Snotty Noses Happy Parents Raising Healthy Kids by Dr Orlena Kerek, Paediatrician

I have to confess I'm not normally a pudding person and baking is definitely not my forte. But the summer holidays are long in Spain and the boys wanted to do some cooking (make something containing sugar.)

My suggestions of brownies was met by 'what's a brownie?' 'Don't worry', I signed 'you'll like them'. We thought we'd have a go at Nigella's 'everyday brownies'. Sorry, what exactly is an 'everyday' brownie? The ones she rustles up in her sleep? Oh well, that's why she's a domestic goddess and I'm err, well, I'm not. I bet she doesn't have a 3 year old and a 5 year old when in tow when she does her rustling. Anyhow, I will give her this, they were much much tidier to make than Delia's chocolate and syrup biscuits. They were a disaster. A bit like the red spot in 'The cat in the hat comes back.'

So back to brownies. Babies safely in bed. Ground rules explained: "Don't touch anything unless I tell you to" (I've done cooking with them before.) One boy on each chair. Galen (oldest) in charge of stirring on the hob (VERY carefully) and Dante as far away from hob as possible, in charge of sifting flour!

Nigella says preheat oven to 190. I think we'll do that in a bit. This might take us longer than it takes her. Melt butter and sugar (we had to use white, it's difficult to get the suggested brown around here.) Add cocoa powder, beautifully sifted flour and as no bicarb, hope baking powder will do. Galen is doing a great job of stirring VERY VERY carefully.

Whisking eggs, a Dante job. Add vanilla extract and chuck the whole lot together.

Both of them want to do the breaking up the chocolate (can't imagine why). And I go over it with a knife. I used dark chocolate as it's what I keep in the fridge for such occasions but N says anything will do.

Mix together and scrap into a baking tray, lined with silver paper. Bake for 20-25 mins. Should be gungy.

Wow, actually quite easy and very tasty. Only problem was the kids weren't that keen on them. I think they were too rich for them. Well adults enjoyed them.

Ingredients we used: 150g unsalted butter, 300g sugar, 75g cocoa powder, 1 tsp baking powder, 4 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 150g dark chocolate, 150g of beautifully sifted flour.