Brownie vs ginger crunch

Chocolate or ginger? Ginger or chocolate?

According to some it seems that ginger crunch is quite unique to New Zealand taste buds. Its certainly something that was a lunchbox staple when I was at school here, and not at all when I was in the UK.



Brownies, on the other hand are just as yummy, a lot more versatile and terribly popular. Well it contains chocolate, so why wouldn't it be?


Here, look at these and tell me which one you'd rather eat!


Coconut chocolate brownie (moist!)



or Ginger crunch (sticky!).

(By the way I got too impatient with this and couldn't wait for it to set before cutting it and eating it. Plus I had a friend around, we couldn't just sit and look at it aye? Anyway, when this sets its just as yummy.)

Want to make your own and make a judgement? Here, try these out.

Coconut Chocolate Brownie
125g butter (or margarine)
1/4 cup cocoa
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla paste
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup plain flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup chopped chocolate (dark, milk or white or a mix of all - you choose!)

Some more chocolate for icing
Oil

Melt butter and add the cocoa in medium saucepan and stir over a low heat for 1-2mins. Remove and stir in the sugar, then add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and coconut, then sift in flour and baking powder. Pour into a well greased tin and bake for 1/2hr at 180 deg C.
When cooled you can either dust the tops with icing sugar, or if you are a real chocolate nut melt 1/2 cup chocolate and add a pinch of oil (to help the spreading consistency) and mix well and pour over the top. When this sets cut the brownie.

Ginger Crunch
125g butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger

Ginger icing: 50g butter, 1/2 cup icing sugar, 1 tablespoon golden syrup, 2 teaspoons grated ginger (or ground ginger if you don't like lumps).

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the fresh ginger. Sift flour, baking powder together, add and mix to a soft dough. Press this into your well greased tin and bake at 190 deg C for 20 mins. Ice with the ginger icing and leave to set until cold, then cut (oops).

To make the ginger icing, melt all those ingredients together and pour over the top of the baked base.

Happy baking (and eating)!