BROWNIES, THREE WAYS

Posted in Cake, Desserts, Desserts, Sweets by sallybr

I share with you three takes on a very simple bake, the deliciously humble brownie. What makes a brownie a brownie? Tough to define precisely because lots of different recipes will take you to that territory. In general, it is a simple cake with just a few ingredients: butter, flour, chocolate, sugar and eggs. But a leavening agent might finds its way there also, in case the baker prefers a more cake-like version. Marriages have been damaged due to brownie divergencies. I advise you to date people who share your passion for fudgy or cakey. Back to what matters. My three versions are right here for you.

BROWNIE, TRADITIONAL

I like it to be dense, creamy, not cakey. I like a brownie with substance, but that melts in the mouth and brings with each bite a moment of introspection because words seem like such a waste.

This recipe, straight from the blog of Helen, my tent-baker friend, checks all the boxes.For the recipe, visit Bakers Anonymous with a click here.

BROWNIE, DRESSED UP

BROWNIE PIE
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

for the pastry shell:
(makes more than you need, save the rest in the freezer)
310g all purpose flour
30g powdered sugar
pinch of salt
170g butter (chilled and cut in small cubes)
3 egg yolks mixed with very cold water to make a volume of 6 tablespoons

for the chocolate brownie filling:
100 g coarsely chopped 70% chocolate
10 g Dutch-process cocoa powder
120 g unsalted butter
180 g whole eggs
130 g granulated sugar
50 g all-purpose flour, sifted
powdered sugar for decoration (optional)

Heat the oven to 375F.

Put the flour, sugar and salt in food processor then add the butter and process until the butter is in small pieces. With the motor running add the mixture of egg yolks and cold water. Stop the mixer before the pastry forms a ball, remove it from the processor and gently bring it all together with your hands over plastic wrap. Shape into a flat disc and leave it in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Roll out the pastry to a thickness of about 3mm. I like to do it in between two plastic sheets (I cut the four sides of a large ziplock bag leaving just the bottom part attached, open it and roll the pastry inside it). Roll the dough as a circle large enough to cover the pan and leave a little extra around the sides. Place it in an 8-inch tart pan with removable bottom.

Line the surface with plastic wrap and fill with beans. Wrap the plastic over the beans so that it does not touch the metal sides of the pan. Blind bake for 15 minutes with the beans on, then carefully remove them and place the shell back in the oven for 20 more minutes. Remove and allow it to cool slightly.

Lower the temperature of the oven to 350 F.

Make the brownie filling. Gently melt the chocolate, cocoa powder and butter together in the microwave. In a bowl, lightly whisk the eggs and sugar by hand. Fold in the dark chocolate mixture, followed by the sifted flour. Continue gently folding using a spatula until well combined. Place the finished mixture into the blind-baked tart shell and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until it is set in the center.

Allow it to cool and decorate with powdered sugar using a stencil, if you like. Refrigerate until serving time.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

This was decadent. We offered pieces to some bricklayers working in a little project in our home and they were very VERY happy. This recipe has just enough flour to hold it together, so it is almost like enjoying a piece of ready to melt chocolate on top of a sweet tart shell. Bliss.

Am I the only one who sees a cute alien?

Now finally, my third version for you…

BROWNIE BITES, FOR FUN

BROWNIE BITES
(adapted from The Cookery Wife)

95 g all-purpose flour
200 g granulated sugar
75 g cocoa powder (I used natural)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, (1 stick, 113 g), room temperature
2 eggs
1 teaspoons vanilla paste
2 Tablespoons full-fat milk (optional)

Heat oven to 350F.

Spray your mini-cake pan with baking spray containing flour.

In the bowl of a stand mixer add dry ingredients: flour, sugar, cocoa, salt. Stir to combine. Next, add eggs, vanilla, butter. Mix on low for 30 seconds, add the milk and mix on medium-high for 2 full minutes. Batter will be very thick. Place it in a piping bag (no need for piping tip). Cut an opening and fill the mini-cakes between 1/2 and 3/4 full.

Using the tip of your finger coated with a bit of butter, press the batter to smooth it out. Bake for 15 minutes until a tooth pick inserted comes out clean. Let cool 10 minutes before removing from pan.

