My name is Emma Proffitt, aged 18 from Bicester. I am in my third year of the Professional Chef’s Diploma at City of Oxford College, which is part of Activate Learning.

I decided I wanted to work as a chef aged about 14. My granddad and my mum are both really good cooks and that’s what inspired me. I knew that I wanted to start my training when I finished my GCSEs and I have loved being at college – learning new cookery skills and working alongside other people who share my passion for food.

As part of my studies I work as a chef at The Waterside restaurant, which is based on campus in Oxpens Road. We are open to the public each weekday lunchtime as well as on Thursday evenings. We also provide the catering at the college’s on-campus cafes.

Outside of college I work as the second chef at the Abingdon Arms in Beckley.

The pub is under new management and is developing a good reputation for its food.

My cooking style is Italian cuisine. My granddad now lives in Tuscany and I love eating out when we travel to see him. The quality of the food and the flavours are just something else. I enjoy making my own pasta from scratch – creating sheets for lasagne or tagliatelle dishes.

My mum passed on her brownie recipe to me, which I love to bake. I like to try new flavours based on what is available at the time, and this recipe lends itself to that approach. I have made it with beetroot, cherries and nuts.

We recently had a dinner party at home and I used it as the bottom layer of a dessert trifle, soaked in cherry liquor.

This is the basic recipe, but you can add your own ingredients – such as nuts, cherries, dates or beetroot.

Oxford Mail:
Emma Proffitt

Ingredients
* 275g caster sugar
* 185g butter
* 3 eggs
* 85g plain flour
* 40g cocoa powder
* 185g dark chocolate
* 70g white chocolate
* 70g milk chocolate

Melt the dark chocolate and butter in a bowl over a pan of hot water.

Line your tin with butter and greaseproof paper.

Sieve the cocoa powder and flour together in a bowl.

Whisk the eggs and sugar in a separate bowl until thick and creamy.

Fold together the egg mixture and melted chocolate, then fold in the flour and cocoa powder.

Add the white chocolate and milk chocolate to the mixture as small, broken pieces.

Place in a pre-heated oven at 160c fan, 180c conventional or gas mark 4 for around 25 minutes.

When done, the top of the brownies should look shiny and have a papery crust and the sides should just be starting to come away from the tin.

Leave to cool slightly and then cut to size.

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