Gluten Free brownie topped with freshly whipped cream paired with strawberry cookie dough balls and strawberries

Recipe

for the brownie:

5 tablespoon unsalted butter (Do not add salt if you are adding salted butter )

30 grams of chocolate (semi-sweet chocolate or what you prefer I do a blend of semi-sweet and anything I can get my hands on)

2/3 cup of cocoa powder (when desperate I use hot chocolate powder in a pinch)

1 cup of sugar blend (white caster sugar and brown sugar for a crumbly texture or demerara brown sugar and superfine white sugar for a smooth texture)

1 cup of white flour self rising (I use gluten free self rising)

1 teaspoon of vanilla (or a splash of vanilla extract)

PSA to add more chocolate and butter for a fudgy brownie e.g. 16 tablespoons (1 cup) of butter and 100 g of chocolate (add a little more to be special)

Pre heat oven to 180 degrees celsius. prep a 9 by 9 inch baking pan with either greasing with butter or spray butter (any application process you prefer)and place a baking paper.

In a saucepan (a pot of your choosing if you do not understand what a sauce pan is…) over medium heat melt the butter. Add chocolate slowly into the saucepan whilst stirring the mixture.

Once fully melted add the cocoa powder cook for a minute then add sugar. Mix the mixture and the leave on the side away from the heat.

Take a large bowl add your egg whites, full egg and vanilla extract.

Then beat with a whisk, to make either thick (fudgy brownie with a shiny crackly top, beat for 3 minutes or more (~8 minutes)) or a simply combined (dense, ultra-fudgy brownie beat for about 30 to 60 second to break up the yolk and make sure everything is combined).

Add the mixture from the saucepan and add it to the bowl. Fold in gently (as to not over mix). Finally add the flour to the bowl slowly with a sift and fold it into the mixture. Once fully incorporated add the mixture to the baking pan.

Cook for 20 minutes. (cook for longer to be more cakey) either way slice the brownie once out and let cool to remove.

For the strawberry sugar cookie dough:

300 g of self-rising gluten free flour

1/2 teaspoons salt

250g plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoons vanilla extract

60 g milk (any type)

2 heaping tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons water

3 1/2 tablespoons of strawberry syrup (combine 2 large strawberries, 1 ½ tablespoons of sugar, and 1 ½ tablespoons of water in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes until the fruit softens. Mash the berries, strain the mixture through a sieve, and let it cool.)

1/4 teaspoon red or pink food colouring

Pre heat oven to 180 degrees celsius

Spread the flour in a thin, even layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet.Bake for 5 to 10 minutes. Stir halfway through to ensure even heating.

Let it cool: Always let heat-treated flour cool completely before adding it to cold ingredients, otherwise it will melt your butter or alter the texture of your dough.

Safety note: While heat-treating reduces the risk of foodborne illness, home methods do not entirely guarantee the sterilisation of flour. If you want commercial-level pasteurised flour, buy pre-heat-treated flour from a specialty baking shop.

In a large bowl, whisk together the 300 g of self-rising gluten free flour and the ½ teaspoon salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl using a hand held mixer or whisk, beat the room temperature butter and granulated sugar until soft and creamy. About 2-3 minutes.

Slowly beat the cornstarch water, the milk, the 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract and 3.5 tablespoons of the cooled strawberry syrup into the creamed butter and sugar.
The mixture will look pale pink and chunky.
Slowly beat in the flour mixture gradually until just combined.

If desired, add in ¼ teaspoon food colouring and mix into the dough so it is blended throughout.

Once finished you can serve immediately or make into balls and chill in the fridge the sit at room temperature for 10- 15 minutes before serving.

This dough can last in the fridge for up to a week in an airtight container or freeze for up to 1-3 months. Thaw it over night in the fridge when you are ready to eat.