A toothpick can help loosen the sides, but be gentle. Cool completely over a rack before decorating with powdered sugar.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

First of all, don’t let the lack of a mini-cute-Bundt pan stop you from making these bites. A mini-muffin alternative will work just as well. But, you know I cannot resist a baking gadget. I was a bit afraid of them sticking to the pan, but most came out just with a gentle flip of the pan (see photo, bottom left). Just a few stayed in, but were also released with a gentle tap, no harm done. I think filling them just a little over half capacity is the ticket. If some of them dome a bit, you can gently shave the bump with a small serrated knife, so they will sit leveled.

They have great flavor and the texture is not dense, even though the batter started so thick. You can decorate them with powdered sugar, a drizzle of caramel, melted chocolate. I happened to have some leftover white chocolate ganache from a macaron adventure, so I added a touch of that to most of them. They are perfect to bring to parties or share with co-workers. I will bake them regularly, my next project will involve a lemon cake. The idea is to avoid cake batters that are too light, you need more substance to get them to unmold nicely and keep the overall design.

ONE YEAR AGO: Berry Rebellion Tarts (one of my favorite blog posts)

TWO YEAR AGO: Emilie Raffa’s High Hydration Sourdough

THREE YEARS AGO: Short-Ribs with Chickpeas and Chard

FOUR YEARS AGO: Asian-Style Short Ribs

FIVE YEARS AGO: Herbed Goat Cheese Souffles

SIX YEARS AGO: Barley Risotto with Peas

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Jammin’ Blueberry Sour Milk Pancakes

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Scallops with Black Pasta in Orange Cream Sauce

NINE YEARS AGO: Stir-fried Chicken with Creamed Corn

TEN YEARS AGO: Potato, Cheddar, and Chive Torpedo

1Dec2016

PUMPKIN BROWNIES WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Posted in Desserts, Desserts, Sweets by sallybr

It’s that time of the year, everything pumpkin showing up to say hello… I shall add my humble contribution to the party with this batch of delicious brownies that I made for our department a few weeks ago. The original recipe called them bars but in my mind, brownies fit them quite well. They are moist, sweet, with all the mandatory spices that warm your body from the inside. Perfect with a cup of coffee or tea. Perfect as a little pick me up mid-morning. A shower of colorful sprinkles is optional. I found the recipe through a google search in the blog Sugar Apron. Such a cute name!

PUMPKIN BROWNIES WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
(from Sugar Apron)

for the brownies:
1(15 oz) can pumpkin
2 eggs
2 cups flour (250 g)
1 cup sugar (225 g)
1/2 cup oil (112 g)
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda

for the frosting:
4 oz cream cheese (115 g)
3 tbsp butter,softened
1 tsp milk, if needed
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar (110 g)
colorful sprinkles (optional)

Heat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×9 inch pan with parchment paper and spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

In a large bowl whisk together flour, sugar, ground ginger, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ground cloves and cinnamon. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients.

In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the eggs, vanilla, oil and pumpkin on medium speed until light and fluffy. Pour in the center of the dry ingredients, then stir gently, just until combined. Ladle the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely. When completely cooled, frost.

Make the frosting by combining the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl beating an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and mix at low-speed until combined. Stir in the vanilla and mix again. You may need to add a little milk to make it spreadable if your butter wasn’t soft enough. Spread frosting evenly on top of cake, add sprinkles if you like. Cut the brownies into any size you like.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: These were another huge hit with our department, judging from the enthusiastic feedback and how fast they disappeared from the mail room. I of course loved them, with all those spices it could not be different. If you have homemade pumpkin puree, use it. I recently learned that most canned pumpkin products are actually made from types of squash. It doesn’t bother me at all, but if you are a serious pumpkin purist, consider making the veggie mash from scratch. The frosting was a lot of fun to make, I did not need to include milk. It doesn’t get hard, so I kept the whole pan in the fridge overnight, sliced and took to work early next morning. Sprinkles of course make it very festive. My bottle of sprinkles is pretty big, so I need more reasons to use them before we get into the horrific, depressing, devastating, catastrophic dead of winter.

