Scrumptious Brownies

We LOVE these brownies!  Below you'll find a link to a luscious, full-bodied, homemade brownie recipe that not only tastes divine but is a cinch to make.

These delectable, simple, old fashioned brownies taste just how I want a brownie to taste.  Not too bitter from the chocolate, not too sweet from the blend of sugars and vanilla extract, not too oily from the butter, and not too cakey from the perfect fusion of eggs, flour, and salt.  These brownies come together in a snap and good thing they do because when I'm hankering for a fudgy, rich brownie, I want it ASAP!

Enjoy :)    

Here is the recipe.

Chewy Graham Brownies

I came across this recipe for chewy graham brownies about the same time I discovered the recipe for pecan pie cupcakes (see Friday, May 1st post). Both recipes only require 5 ingredients!  Works for me!  If you're a busy mom and think you don't have time to make dessert for your family, think again. These are quick and easy to throw together and you probably have all of the ingredients right now in your pantry.  After you try these brownies, you will be making time to bake them over and over again...trust me :)

FYI: I used smooth peanut butter and omitted the pecans.  I also used plain, not chocolate graham crackers. My brownies baked for 20 minutes.

Frosted Brownies...what could be better?

A glorious brownie recipe was revealed on an episode of The Kitchen on Food Network.  I instantly knew I would be making it sooner rather than later.  Full of rich chocolate flavor, dripping with melted bittersweet chocolate chunks, only a slathering of store bought vanilla frosting (the best kind) could send these over the top. Sprinkle with some red crystals and you've got the perfect dessert to bring to a picnic, potluck, anywhere. Moist like cake yet thick like fudge, these squares will go fast so save one for yourself.  You'll thank me later.

I think what I like best about these brownies is that they are not overly sweet or bitter.  They have a nice balance to them.  My kids devoured them!  Make them for your friends and/or family this weekend and watch them smile with delight.  There's nothing a steamy, succulent chocolate brownie with vanilla frosting can't cure.            

Here is the recipe.

White Chocolate Brownies

I wish I came up with this recipe!  It hails from Bake or Break, one of my favorite blog sites.

You can see from the photos that the tops of these brownies get golden brown, forming a paper thin, buttery crust.  They are deliciously and expertly decorated with semi sweet chocolate chips.  These brownies are light like a cake but rich like a fudgy brownie.  They are not super sweet, which is why I sometimes shy away from using white chocolate.  The slightly bitter chips balance them out perfectly.  You get the best of both worlds.      

These brownies were gone in 2 days flat in our house (that might be a record!).  I really can't say enough good things about them and I am a lover of a chocolate brownie.  Luscious white and semi sweet chocolate create a little square of heaven covered with a shiny, satiny top.  These brownies are something to celebrate.

Here is the recipe.

FYI: I melted the white chocolate chips with 1/4 C + 2 T oil instead of butter.  I also added only 1/2 C chocolate chips instead of 1 C chocolate chunks. Mine baked for 20 minutes.

Mint Brownies

For teacher gifts this year, I made mint brownies and Christmas spice pound cake (I'll feature the pound cake on Friday for Cake Fridays).  I jazzed up a basic brownie recipe with chopped Dove dark chocolate peppermint bark chocolates.  Here is the recipe I used.

I made some modifications though.  Instead of 4 oz semi sweet chocolate, I added 2.5 oz chopped Dove dark chocolate peppermint bark chocolates and 1.5 oz semi sweet chocolate chips.  I also omitted the Nutella.  I baked my brownies for 30 minutes in a greased 9x9 pan and cut the cooled bars into 4 big squares.  I used store bought chocolate frosting to adhere a dark chocolate peppermint bark chocolate to the center of each square.  This made for a festive, celebratory garnish fit for any Christmas dessert.  And you can never have too much chocolate :)

Here is the top of one of the brownie squares:

And here is the breakdown of what goes on in your mind as you eat this sinful delicacy:

The cracked, thin-as-glass top layer of the brownie + the rich candy dotted with peppermint crystals + the smooth chocolate frosting hiding beneath it + the dense, fudgy interior + the crispy, thick outer edges of the brownie = complete bliss.  Love this recipe!  

Coffee Brownies

I wanted to post the brownie recipe I used for my brownie fruit kabobs (Saturday's entry).  They are called beer brownies but I substituted coffee.

