I like sticky brownies not cakey ones. They have to be intensely chocolate. They have to cause your tastebuds to jumping around and screaming for milk or coffee. They absolutely have to be worth eating. Seriously!

The trick to really intense chocolate brownies is the darkest cocoa powder you can find. Cocoa gives a much richer flavor than melting chocolate and adding it, however in these you are going to use both. Yep. And then… ready? You are going to add toasted pecans (remember that the toasting intensifies the flavor…)  AND chocolate chips…AND white chocolate chips.

In a sugar coma yet?

These are fantastic. I think they will keep for several days… I say think because honestly they have never lasted more than an hour or two here. You can’t use the toothpick method to test these and see if they are done. In order to maintain the complete awesomeness that they are these brownies will always test raw.  Just follow the cooking time, and then cool them in the fridge long enough for them to set.  You can top them with ganache if you like extra chocolate.

Toasted Pecan Brownies

• 3/4 c unsalted butter-melted and allowed to brown
• 1 1/2 c sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 3/4 c flour
• 1/2 c cocoa (the darkest you can find…do not substitute baking chocolate)
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chopped and melted in 2 tbs heavy cream
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 c chopped pecans, toasted in a 375F oven for 5 minutes. Watch carefully!
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

1. Cream sugar, melted butter, and chocolate until smooth. Add eggs one at a time. beat well. add flavorings.
2. Stir in dry ingredients, nuts, white chocolate chips, and chocolate chips
3. Spread into a greased 9 inch pan. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes. Leave slightly under done.
4. Allow to cool long enough for the center to set.

Makes 12 or so depending on how big you cut them.

Post from: Baking Delights

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.Fischer and Weiser Raspberry Chipotle Sauce is available at Tom Thumb/Safeway stores and I think my daughter says it is available at Wal-mart.  It is a little expensive (6.95) but the sauce is so good, and you use so little of it, that it is worth it.

Raspberry Chipotle Intense Chocolate Brownies

• 3/4 c unsalted butter-melted
• 1 1/2 c sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 3/4 c flour
• 1/2 c cocoa (the darkest you can find…do not substitute baking chocolate)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup Fischer and Wieser Raspberry Chipotle

1. Cream sugar, melted butter until smooth. Add eggs one at a time. beat well. add flavorings.
2. Quickly stir in dry ingredients.
3. Spread into a greased 9 inch pan.
4. Using the back of a small spoon, drag it through the top of the batter to make indentations.  Think of it as dry creekbeds.
5. Now fill the indentations with the raspberry chipotle and swirl lightly
6. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Leave slightly under done.

Image: Marye Audet

Post from: Baking Delights

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:

1. Submit an essay on how you make America sweeter with Pillsbury baking products (Cake, Brownies, Quick Bread, Frostings, or Flours) – like bringing treats to seniors or hosting a bake sale at your house of worship
2. Include a photo or short video illustrating your sweet gesture
3. Entries can be submitted online at www.pillsburybaking.com/campaign or by mail to Pillsbury Make America Sweeter Contest, P.O. Box 8501, Prospect Hts., IL 60070.

That is so cool! Oh..the prize??  What is the prize you ask? Check this out!

The winner will receive a $5,000 kitchen makeover and runners-up will receive products from KitchenAid® and Pillsbury.  Plus, a $5,000 donation will be made to Feeding America^TM to help end hunger in the country.

How cool is that?

But that’s not all! Anyone who enters the contest and publishes the image they entered to Baking Delights FLickr group with the photo labeled Pillsbury contest will ALSO be entered in a drawing to win a 25.00 Gift Certificate to their choice of Amazon.com or Cooks.com.

How is that? Like it?

Here’s what you do.

For the brownie mix: (each separate thing is one entry, leave it in a separate comment)

• Leave a comment between now and Saturday at 11:59 p.m.
• Blog the contest linking to this page
• Check out the recipes at Pillsbury and leave a comment telling me the one you think you would like to try.

For the $25 gift cetificate:

• Post the image that you entered to Pillsbury’s contest on Baking Delights FLickr group
• Leave a comment here telling me that you did by January 5, 2009

OR,

• post a image of what you made with the Pillsbury Brownie Mix
• Leave a comment here that you posted it by January 5, 2009

So…get ready…get set….GO!

images:Pillsbury, used by permission

Post from: Baking Delights

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.

Here is the deal…Moist peanut butter bars sweetened with brown sugar …mini peanut butter cups, raspberry filled dark chocolate, semi sweet chunks and bittersweet chunks folded in…..Spread carefully in a 9 x 13 inch pan to make sure that the squares were generous…topped with more peanut butter cups, raspberry filled chocolate, and chocolate chunks…Baked to perfection…served warm…perhaps with a dollop of vanilla ice cream?

These are for those days when you need an extra five thousand calories in your diet.  Go for it.

Peanut Butter and Everything Else Bars

13x 9 inch pan

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup butter, unsalted
• 2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed (I use light brown sugar)
• 4 eggs
• 3 tablespoons vanilla
• 1 1/4 c peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 6 ozs bittersweet chunks
• 6 oz semi sweet chunks
• 1/2 cup mini peanut butter cups
• 1/2 cup raspberry filled dark chocolate pieces

For topping:

• 1 cup mini peanut butter cups
• 1 cup raspberry filled dark chocolate pieces
• 1/2 cup semi sweet chunks
• 1/2 cup  bittersweet chunks
• 1 cup peanuts if desired

Preheat oven to 350

1. Mix butter and oil until creamy.
2. Add sugar and beat for 3 minutes until smooth.
3. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each.
4. Beat in vanilla and peanut butter.
5. Mix baking soda and flour and stir in.
6. Fold in chocolate.
7. Spoon into greased 13 x 9 inch pan, smoothing top.
8. Sprinkle liberally with topping ingredients.
9. Bake for 35 minutes or until done.
10. Cool for 20 minutes before cutting in squares.

Image:marye audet

Post from: Baking Delights

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?

I have a few things in there so I thought I would grab the brownies.  These cookie dough brownies are so chocolate-y and rich that no one can eat many of them.

For those of us that love coffee, Espresso and Cream Brownies are the perfect combination.

And for the purists, last but not least, Xanadu Brownies…my own creation…and I promise you will feel like one of the lotus eaters when you are eating one of these.

Check out the rest of the potluck posts on lifestyles!

Images:MaryeAudet 

Post from: Baking Delights

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..

Go ahead. Look at the picture. Drool. Food porn that will make the weirdos from THAT site repent and start watching Paula Deen.

The MOST Incredible Chocolate Brownies in the World Ever I Swear

3/4 c unsalted butter-melted

1 1/2 c sugar

2 eggs

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp rose water

3/4 c flour

1/2 c cocoa (the darkest you can find…do not substitute baking chocolate)

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 c chopped nuts, coarsely ground coffee beans, cacao nibs, m and m’s or just omit the additions

Cream sugar, melted butter until smooth. Add eggs one at a time. beat well. add flavorings.

Stir in dry ingredients.

Spread into a greased 9 inch pan. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Leave slightly under done.

Serves…ummm..ONE

Image: Marye Audet

Post from: Baking Delights

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!!!!!

Post from: Baking Delights

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.

Post from: Baking Delights

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!

Post from: Baking Delights

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.

Post from: Baking Delights