I am on holidays. Holidays is not really a word i hear alot of. It has occured to me that these are the days to being writing up a blog entry. Unlike others, i wont spend my days sight seeing, lying in the sun, climbing mountains or even shopping. Ive decided, that i will succumb to the call of lazy afternoons, long sleep ins, pancakes for breakfast, slippers all day and breath taking views (from the 55th flour window, that is). So the sound of Edith piaf it is, the feel of soft cold pastry, the taste of hot tea and the smell of chocolate pie, I welcome you.

I know you may think this is a waste but when do you get time to just sit, just sit and enjoy the small and important things in life. This way you can hear what you want to hear, eat what you want to eat (diets out the window), and even as these days come to an end sooner or later, while they are amongst us, we can dream a little about a life with little confusion, complication and un-necessary speed. If you are happy just to have your cake rise or to have enough eggs in the fridge then you know what im saying.

Anyway enough about the lazy life. I AM coming to a point. Here are my recipes. Recipes to save sadness, frowns, unpaid bills, overcast days, late night cravings and a maybe even a broken heart.

If you feel better for it, take the word of edith and listen whilst your are baking.



Chocolate Pie

Start with pastry always. Food processor or no food processor, this pastry is dead simple and wont leave you in a rage, i promise.

You will need, a tart tin or a pie dish of some sort. If you have a cake tin with a loose base you can use this too. Of course ramekins will make individual ones, or if you really arent with much choice just grab a slice/lamington tin and roll out the pastry to fit that. It doesnt matter what shape it is, it will brighten your day one way or the other.
This quantity will make enough for anywhere between a 20cm to a 30cm tart tin/pie tin etc.

Grab out a medium mixing bowl and sift in:
2 cups plain flour
1/2 cup corn flour
1/2 cup self raising flour
1/2 cup icing sugar

Rub in:
180g butter

When your mix resembles bread crumbs, crack in:
2-3 eggs, and combine til mix resembles a soft dough. Be careful not to over mix or kneed this dough as you want it to keep it soft, not tough.

Grab a wet tea towels or a dish cloth and spread it out on your bench.
Cut 2 large sheets of baking paper and put one on top of the towel.

Dust very lightly with plain flour and place your dough in the middle of the sheet.
Dust your rolling pin and the dough slightly, just enough to avoid sticking.
Roll equally into an appropriate size to fit your preferred tin.
Once your are happy with the size and thickness of your dough (i rolled mine to about a 1.5cm thickness),
place the second sheet of baking paper on top of the dough.

Using both hands flip the dough so the second sheet of baking paper is now facing the bench. (Remove tea towel all together.)
Carefully peel off the top baking paper sheet and dust lightly with flour.

Grease your tin well and carefully flip your pastry onto your tin. Carefully fit the dough to your tin and cut off any excess using a rolling pin (by running it over the edges).

Set your tin aside, or put it into the fridge if you wish to have more space on your bench.



Preheat your oven to 180 C.

HEAVENLY Chocolate filling

Grab out a small metal (or oven/microwave safe) bowl. Grab a small saucepan and pour enough water in to fill to just 2 inchs up the sides of the pan. Place on your stovetop, on a low-medium heat.
Weigh out:

120g butter
200g dark chocolate (can use a mix of dark and milk chocolate if needed, makes for a sweeter pie)

Combine both of these into your oven proof bowl and place on top of saucepan. Stir til the butter and chocolate have melted and you have a luscious velvety mixture. Take off heat to cool slightly.

Grab a large mixing bowl and add:

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 castor sugar
1 tablespoon treacle (or golden syrup)

Pour in your chocolate mixture and using a whisk, mix in til combined and all lumps are gone.

Meanwhile, combine 1/4 cup milk and juice from half a lemon into a jug or separate bowl.


Whisk 2 eggs into your chocolate mixture and whisk vigoursly.
Pour in your milk mixture and 1/2 cup of plain flour and whisk til combined thoroughly.

Pour your velvety chocolate mixture into your empty pie case.

Place carefully into the oven for about 30 minutes. The pie will be ready when it has formed a thin crusty layer on the top and has risen above the case (not over). Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.



I find the best way to cut this beautiful pie is to cut it while it is still in the tin. That way the sides will not crumble and collapse. Once you have cut your pieces, remove your pie from the tin (if you choose to). If you are using a tart tin or a springform tin just leave the pie on its base. This can be removed once the pie has completely cooled if needed.


Dust with cocoa powder, fresh raspberries, strawberries or cream and melt into this incredible dream dessert.

More pie recipes to come. As for me, I'm off to watch breakfast at tiffanys and eat my chocolate pie.

xxxx