Gem and Jo Take On Iced Green Tea

So while Jo was off sunning herself in Gran Canaria, she picked up some Horniman's Green Tea. Now to be honest the reason she bought it was because it was called Hornimans, which made her giggle, and because of our recent obsession with green tea! (Check out our post about that obsession Here). 

After working up the courage to try this Te Verde, which is pineapple and coconut flavour, here's our opinions on Horniman's products. 

                                 

First off, this isn't like your ordinary green teas, this is made with cold water (or agua fría as it says on the packet). You're supposed to leave the tea bag in 250ml of cold water for 5 minutes (We used Tesco Irish Spring water! Find it Here for just 69c!). 

At first it doesn't look like it's going to blend very well but after a few seconds the sweet smell of pineapple is apparent! Yum! 

                                         

After waiting 5 excruciating minutes with the smell of pineapple and coconut in the air teasing us, we finally tasted it. 

It is like an explosion of beautiful, delicious awesomeness! No, seriously, this stuff is amazing and it really pains us that Jo only brought one bag back! 15 tea bags isn't enough!!! We will have to ration it out until we find a way back to Gran Canaria!! 

This is what it looks like when you first put the tea bag in!

Check out Horniman's website Here
If you have ever tried Horniman's Te Verde or know where it can be bought in Ireland, let us know in the comments and we will be eternally grateful!

Thanks for reading!

Until Next Time! 

Gem and Jo Take on Brownies

To go along with the cheesecake that we made on Friday, we decided to make brownies too! Now this recipe belongs to Jo, it is her creation and so we ask that you do not claim it as your own, that would be mean.

Here's what you'll need:

3 oz. of dark chocolate, the brand of your choice.
4 oz. of butter
1 teaspoon of vanilla essence
6 oz. of caster sugar
2 large eggs
4 oz. of plain flour
half a teaspoon of baking powder
pinch of salt.

These are some of the brands we used!

 So to create these little squares of deliciousness, this is what you'll have to do:

1: melt the butter and chocolate together, now you can do this either in the microwave or on the hob. We used the hob because chocolate can burn really easily in the microwave!
Plus you can eat it while it melts on the cooker!!

2: Add the sugar into the chocolate-butter stuff with a wooden spoon.

3: beat 2 eggs together and add to the mixture!

4: sift in the flour, salt and baking powder.

5: mix it all in really well and mix in the spoon of vanilla essence too!

6: pour the mixture into a baking tin, which is lined with baking parchment. (The parchment stops it sticking to the tin!)

7: Bake it in a pre-heated oven at 180 degrees Celsius, (or for those using the imperial system:  356 degrees Fahrenheit!) for 20 minutes!

We recommend checking them after 15 minutes so you don't burn those beauts!!

8: After they've cooled, sprinkle some icing sugar on top and chop into squares!

Voila, you've created awesomeness!

Here's what ours looked like:

om nom nom!!

Don't forget to follow us by email and on twitter, @gemandjo. Thanks for reading! Until next time!!

Gem and Jo Take on White Chocolate Cheesecake

For our friend's birthday we had bought a her gift online, however it hasn't arrived yet and the party is today, (!!) so after a slight panic attack and a mental breakdown or two, we decided to make her a cheesecake to bring instead!  Now, for all you copyright obsessors the cheesecake recipe does not belong to us! We found it online a long time ago and adapted it to be made with chocolate! No stealing of recipes here!

Heres what you'll need:

               

• 500ml of fresh cream
• 600g of Philadelphia or other cream cheese brands
• 250g of butter
• 400g of digestive biscuits
• 1 pack of cookies (without nuts)
• 3 (150g each) bars of white cooking chocolate  
• 1 sachet of gelatin 

You will also need an array of bowls, spoons and a cake tin for the cake to set in.


1. First you need to mash up the biscuits and cookies into a fine dust for the base.

 2. Melt the butter in the microwave until it is all liquid and pour into the biscuits, mix until all biscuits are covered in butter, the mixture should be sticking together. Put this into the cake tin and press hard with the back of a spoon until solid. We used a potato masher and it was soooo much easier!

3. You should start melting all the chocolate now as it needs to cool slightly before its added.

4. dissolve the gelatin as per instruction on the box (follow them VERY carefully because we did not and now everything is sticky, everything...)

5. When the gelatin and chocolate are cooled a little, add them and all the tubs of cream cheese to a mixer and mix that shtuff up! Mix it gooood! 

6. While thats mixing, you should whisk the fresh cream until it is stiff (and try not to eat it all!) 

7. You should now fold the cream and chocolate cheese mixture together and add it on top of the biscuit base! 

8. Put it in the fridge for a good 4 hours and voila, chocolate cheesecake without the use of a hot oven!

Thanks for reading and happy baking! 

Until next time!!