‘On your marks, get set, BAKE!’

Last month saw 4 million of us across the nation glued to our television screens watching ‘The Great British Bake Off’ in aid of Comic Relief. I have since discovered that even the less enthused bakers amongst us were lured in, which only highlights the programme’s appeal to a wider audience. There was creativity, with Martha Kearney’s beehive cake, laughter, bought on mainly by Mel’s comical banter, there was tension - when Claudia Winkleman dropped her lemon meringue pie moments before the judges descended and there was slander, as Paul Hollywood continued to play the culinary version of Simon Cowell. The Bake Off for Comic Relief has since sparked inspiration across the nation, encouraging people to take to their kitchens and bake for charity and take part in their own bake sale for the big event on Friday 15^th March.

March is a month that also hosts one of the most celebrated days of the year, and I am not just referring to Cheltenham Gold Cup, though that does come a close second to ‘Mother’s Day’. This is one of the only days in which our beloved mothers relax whilst we, the children, take over their daily chores and pamper them with delicious meals, starting with breakfast in bed served with a bunch of fresh daffodils. The credit for a majority of my baking skills goes to my Mother, who taught me to cook a vast collection of recipes, some of which had been passed down the family - she also did all the cleaning up after we caked the kitchen in flour. So each year, my sisters and I endeavour to take to the kitchen - trying not to fight over who’s licking the bowl, (now all in our 20’s, this is still known to occur) and make a delicious bake to surprise our Mother.

My recipe here will appeal to the majority (though apologies to those who have given the key ingredient or overall concept up for lent). It’s gooey, delicious and makes for the perfect edible gift delivered in a nicely decorated box or dessert served with chocolate sauce and ice-cream on Mothering Sunday or alternatively, a ‘sell-out’ treat for your Comic Relief bake sale.

If you’ve not had a chance to organise your own Comic Relief bake sale, why not join ours:

When: Saturday 9^th March

Where: The Retreat, Suffolk Parade, Cheltenham

What's on: There’s a competition for the best taste, novelty and decorated cake (all cakes to be submitted before midday on the day), in the afternoon, there will be a children’s biscuit decorating competition and a bake sale celebrating good baking: cakes, breads, pies: sweet and savoury – all baking is welcome.

Gooey Chocolate Brownie with White Chocolate Chunks

Makes 12 squares

Ingredients

225g dark chocolate

100g white chocolate

225g butter

200g caster sugar

2tsp vanilla essence

150g grounded almonds

3 eggs

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180’C
• Break up the chocolate, chop the butter into cubes and put both into a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water.
• Stir until both ingredients have melted and remove the bowl from the heat
• Mix in the sugar and vanilla essence and place to one side to cool
• Meanwhile, beat the eggs, add the grounded almonds and stir
• Mix in the chocolate mixture and stir until all the ingredients have combined together
• Pour into a square baking tin (22-24inches) or a foil tray
• Break up the white chocolate into chunks and sprinkle them over the mixture, pushing some deeper in
• Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes
• Once cooked, take the brownie out the oven and leave to cool in the tin for half an hour
• Remove from the tin and place on a cooling rack to completely cool. Once cooled, place in the fridge to firm up before cutting them into squares.
• Serving suggestion: if you’re serving as a dessert, serve warm with chocolate sauce and ice-cream.