Now that I’ve got my book about cupcakes and all the professional tools to ice them (except for the 1M nozzle, but I am going to London tomorrow; which obviously means I am going to Jane Asher’s sugarcraft shop) I have to buy a muffin tin. I already own one, but here in Kingston there is none. So I headed towards John Lewis which has a great cook’s tool shop.
I love the John Lewis products – they’re cheap and with a professional quality.
So I bought a small 6-bun tin and couldn’t resist to get some nice brown muffin cases.

Then I went to a great health shop called food for thoughts, where you can find a great range of organic grains, cereals and products.
I was so happy when I saw that little pot of tahini (sesame paste), because it seems it’s not available in France and I’ve been craving to make some hummus lately.
I also love their organic jumbo oat and barley with which I make the most delicious muesli.

Food for thoughts
38 market place
Kingston

In front of that little shop there is a great Borders. I love Borders as its cookbooks collection is updated regularly and also because you can sit in a comfortable sofa with a Starbucks while reading your favourite cookbook.
This time I had a tall white chocolate mocha (which is so good associated with a banana and caramel muffin) and read Chocolate chocolate by Lisa Yockelson. The cover certainly looks good but the content is a little disappointing – in my taste.

I think it was a little TOO MUCH. I mean I love chocolate, as a lot of people do, but I have the feeling that the writer forced herself to like it. There are way too many chocolate chips – it seems she didn’t know what to put in her cake so ‘why not chocolate chips, as I am a chocolate lover and can never have enough of it!’. This is my very own personal feeling and I clearly understand that the book is called Chocolate chocolate so that’s normal to find so many chocolate chips in its recipes.
But I also think there are too many variations of one recipe which makes the reading a bit confusing.
However I think the recipes are sound great and creative and I loved the first part of the book in which the writer makes a complete list of the best chocolates to use and how to reveal their flavours.
So I’d encourage you to buy this book if you’re a chocolate supermegafan.
Anyway, i think the book is worth it only for its beautiful the pictures were and I am considering buying the book and using it when in absolute chocolate crave.
And indeed D. and I had chocolate cravings later that day. So inspired by the pot of Milkyway spread I spotted at Sainsbury’s, I made a brownies and cheesecake bar.

Brownies and cheesecake bar
Serves 10 as part of a tea

Milkyway is a spread combining two different flavours – hazelnut chocolate and milk.
My brownies and cheesecake bar does exactly the same. The base is a rich brownies and the topping is a slightly sour cheesecake.
I love the balance between these two layers.
And I love how the bar melts in your mouth.
This is better eaten the day after it is made. For the (one-pan) brownies
175g best dark chocolate
175g butter
150g caster sugar
3 eggs
110g flour

For the cheesecake
200g cream cheese
1 egg
50g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp flour

Preheat the oven to 180°C. And line a 33cm x 23cm x 5.5cm tin.
Melt the butter and chocolate over low heat. Turn off the heat and mix in the sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time and finally sieve in the flour and mix well.
Pour the batter into the prepared tin and set aside while making the cheesecake mixture.
In a large bowl mix all the ingredients together until you’ve got a smooth mixture.
Spoon this over the brownies base and with a rounded knife swirl the batter so that the brownies form lines across the cheesecake layer.
Bake for 45 minutes and turn the heat off leaving the tin in the oven until completely cooled.
Keep in a cool and dry place overnight.

Posted by fanny who loves to forget labeling posts