Summerdown showstopping recipes

Lucy's Summerdown Mint chocolate mint brownies – makes 12

This recipe is perfect as a pudding, or just a treat on a cold and blustery day! It’s also easy on the washing up – you only use one bowl! INGREDIENTS 150g dark chocolate (70%) 50g Summerdown Crisp Discs OR Thins 175g salted butter 280g caster sugar 130g plain flour 3 eggs 1 box Summerdown Mint peppermint creams (For extra mintyness we also use 3 drops Summerdown Peppermint Oil) METHOD Pre heat the oven to 170 (160 fan). In a heat-proof bowl over a pan of boiling water, melt together the dark chocolate, Summerdown chocolate (excluding the creams) and butter. Heat gently until smooth. Once melted,(if using) add three drops of Summerdown Peppermint Oil. Take the bowl off the heat and allow to cool for a minute or two. Add the sugar to the melted chocolate and butter, and stir until combined.Sift in the flour and mix. Crack the eggs in and combine, one by one. Pour the mixture into a greased and lined brownie tin. Bake for 20 minutes then remove the pan from the oven and squish in the peppermint creams on to the top of the mixture (if using a standard brownie tin, 2×6 works well as a layout!). The creams should break the surface of the mixture, and be pressed in until almost flush with the top of the brownie. Return to the oven for 10 minutes, until the top of the brownie is just beginning to flake. Leave to cool slightly before cutting 12 brownies, each with a peppermint cream in the centre. Enjoy whilst they’re still warm!

Jo's mint chocolate macarons

INGREDIENTS 175g icing sugar 125g ground almonds 3 large free-range egg whites 75g caster sugar 1 drop peppermint oil For the filling 150g butter, softened 75g icing sugar 1 drop peppermint oil Green food colouring (optional) Summerdown Mint peppermint crisps to dress the outside METHOD Preheat the oven to 160°C/fan140°C/gas 3. Whizz the icing sugar and ground almonds in a food processor to a very fine mixture, then sift into a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt to soft peaks, then gradually whisk in the caster sugar until thick and glossy. (At this point you can stir in the peppermint oil and corresponding green colouring (if using), to your meringue mixture, depending on what kind of macaroons you want. Fold half the almond and icing sugar mixture into the meringue and mix well. Add the remaining half, making sure you use a spatula to cut and fold the mixture until it is shiny and has a thick, ribbon-like consistency as it falls from the spatula. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm plain nozzle. Line 2 baking sheets with baking paper. Pipe small rounds of the macaroon mixture, about 3cm across, onto the baking sheets. Give the baking sheets a sharp tap on the work surface to ensure a good ‘foot’. Leave to stand at room temperature for 10-15 minutes to form a slight skin. This is important – you should be able to touch them lightly without any mixture sticking to your finger. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool. Meanwhile, make the filling. In a bowl, beat the butter until light and fluffy, then beat in the icing sugar. Add 1 or 2 drops peppermint oil to taste. Use to sandwich pairs of macarons together. Crush up the peppermint crisps and roll the macaroons in them to finish.

Gee's mint chocolate biscuit cake

(Although Gee Cartwright's not one of the Summerdown team, we love Hampshire cook Gee's recipes and wanted to share this again because it really is delicious). INGREDIENTS 300g dark chocolate (72% cocoa) roughly chopped 2 drops Summerdown peppermint oil 100g golden syrup 120g unsalted butter, cut into small cubes Pinch of salt 100g dried cranberries or cherries, soaked in 2 tbsp of rum for 30 minutes 170g digestive biscuits, roughly broken into small pieces 100g pistachios roughly chopped METHOD Line a 28cm x 18cm baking tray with greaseproof paper. Put the chocolate, peppermint oil, golden syrup, the butter and a pinch of salt in a large heatproof bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water (without the bowl touching the water) and stir occasionally until the chocolate has melted and all is combined. Stir the cranberries / cherries and their soaking liquid, the biscuits and about half of the pistachios into the chocolate mixture. Use the bigger bits of the nuts and keep the powdery bits for later. Stir so that everything is covered in chocolate and pour into the prepared tray. Smooth out the surface and top with the remaining chopped pistachios. Allow to cool slightly and then cover tightly with cling fil and pop in the fridge for two / three hours until set. Cut into the bars and you should get 24 small bars. Serve cold from the fridge. Top tip Make well ahead, cut up and keep in an airtight container in the fridge. Serve really cold and they will keep well in the fridge for a week and a month in the freezer if they last! I actually love serving them straight from the freezer.

Jules' mint chocolate meringues