This is a moist, dense, chewy dark chocolate brownie with a smoky-spicy-sweet raspberry swirl.  I would say it is a great combination but it is more than that. It is just so good.

The chipotle makes these have a little “bite ya back” in the after taste and the smoke flavor adds an interesting layer of flavor.  It sort of deepens the chocolate and gives it an extra layer and depth of flavor. Read more

This is LONG, be sure to read all the way to the end!

The Sees Candy Giveaway is going to be this weekend.  Our family got hit by a major bout of stomach virus..hitting each of us one at a time.  Needless ot say I haven’t felt much like dealing with candy.

Anyway.  A rep for Pillsbury contacted me and wants to sponsor a giveaway of two Pillsbury classic brownie mixes.  There will be two winners chosen.

Now here is the cool thing.  From now until Decembe 31 Pillsbury is sponsoring a Make America Sweeter contest. Here is the information I recieved:

Read more

I had no idea what to name these.  First, I thought that peanut butter and jelly bars would be good, but that did not describe the copious amounts of chocolate in these…Peanut butter chocolate bars did not hint at the unrestrained use of Hershey’s Dark chocolate pieces filled with raspberry…So…Name them what ever you like…just try them. Read more

I have been so busy this week that I will have to dip into my stash in the freezer.  I hope you don’t mind.  I try to keep things i there for just such an emergency!  Brownies are perfect for any occasion…right? Read more

Seriously. You know it. I know it. Brownies need to be so chocolatey that they make you sweat. So moist you can carefully cut a slice out of the middle and push the two sides back together to make a whole brownie…and no one is the wiser…

They need to be so amazing that your whole attention is diverted to your mouth and the synapse in your brain is lighting up with neon lights…and exploding with fireworks. So rich that you hear Souza playing Stars and Stripes for ever each time you take a nibble.. Read more

I hate being unprepared.

I notice that the more kids I have had, the bigger house I have had, the more projects I have going, the more I am unorganized. My family, as you know, has a combined sweet tooth the size of Vermont. Maybe bigger. Therefore, if I want there to be peace , joy, and happiness then something sweet, besides yours truly, had better be available round the clock. Yesterday when I got home from church I was struck by two important facts. One, it was later than usual, and two, I had failed to create dessert for our planned meal. Ack!

With visions of predatory, prowling, wild things dancing through my head, and hoping that my family would be distracted by a football game or something, I began the mental quest for dessert. Bars. Quick, easy, great. But I have done brownies alot lately…hmmm.

Well this is what I came up with. They were really good, moist and chocolaty with the rich marshmallow and cherry topping, and cherry fondant type swirl through the brownie it’s self.. A casual dessert or a great snack.

Brownies:

3/4 c unsalted butter- melted

2 c sugar

4 eggs - beaten

2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 c flour

3/4 c dark cocoa

pinch of salt

Mix sugar and melted butter. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat well. Beat in cocoa until smooth and then flour mixed with salt.

Spread in a greased 13″ x 9″ pan.

Fondant Swirl

Mix:

1/2 c sweetened condensed milk

1/4 c marachino cherry juice

1/2 tsp almond extract

1 egg

4 Tbs cream cheese

until smooth. Make channels in the brownie batter with a spoon and pour the mixture into the channels. Swirl through the batter.

Bake at 350 about 20-25 minutes. Do not over bake.

Remove Brownies from oven. Sprinkle 2 c mini marshmallows and 1/2 c chopped marachino cherries over top. Put back in over for 5 minutes, or until marshmallows are melted.

Let cool and cut. Makes 2 dozen.

Reminders!

I hope you are playing B5’s Fall Scavenger Hunt

Don’ t forget about the First Annual Boobie Bake-off here and on Apron Strings & Simmering Things. It is for a good cause and you can enter on either of the blogs, and be featured on both at the end. Check the link for instructions and more information! All proceeds will go to Breast cancer research in the name of the winner! There have been several entries all ready, and I am telling you, this is going ot be an fantastic event!!!!!

So, today is the last day of the road to Chocolate Nirvana. I know, I know, it’s sad but on the bright side we have several really cool things coming up at the H& D channel here at B5…including a way cool Autumn Scavenger Hunt..and a special, channel wide thing the 18th…and don’t forget the next installment of the Christmas countdown on Wednesday, Sept. 12.

What kind of thing? You will have to check back. You should be out of your chocolate coma by then.

O.k. These are from Epicurious. They are…incredible. This is definitly a case for saving the best for last.

For hazelnut base
Unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting
1 cup hazelnuts, toasted, loose skins rubbed off with a kitchen towel, and cooled
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 stick ( 1/4 cup) unsalted butter
6 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), finely chopped
2 large whole eggs

For ganache
2 large egg yolks
1 cup heavy cream
1/8 teaspoon salt
12 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), finely chopped

Make hazelnut base:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter bottom and sides of an 8-inch square metal baking pan, then dust with cocoa powder, knocking out excess. Finely grind nuts in a food processor with flour, sugar, and salt.

Melt butter in a 2-quart saucepan, then remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until smooth. Add eggs 1 at a time, whisking until smooth. Stir in nut flour until just combined.

Spread batter evenly in baking pan and bake in middle of oven until top is firm and dry and a tester inserted into center comes out with crumbs adhering, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool completely in pan on a rack, at least 2 hours.