ONE YEAR AGO: Anne Burrell’s Focaccia

TWO YEARS AGO: Double Chocolate and Mint Cookies

THREE YEARS AGO: Cappuccino Panna Cotta

FOUR YEARS AGO: Chicken Parmigiana, the Thriller

FIVE YEARS AGO: Wild Mushroom Risotto

SIX YEARS AGO: Tartine Bread: Basic Country Loaf

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Pugliese Bread

10Sep2015

RASPBERRY-BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE CHUNK BROWNIES

Posted in Desserts by sallybr

Cheesy as it may sound, some matches are made in heaven. Like cheese and wine… that’s cheesy enough, right? Sauternes and foie gras… Lobster and drawn butter… Another winning combination: chocolate and raspberries. They work together to awe your palate in a tantalizing way. And that is the match I offer today delivered in the shape of Raspberry & Chocolate Brownies. I found this recipe in a book I bought after Karen from Karen’s Kitchen Stories delicately twisted my arm. Amazing what we do to please a fellow food blogger. Yeap, going against my nature and unshakable will power, I purchased a cookbook. How could I not? Karen said it was her favorite cookie book, and she knows her way around baking. Obviously, I had no choice. Anyway, the book is called quite simply Simply Sensational Cookies, and I have three words to say about it: you need it.

Raspberry Chocolate Brownies

RASPBERRY– BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE CHUNK BROWNIES
(reprinted with permission from Nancy Baggett’s Simply Sensational Cookies)

Nancy’s thoughts on the recipe: I tried teaming up raspberries and chocolate in brownie recipes several times in the past, but they weren’t nearly as fruity or fudgy as these beauties. They are dark, as rich as candy, and burst with berry and chocolate flavor.

1⁄2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into chunks
2 cups (about 11 ounces) coarsely chopped bittersweet chocolate, divided
1⁄2 cup good-quality unsweetened natural or Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted after measuring
1 cup granulated sugar
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1⁄4 cup very finely chopped freeze-dried raspberries (see comments)
1⁄4 cup seedless raspberry preserves
1⁄2 teaspoon raspberry extract
1 cup unbleached all-purpose white flour

Heat the oven to 350 F and position a rack in the center of it. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil; let the foil slightly overhang on the two opposite sides. Grease the foil or coat with nonstick spray.

In a large microwave-safe bowl with the microwave on medium power, melt the butter and 1 cup chopped chocolate, stopping and stirring every 30 seconds, until the chocolate mostly melts. Stir until completely melted. Vigorously stir the cocoa, sugar, and salt into the chocolate mixture until smoothly incorporated, free of lumps, and cooled to warm. Vigorously stir in the eggs, then the chopped raspberries, raspberry preserves, and raspberry extract. Stir in the flour until the batter is smooth and shiny. Lightly fold in the remaining 1 cup chopped chocolate. Put the batter in the pan, spreading evenly to the edges.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the edges are just pulling away from the pan sides and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean except for the bottom 3⁄4 inch, which should still look moist and gooey. Transfer to a wire rack until cooled to room temperature. Refrigerate the brownie slab for at least 45 minutes so it will cut more neatly. Using the overhanging foil as handles, lift the slab onto a cutting board. Peel off and discard the foil. Using a large sharp knife, cut the brownie crosswise and lengthwise into quarters to yield 16 bars; or cut as desired. Use a damp paper towel to wipe the blade of buildup between cuts. Let the brownies warm up to room temperature before serving.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Nancy suggests that if you object to the seeds in the freeze-dried raspberries, you can pulverize them in a food processor and sieve out the seeds. I did not do that, and thought the brownies turned out perfect, with some little chunks of raspberries peeking through them. If you prefer a smoother texture, you can get rid of the seeds.

I really love this cookbook! It is divided in the following chapters: Extra-Easy Cookies, Drop Cookies, Hand-Shaped Cookies, Rolled Cookies, Brownies and Bars, Slice & Bake Cookies, Biscotti, Semisweet Crisps, Savory Cocktail Cookies, Cookies-in-Jars Mixes, No-Bake Cookies, Semi-Homemade Cookies… and a few more general chapters on techniques and finishing touches. Each recipe starts with quick general notes. For instance, for the brownies I shared today she added: Fairly Easy One-Bowl, one-spoon mixing. Gourmet taste with easy technique. Exactly right. My only modification of the recipe was to omit the raspberry extract, because I did not know if what they had available at the store was good enough quality. I often hear that extracts can ruin a recipe unless you get the very best. For my taste, the brownies were perfect, they had a distinct raspberry flavor thanks to the use of freeze-dried fruit and the preserves. She suggests a chocolate ganache to top them, but I decided to keep them simple. They were very rich, definitely can stand on their own without gilding the lily. Fantastic recipe, two thumbs up!

