A Mid-Week Treat. And a Hug.

Malted Double Chocolate Marshmallow Brownies

When oldest Boy was but a toddler, I despaired of him ever eating anything.  He lived on some yogurt and a litre of milk a day.

And cardboard.  Of any description.  Newspapers. Magazines and bits of tissue paper were also eaten with alarming enjoyment.

Of course, he “grew out of it” and even if his appetite isn’t amazing today, he eats most everything. 

Ok, not everything, he hates some things but so do we all.

Lots of people believe hunger is a good sauce.  I’ve even uttered those words myself whilst knowing in my heart of hearts, if I was keeling over with starvation, there is no way on this earth you could get me to eat certain things. 

Porridge.  Butter.  Milk.  To name but a few.

One day this week I made a batch of brownies because the boys saw some in the café.  It was a while since I made them and even as I added the chopped walnuts a little voice said “they’ll give out about those.”

I threw them in.  The bag was opened and I wanted to use them up. 

They wouldn’t eat them.  They gave out.  “I don’t like those nuts.”  “It would be gorgeous if there were no nuts.”  “That’s disgusting!”

Ho hum.  All the more for me.  Unfortunately.

So when I saw a bag of Princess marshmallows in Lidl for a song I snapped them up to use in a recipe I knew they would like. 

I also had a tub of Horlicks and this will not get used for anything else except the same recipe.

The first problem was trying to prevent Smallest Boy and Lovely Liam scoffing the marshmallows so I allowed them to “stud” the top of the mix when it was poured in the tin.

They were very generous with their studding.

The cake went into the oven. 

“When will it be ready?  Will it be ready now?”

“Not for a little while and then we have to let it cool right down before we cut it.”

I distracted them by taking them upstairs to “help me” change the beds.

“Is it ready now?  When will it be ready?  It’s been three days!”

Three beds maybe. 

The rule was (dontcha just hate rules?) dinner before dessert.  They swallowed down some roast chicken and veg and then launched at the goo-ey treat on the counter top.

Silence was heard.  Mixed in with the licking of fingers and the odd “mmmmmmnnnnn.”

Afterwards Lovely Liam ran at me and almost knocked me over with one of his rugby tackle hugs.  I “ooof-ed” as usual.

He looked up at me, chocolate and melty marshmallow all over his face.

“Know what I hug-ded you for?  Coz you made-ed that good!”

Link to the Malted Double Chocolate Marshmallow Brownies mix is here and you can thank wholesomeireland.ie for the deliciousness.