Make ganache:
Lightly beat yolks in a bowl. Bring cream with salt just to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, then add half of it to yolks in a slow stream, whisking constantly. Whisk yolk mixture into remaining cream and cook over low heat, whisking, until slightly thickened and an instant-read thermometer registers 170°F (do not let boil).

Remove from heat and add chocolate, whisking until smooth. Pour ganache over hazelnut base in pan, smoothing top with offset spatula, and chill, covered, until firm, at least 5 hours.

Cut into squares with a warmed thin knife, wiping off knife after each cut, and remove from pan while still cold.

Serve truffles cold or at room temperature.

Epicurious.com © CondéNet, Inc. All rights reserved.

Are you feeling the chocolate love yet? Today marks the fourth day on our journey to chocolate Nirvana and this one should wake your tastebuds up with a jolt! Deep, dark chocolate brownie with ground coffee beans added makes for an intense brownie experience! Hazelnut cream glaze on the top creates a coffeeshop experience you won’t want to miss. This is a serious brownie! Next time I am going to add chocolate chips I think…And I know that I saw cappuccino chips at the store the other day-those might be good as well.

This is also a moist and chewy brownie so be careful not to overbake. Take it out of the oven when slightly underdone and let cool for the best results.

Espresso & Cream Brownies

1 c Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa

3 sticks unsalted butter

1/3 c ground coffee beans (leave them coarse if you want a little crunch)

1/2 tsp salt

2 1/4 c sugar

5 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 c flour

Melt butter. Whisk in cocoa and coffee until smooth. Cool. Mix sugar and eggs until lemon colored. Add chocolate mixture and vanilla. Add flour quickly, stirring just to mix. Pour into a greased 13x 9″ pan and bake at 325 for 25-30 minutes. Leave slightly underdone in the middle and cool thoroughly.

Glaze:

Cream 1/4 c melted butter,1/2 tsp vanilla, 1 c confectioners sugar and 1/4 c hazelnut creamer until smooth. Add cream as needed for consistancy. Spread on brownies while slightly warm. This make one 13×9″ pan..YOU will have to decide how many servings that is!

I know..I know..blondies aren’t strictly a brownie.

My dad was a banana addict. He was born in 1917 and grew up during those hard years which culminated in WW2. As you can imagine, living in a rural area in Michigan he didn’t have many bananas. Well he made up for it when he became an adult. The man had at least one banana every day of his life that I can remember and passed his banana infatuation on to his grandchildren, who can make a case of bananas disappear in one day.

These are excellent. I used a recipe from That’s My Home and made a few small changes. I am not totally happy with the texture, to me it is too cakey for what I am looking for. Next time I am going to leave out the leavening and see what happens- if I get a chewier result. In any case these disappeared rapidly.

Use ripe but firm bananas in this. You don’t want the overripe mush that is perfect for good banana bread. The banana needs to be deliciously ripe yet still hold it’s shape in a small dice.

1-1/2 C. all-purpose flour

1/2 t. baking powder (I am going to omit this next time for a chewier brownie)
1/2 t. salt
3/4 c unsalted butter

1-3/4 C. packed brown sugar
1 tbs. vanilla
3 eggs
1-1/4 C.Heath toffee bits or 6 chopped heath bars
1-1/4 C chopped pecans
1 C. finely diced banana (1/4-inch cubes)
1/2 c milk chocolate chips for drizzling.
Line a 13×9″ pan with parchment or waxed paper. Grease and flour paper and sides of pan.
Whisk flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, beat butter and sugar with a mixer until fluffy. Add vanilla. Beat in eggs briefly, one at a time, until blended.

Add flour mixture a little at a time, beating on low speed just until blended. By hand, stir in 1 cup toffee bits, 1 c pecans, and banana.

Pour into prepared pan.
Bake at 350° F. for 30 minutes .

Make Praline Glaze:

melt 1/4 c unsalted butter in a sauce pan and stir in 1/4 c brown sugar, whisking until it loses it’s graininess and thickens. Spread over Blondies, then sprinkle top with remaining 1/4 c toffee bits and 1′4 c chopped pecans. Melt 1/2 c milk chocolate chips and drizzle over all.

I have a son who loves rocky road ice cream. When I make ice cream he is in the pantry pulling out marshmallows, walnuts, chocolate chips, and anything else he thinks he can get away with trying to get me to throw in there. When I heard that we were going ot have a picnic after church last Sunday I was trying to decide what type of chocolate to supply our pastor with ( he loves chocolate almost as much as I do) and I thought about these rocky road brownies. Perfect!

They must have hit the spot they disappeared before I got to them.

These are sweetly intense little chocolate explosions in your mouth. I use cocoa rather than melted chocolate for brownies because I like the texture better and I do think you get a deeper chocolate flavor that way. This is for a 9″ square pan…I doubled everything but the glaze and used a 9×13. The glaze recipe, by the way, is something I use alot.

Speaking of sweetly intense…. the Home and Dining Channel at B5 is rockin’ this Autumn with some cool contests and just general fun stuff. Be sure to check back so you don’t miss out.There will be The Home & Dining channel’s AMAZING scavenger hunt in October. The prize is …well ….AWESOME so be sure you land here every day next month.

And don’t forget to check Baking Delights daily this week for the Brownie Extravaganza! LOL! OH! Speaking of all the awesomeness that IS B5’s H&D Channel experience..Check out Heather’s new blog about pets, The Food Bowl, 

Rocky Road Brownies

Glaze

Glaze

1/2 c unsalted butter melted

1/2 c Hersheys Special Dark cocoa

1/2 c confectioners sugar, give or take.