Read Online Recipe for Treason: A Lady Arianna Regency Mystery (Lady Arianna Hadley Mystery) by Andrea Penrose - Free Book Online
Authors: Andrea Penrose
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of a walled garden. “It’s locked,” he whispered, “but Baz told me that won’t be an obstacle.”
“None whatsoever.” Saybrook needed only a moment of probing with a thin metal pick before the mechanism released with a soft snick .
Moving quickly in single file, they followed the yew hedge up to the rear of a modest stone house. Save for a faint glimmer of light seeping through the shutters of the far ground-floor window, the place was as dark as a crypt.
“That’s Girton’s workroom,” whispered Connery. “Shall we knock on the back door?”
Henning looked to the earl.
“No,” replied Saybrook. “Let’s enter first. You can alert him to our presence once we’re inside.”
Once again, a lock yielded easily to the earl’s probing, allowing them to cross through the scullery and into an unlit corridor.
The house was silent . . .
Too silent, thought Arianna, aware of a prickling at the back of her neck. She eased off a glove and slipped her hand inside her coat, feeling for the butt of the pistol tucked into her waistband.
Connery inched around a corner and pointed up ahead at a paneled oak door, outlined by a thin bead of lamplight.
Saybrook signaled him to approach and knock. He, too, had his hand inside his coat.
“Girton? It’s Connery. Forgive me for disturbing you at this hour, but I’ve something urgent to discuss with you.”
Silence.
He cleared his throat and repeated the words.
Again, no response.
The earl stepped forward and pressed a palm to the door. It swung open with a low groan . . . which was quickly echoed by Saybrook’s oath.
“Oh, bloody hell.”
5
FromLady Arianna’s Chocolate Notebooks
Chocolate Cherry Brownies
2 cups dried cherries
1 cup port wine
1 / 2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 / 3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 / 2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
10 1 / 2 ounces dark chocolate chips or chunks
5 1 / 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups sifted Muscovado or dark brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 / 2 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
1 cup chocolate chips or chunks
Butter for greasing the pan
1. A day or two before you want to bake the brownies, place the cherries in a medium bowl and pour the port over them. Cover and set aside. Stir every twelve hours until ready to use.
2. Preheat the oven to 325°F and place a rack in the top third. Butter and line a 13 x 9 x 2–inch rectangular baking dish with parchment paper (an important step if you want to eventually get these brownies out of the pan).
3. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder into a bowl and set aside.
4. Make a double boiler by placing a stainless steel bowl over a small pan of gently simmering water—the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water. Place the dark chocolate chips into this bowl along with the butter and sugar. Stir just until the chocolate has melted and the ingredients come together into a mass. Transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer and allow to cool.
5. Mix on low speed and add the eggs, one at a time, incorporating each before adding the next. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula a couple of times along the way.
6. Add the flour mixture and stir by hand until combined. Add the crème fraîche, the remaining 1 cup chocolate chips, and the cherries with the port. Stir until just combined.
7. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for about 1 hour, or until just set. The center of the brownie should be set and not at all wobbly.
8. Allow to cool completely in the pan. You can cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap at this point and the brownies will keep for a couple of days. Chill before slicing if you want small, precise squares.
A rianna pushed past a confused Connery to join her husband on the workroom’s threshold.
“Damnation.” She let loose her own oath after a quick glance around.
The massive pine desk had clearly been ransacked. An inkwell had been knocked to the carpet,
“None whatsoever.” Saybrook needed only a moment of probing with a thin metal pick before the mechanism released with a soft snick .
Moving quickly in single file, they followed the yew hedge up to the rear of a modest stone house. Save for a faint glimmer of light seeping through the shutters of the far ground-floor window, the place was as dark as a crypt.
“That’s Girton’s workroom,” whispered Connery. “Shall we knock on the back door?”
Henning looked to the earl.
“No,” replied Saybrook. “Let’s enter first. You can alert him to our presence once we’re inside.”
Once again, a lock yielded easily to the earl’s probing, allowing them to cross through the scullery and into an unlit corridor.
The house was silent . . .
Too silent, thought Arianna, aware of a prickling at the back of her neck. She eased off a glove and slipped her hand inside her coat, feeling for the butt of the pistol tucked into her waistband.
Connery inched around a corner and pointed up ahead at a paneled oak door, outlined by a thin bead of lamplight.
Saybrook signaled him to approach and knock. He, too, had his hand inside his coat.
“Girton? It’s Connery. Forgive me for disturbing you at this hour, but I’ve something urgent to discuss with you.”
Silence.
He cleared his throat and repeated the words.
Again, no response.
The earl stepped forward and pressed a palm to the door. It swung open with a low groan . . . which was quickly echoed by Saybrook’s oath.
“Oh, bloody hell.”
5
FromLady Arianna’s Chocolate Notebooks
Chocolate Cherry Brownies
2 cups dried cherries
1 cup port wine
1 / 2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 / 3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 / 2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
10 1 / 2 ounces dark chocolate chips or chunks
5 1 / 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups sifted Muscovado or dark brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 / 2 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
1 cup chocolate chips or chunks
Butter for greasing the pan
1. A day or two before you want to bake the brownies, place the cherries in a medium bowl and pour the port over them. Cover and set aside. Stir every twelve hours until ready to use.
2. Preheat the oven to 325°F and place a rack in the top third. Butter and line a 13 x 9 x 2–inch rectangular baking dish with parchment paper (an important step if you want to eventually get these brownies out of the pan).
3. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder into a bowl and set aside.
4. Make a double boiler by placing a stainless steel bowl over a small pan of gently simmering water—the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water. Place the dark chocolate chips into this bowl along with the butter and sugar. Stir just until the chocolate has melted and the ingredients come together into a mass. Transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer and allow to cool.
5. Mix on low speed and add the eggs, one at a time, incorporating each before adding the next. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula a couple of times along the way.
6. Add the flour mixture and stir by hand until combined. Add the crème fraîche, the remaining 1 cup chocolate chips, and the cherries with the port. Stir until just combined.
7. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for about 1 hour, or until just set. The center of the brownie should be set and not at all wobbly.
8. Allow to cool completely in the pan. You can cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap at this point and the brownies will keep for a couple of days. Chill before slicing if you want small, precise squares.
A rianna pushed past a confused Connery to join her husband on the workroom’s threshold.
“Damnation.” She let loose her own oath after a quick glance around.
The massive pine desk had clearly been ransacked. An inkwell had been knocked to the carpet,
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