Winter Indulgence

It is important to remain warm until the warm weather fully sets in.

Staying warm also implies a bit of indulgence and taking in a few extra calories.

How do we justify this? By saying we need them to generate more heat so we are not cold. The science in itself sort of makes sense, but most of us tend to use it to run off like a loose cannon, gobbling up everything we can.

Remember, summer bodies are made in winter, or some such statement.

Exercise not only helps you generate heat, it also helps you fight off colds and other bugs that make their presence felt in the colder months of the year.

As your body moves and generates energy in the form of exercise, your immune system develops an equal opportunity to fight anything coming its way.

This, helped with great food and a steady diet, would only up your chances of having a healthy body.

That being said, I believe I am also allowed to share with you some indulgences for the winter.

My biggest go-to winter 'sweet treat' is malva pudding and custard.

I could just swim in the stuff on the hottest summer day too.

Gooey malva in a sea of warm custard just does things to the depths of my being that no other sweet treat does.

And why not? It's a classic.

There are many different malva recipes that have been passed on from generation to generation, and along the years these have been developed to be even better.

The home-made stuff is where it's at.

Restaurant stuff that's mass-produced loses that 'thing'.

I guess it is not just the taste, but the setting and social aspect of it as well.

A close second for me is a good chocolate brownie or a slice of decadent chocolate cake.

Warm chocolate brownies with chocolate sauce and ice cream (yep, ice cream in winter rules) are an anytime-of-the-year treat sent from foodie heaven.

The brownie must be slightly underdone or gooey.

When I try various recipes, I always hope the brownie turns out gooey. If not, I try the recipe again, but cut the cooking time short by three minutes or so, and hopefully that gives me the results I am looking for.

The combination of hot brownie, chocolate sauce and cold ice cream creates a delightful sensation that adds to the drama of the dessert, and I make this all the time!

A dollop of Nutella or any hazelnut choco-spread adds to the drama.

Sprinkle over some crushed peanuts, or throw in a few fresh strawberries (if you can find any) and you have a winner to seal any meal.

Something to note: This recipe works best when the brownie cake is served warm, so time it well so you eat it as it comes out of the oven, after it has slightly cooled, of course.

Place it in your oven ideally as you sit down for dinner, and enjoy a lovely dessert straight after.

Chocolate Brownie Cake

Ingredients

70g plain flour

180g butter

2 large eggs, separated

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