Nov 24, 7:49am
Yes, it was baking soda - just a small amount.

245sam, Nov 24, 7:54am
Annabel's Brownies recipe has 1 tsp baking soda.:-))

amanda_simonp, Nov 24, 7:56am
I made this brownie a few weeks ago and it is delicious.Kids loved it and very moist.Will be making again for sure

chi-chi, Nov 24, 8:20am
thank you all for your answers! they did look delish. Now to find the recipe.it's not on her website.

nico32, Nov 24, 8:25am
yip am a terrible cook and this is one of the few recipes I have success with is yum

245sam, Nov 24, 8:29am
chi-chi, I wondered when I posted earlier if you needed/wanted the recipe but assumed that you must have written it down as you watched.Anyway here's the recipe for you now.

Annabel Langbein's ULTIMATE CHOCOLATE BROWNIE

Makes about 30 pieces.

2 cups chopped dates
1 tsp baking soda
¾ cup boiling water
200g finely diced butter, at room temperature
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups caster sugar
1 cup dark cocoa, sifted
1 cup flour
½ tsp baking powder
250g chocolate chipsordark chocolate, cut into small chunks

Preheat oven to 160°C and line a 30cm x 24cm slice tin with baking paper.
Put dates in a large bowl, add baking soda and boiling water and stir to combine.Add finely diced butter and stir until melted.Leave to stand for 20 minutes.
Mash softened dates with a fork to break them up to a creamy consistency.Stir in the eggs and vanilla until well combined.Stir in the sugar, then add the cocoa, flour and baking powder and stir until smooth.Stir in the chocolate chips or chunks.
Smooth into prepared tin and bake until it is set in the middle and begins to come away from the sides of the tin (about 50 minutes).
Cool before cutting into squares.
Stored in a sealed container it will keep for a couple of weeks.:-))

chi-chi, Nov 24, 8:35am
thank you soooo much 245sam for typing this out for me. I hadn't written it down cause I thought I could find it quite easily. I am a hopeless baker/cook so hope this works for me. I do try sometimes!

gilligee, Nov 24, 8:37am
Thank you from me too. I did write it down but your typing is so tidy

elliehen, Nov 24, 9:51am
245sam, thanks from me too.I switched on just after the dates but didn't get the quantity.It looks like a good'un.I'll try that tomorrow.I have some dark chocolate to use up and I always have packets of dates on hand.

gilligee, Nov 24, 10:54am
Did anyone get the quatities for the lemon pudding with the oranges! I was listening but kept missing the detail.

245sam, Nov 24, 11:03am
chi-chi, gilligee and elliehen, you're most welcome.:-))

gilligee, do you mean the Vanilla Citrus Terrine!If so have a look at:-

http://tvnz.co.nz/free-range-cook/ep-10-vanilla-citrus-terrine-5156994 and here is the link to the Honeyed Oranges:-
http://tvnz.co.nz/free-range-cook/ep-10-honeyed-oranges-5156977

Hope the above are what you're wanting.:-))

245sam, Nov 24, 11:03am
chi-chi, gilligee and elliehen, you're most welcome.:-))

gilligee, re#11, do you mean the Vanilla Citrus Terrine!If so have a look at:-

http://tvnz.co.nz/free-range-cook/ep-10-vanilla-citrus-terrine-5156994 and here is the link to the Honeyed Oranges:-
http://tvnz.co.nz/free-range-cook/ep-10-honeyed-oranges-5156977

Hope the above are what you're wanting.:-))

gilligee, Nov 24, 7:56pm
Thank you so much. You are very kind.
I had missed out the cream of all things!

fifie, Nov 25, 2:52am
Made Annabels brownie square this arvo, the twist with dates and choc chunks, went down well warm, sprinkled with icing sugar and a coffee. Yum !

shona_mardle, Nov 27, 12:26am
Made the brownies yesterday, but being a coeliac I decided to experiment and changed the flour to the equivalent amount of ground almonds, and increased the baking powder (GF) by 1/2 tsp. Not sure what the original recipe is like but this was delicious. I have made rhubarb couli to serve and yoghurt

ginomee, Nov 27, 9:28pm
thanks for this recipe. did you also get the lemon and yoghurt desert and the chicken cooked with the leek. thought i would remember the last one but it has gone out of my head. hopefully, thanks.

245sam, Nov 27, 9:48pm
CHICKEN AND LEEK GRATIN
A useful dish to make in advance and keep in the fridge until you're ready to pop it in the oven.

3 tbsp butter
4 leeks, thinly sliced
salt and ground black pepper
12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp thyme leaves
½ tsp salt
½ cup cream or chicken stock
1 recipe Provencal Crust

Heat butter in a heavy pan, add leeks and season with salt and pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring now and then, until softened and no longer bright green (about 15 minutes).
While the leeks are cooking, place chicken in a bowl with mustard, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne, thyme and salt, and stir to combine. Allow to sit for 10 minutes while the leeks cook.
Remove cooked leeks from heat and mix in cream or chicken stock. Spread evenly in the base of a large, shallow baking dish. Arrange chicken thighs on top then cover with Provencal Crust.
The gratin can be prepared in advance to this stage and chilled for several hours until needed.
When ready to cook, preheat oven to 180°C.
Bake until chicken is fully cooked through and crumbs are golden (about 1 hour).
Serves 6.

PROVENCAL CRUST
½ loaf day-old rustic bread
4 garlic cloves
2 handfuls parsley leaves
1 tsp coarsely chopped rosemary leaves
3 anchovies
60g butter, softened but not melted
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
½ cup coarsely grated parmesan

Break bread into rough chunks, removing crusts if they are very hard, and pulse in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. Measure out 2 heaped cups and freeze any remaining crumbs for future use.
Place garlic, parsley, rosemary, anchovies, butter and lemon zest in a food processor and whiz to chop finely. Add breadcrumbs and parmesan and pulse to just combine.
Provencal Crust will keep in a container in the fridge for up to a week or can be frozen.
Makes 2½ cups. :-))

245sam, Nov 27, 9:56pm
ginomee, by "lemon and yoghurt dessert", do you mean Annabel's Lemon and Ginger Icecream!If so that recipe is available at:-

http://tvnz.co.nz/free-range-cook/ep-7-ice-cream-5156860

Hope that helps.:-))

shop_tiludrop, Nov 28, 1:10am
The kids were going ewww dates, I have her latest book and went to the lunch thing she had in taupo 2 weeks ago.

I tried the choconut slice, it was very nice. I will make the Chocolate brownie too.

mumstu, Nov 28, 3:54am
Tried the softened dates thing in a cake.I didnt want to use sugar (as in white/brown) so blitzed some dates soakes in warm water and it was wonderful! cake was moist and yummy