Nancy, thank you for giving me permission to publish your recipe! I gave a Kindle copy of your book to one of my nieces in Brazil, the one who got all the good baking genes in the family, and she fell in love with it too… And of course, thanks Karen for bringing this cookbook into my radar…

To order your copy of Simply Sensational Cookies, click here.
(No, I am not going to make a single penny out of your purchase, I recommend it because it is a great book).

😉

ONE YEAR AGO: Scary Good Pork Burgers

TWO YEARS AGO: Review of exercise program Focus25

THREE YEARS AGO: Celebrate Wednesday with a Thai Seafood Curry

FOUR YEARS AGO: Post-workout Breakfast

FIVE YEARS AGO: Semolina Barbecue Buns

SIX YEARS AGO: Lavash Crackers

30Jun2015

MAUREEN’S FABULOUSLY FUDGY BROWNIES

Posted in Desserts, Desserts, Sweets by sallybr

Phil is very hard to please when it comes to brownies, bran muffins, and some types of cakes (angel food, layered coconut cake are two that come to mind). I am always trying different recipes hoping to hit one that will awe him. Brownies, according to the resident expert, have to be dense, fudgy, big, contain nuts, and probably meet a number of other criteria that have not yet been conveyed to the person in charge of baking them (aka curve balls). Last March, on a trip to Hawaii to celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary, he went crazy for brownies sold at a very unassuming spot, a little cafe at the entrance of Turtle Bay Resort. I admit that they were indeed spectacular, but all my attempts to get their recipe were ignored. Then, I saw this recipe at Maureen’s blog, and decided to give it a try. They were nothing short of amazing. I knew they would be, and the best part is, my hard-to-please husband agreed!

FABULOUSLY FUDGY BROWNIES
(from The Orgasmic Chef)

READ ON TO FIND OUT…

I want to make sure everyone reads Maureen’s masterpiece of a post on the subject. No one should miss it, so click here for the full post, recipe included, and you can thank me later… Who else but Maureen could compose a superb post on brownies that starts with not one, but TWO episodes of flying creatures emptying their guts on her head? Now, do you want to know what makes her post even more special for me? The fact that many many years ago (July 1986), while walking the streets of former Yugoslavia, a pigeon dropped what seemed to be a full bucket of warm, greenish-white liquid on my head, from the balcony of a building. Of course, not a single drop hit my former husband, his Mom and his Dad who were walking next to me, and had the laugh of their lives at my expense. We had to take a bus back to the hotel, with yours truly still plastered in pigeon poop (#totallynotdistractinglysexy). Can you imagine my mood? This is just one more reason I consider Maureen my virtual sister. And although so far I haven’t had the unique pleasure of getting showered with bat’s or crow’s poop, I can testify that the pigeon kind smells disgusting. I am sure my readers are delighted to know that. Ready for that brownie now?

😉

Maureen Brownies1

Isn’t that a thing of complete beauty? And the smell as it baked, and later cooled was OUT OF THIS WORLD AMAZING! Yes, in all caps, it deserves it. These babies were moist, dense, intensely flavored, and the walnuts took care of that monochromatic nature of brownies that some people might object to. Give this recipe a try, especially if you have a brownie-snob in your home… I guarantee these will please the toughest critic.

Maureen, thanks for the great recipe, and of course, for the amusing write-up… if I was next to you during the crow-attack, I would do my very best not to laugh, instead would help you get back into socially acceptable shape. I am nothing if not magnanimous.

ONE YEAR AGO: Wheat Berry Caraway Bread

TWO YEARS AGO: Mexican Focaccia

THREE YEARS AGO: Sunny Kamut Salad with Roasted Lemon Vinaigrette

FOUR YEARS AGO: Pane de Casa & Crostini

FIVE YEARS AGO: Down-home Dig-in Chili

SIX YEARS AGO: Cinnamon Rolls

4May2014

CHESTNUT BROWNIES & A BLOG AWARD!