Here it is:

Beer Brownies

Source: Joy the Baker

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup stout or other dark beer, or cold coffee
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9 x 13-
inch baking pan. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, and salt.
3. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pot of boiling water. In a small pan over medium heat,
melt the butter until it just turns golden brown, about 5 minutes. Pour the brown butter into the
chocolate and stir until combined. Remove the bowl from the heat and stir in the stout (or coffee).
4. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together eggs and sugars until thick, about 2 minutes. Add the
chocolate mixture and whisk to combine. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until
all of the ingredients are well combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
5. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the edges are firm and the center
is set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely in the pan before slicing.
6. Slice into 12 large or 24 small brownies.
7. To store, cover the pan in plastic wrap and keep on the counter for up to one week.

Brownie Fruit Kabobs

I brought these to our block party today and they were a huge hit!  Easy to assemble, pretty to look at, and absolutely delightful to eat.  You have got to make these for your next get together!

24 strawberries
24 grapes
24 brownie pieces, similar in size to strawberries
4 bananas, cut into pieces similar in size to strawberries
12 wooden skewers

Skewer 1 strawberry, 1 banana slice, 1 brownie piece, 1 grape and repeat.  Each skewer should have 2 strawberries, 2 banana slices, 2 brownie pieces, and 2 grapes total.  Enjoy :)  

Slightly adapted from lemon tree dwelling

Brownies for back to school

 

We made these brownies today for my daughter's teachers.  She meets them tomorrow.  Technically, she has already met them because they were my son's teachers back when he was three.  But she can't quite grasp the fact that she'll have the same teachers as her big brother!  Fingers crossed tomorrow goes well and I hope they enjoy these fudgy, dense, oh so chocolately delights :)

FYI: I halved the recipe and baked them in an 8x8 pan.  They took about 18 minutes and I left out the frosting.

Nick Malgieri's Supernatural Brownies

These brownies really are supernatural, hence the name!  If you like a fudgy, moist, non cakey brownie, these are for you.  Not for the faint of heart, these brownies are exploding with rich chocolate flavor.  Enjoy with a tall glass of cold milk or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Source: Saveur

 

16 tbsp. unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, cut into ¼" pieces
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. fine salt
1 cup flour

1. Heat oven to 350°. Grease a 9" x 13" baking pan with butter and line with parchment paper; grease paper. Set pan aside.

2. Pour enough water into a 4-quart saucepan that it reaches a depth of 1". Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low. Combine butter and chocolate in a medium bowl; set bowl over saucepan. Cook, stirring, until melted and smooth, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; set aside.

3. Whisk together eggs in a large bowl. Add sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt; whisk to combine. Stir in chocolate mixture; fold in flour. Pour batter into prepared pan; spread evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 30–35 minutes. Let cool on a rack. Cut and serve.

 

Tiger's Eye Brownies

For as long as I can remember, I've wanted to make these brownies.  Being a peanut butter fanatic, especially when it comes to peanut butter chips, these simple treats totally appealed to me.

While baking, they smell so divine and when you bite into those whole chocolate chips, the combination of chocolate and peanut butter sends your taste buds soaring.  The texture is perfect; these brownies are crispy on the outside while being moist and chewy on the inside.

I'm so glad I finally made these because I discovered yet another Gooseberry Patch recipe that I absolutely adore :)

See link here.  

 

A Healthier Brownie

 
Black Bean Brownies...I had my suspicions.  Would they be super dry and grainy?  Would you be able to take the savory black beans?  Would they satisfy that chocolate brownie craving?  No, no, and yes!  These are surprisingly, amazingly rich, delicious and gluten free.  If you have some time today, bake your family a batch :)

Fudgy Black Bean Brownies

Source: Meal Makeover Moms

• One 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed very well
• 3 large eggs
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract, optional
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch salt
• 1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil or coat an 8 x 8-inch baking pan or dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
2. Place the black beans in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth and creamy.  Add the eggs, oil, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, peppermint extract as desired, baking powder, and salt and process until smooth.  Add ¼ cup of the chips and pulse a few times until the chips are incorporated.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top with a rubber spatula, and sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup chocolate chips.
4. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until the edges start to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan before slicing into 2-inch squares.