Posted in Desserts, Sweets by sallybr

As you might remember from a recent post, I was looking forward to playing with what was left of my precious chestnut flour, born and raised in Corsica, matured in Paris, and lovingly transported all the way to Kansas, USA. Celia, my dear virtual friend who blogs at Fig Jam and Lime Cordial, urged me to try her chestnut brownies, so on a warm Tuesday evening, I went right to work. By the way, these are gluten-free, so if you have allergies or other wheat-related-issues, go ahead and indulge!

CHESTNUT BROWNIES
(from Fig Jam and Lime Cordial)

90g (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter
225g (8oz) 50 – 60% cacao semisweet chocolate (I used Zoet 57%)
150g (¾ cup) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
40g (¼ cup) chestnut flour (sifted)
150g (1 cup) chocolate chips (you can substitute toasted walnuts, same amount)

Heat oven to 175C/350F or 160C/320F with fan.

Measure out all your ingredients and have them ready to go. Line a 20cm (8″) baking pan with parchment paper.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter, then add the chocolate and stir over low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar and vanilla until combined.

Stir in the eggs one at a time. Add the sifted chestnut flour all at once and stir vigorously until you can feel the batter “snap”. The batter starts out grainy and fairly loose. As you beat it by hand, it will initially feel like nothing is happening, and then it will suddenly feel a bit stiffer – that’s when you’ll know a state change has occurred. This might take one minute, or it might take several. Stop occasionally to check how it’s going. Unlike true fudge, it’s not a huge “snap”, but the texture will definitely change noticeably – it will feel stiffer, look smoother, and pull away from the sides and bottom of the pan.

Gently stir in the chocolate chips (or walnuts).

Scrape the batter into the lined pan and smooth out the top. Bake for 25 minutes until just firm. Do not over-bake. Allow the brownies to cool completely before lifting them out of the pan and slicing.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

It is not very easy to find chocolate with less than 60% cocoa where I live, but one store carried Zoet, a brand I had never heard of. So, that’s what I used, and the brownies turned out delicious! My beloved husband is very hard to please as far as brownies are concerned (and cakes, and muffins, and pies – I’m clearly a martyr), but he was totally in love with them, and insisted I should write an email to Celia right away to say “Phil is giving these brownies two thumbs waaaaay up“.

We started the morning savoring a piece with our cappuccino – can you recognize perfection when you see it? That was it. The rest of the batch was offered to our colleagues at the department. That Wednesday started gray and rainy, a bit on the cold side, but I hope the brownies helped face it with a smile. Did you notice? Baked them on a warm Tuesday evening, served them on a cool Wednesday morning… that’s Kansas spring in all its glory… 😉

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

And now it’s celebration time! I was recently nominated by Tuscas Värld for the Dragon’s Loyalty Award. I love dragons, I think they are a good match for a bewitching site, don’t you agree?

The rules for the award are simple, you have to link back to the blogger who nominated you – done! – post the logo on your site – done! – and tell 7 interesting things about yourself. Not sure they will be that interesting, but here they are:

1. Every time I see a recipe with a title that starts with “Healthy”, I roll my eyes to the ceiling. Every. Single. Time.

2. I pay as much attention to movie reviews as I do to wine ratings: none.

3. I went through a phase of intense fear of flying that lasted for a couple of years. I managed to get over it, but a little turbulence still sends me into panic mode. Interestingly enough, I would love to learn to fly a plane. It’s all about control, I suppose… (sigh)

4. If I had to choose between having a root canal or going to a live performance by Celine Dion I would set the dentist appointment right away.

5. I don’t like to be away from Phil, a trip without him has no appeal for me whatsoever. Even if it involved Paris.

6. We started watching Breaking Bad (disclosure: 90% of the time I say Baking Bread) a couple of weeks ago and we are hooked! For other fans of this amazing series, take a look at this letter from Anthony Hopkins to Bryan Cranston. Awesome!

7. I am terrified of heights, but this video mesmerized me! Phil and I watch it over and over. The song is great, the people super cool… It’s decided: on my next life I won’t be a wimp! 😉

Again, thank you for the Dragon’s Loyalty Award, I do realize that I should pass the award for other 15 bloggers, but as I explained in the past, I do not forward awards, I hope it’s not a serious drawback. One of the ways I like to show my appreciation for bloggers is doing what I just did in this post: cooking a recipe from their site.

Celia, thank you for the constant inspiration not only in cooking, but through your approach of “Living well in the urban village”. You do that like a pro!