Like I said, there was some chocolate action happening in my kitchen this weekend! Yesterday I made a batch of Coconut Swirl Brownies that I linked to on Saturday.

They turned out beautifully, but there are a few changes I’m going to make next time, because there will definitely be a next time!

The condensed milk and coconut were a little understated. To pick it up a bit I think I’d probably mix in an ounce or two of softened cream cheese with the milk and coconut mixture, and I’d add some chopped walnuts to the whole thing. I think I might also try a tablespoon or two sour cream with the milk mixture at some point, too!

Coconut Swirl Brownies
from Martha Stewart’s Cookies

Makes 9 large or 16 small

1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
2/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 large egg white
2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
3 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a buttered 8-inch square baking pan with parchment, allowing a 2-inch overhang. Butter lining (not overhang).

Stir together 1 tablespoon of sugar, the condensed milk, coconut, egg white, and 1/4 teaspoon of the vanilla in a bowl.

Put butter and both chocolates in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water; stir until melted. Let cool slightly.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.

Whisk remaining 3/4 cup sugar into chocolate mixture. Add eggs; whisk until mixture is smooth. Stir in remaining 2 teaspoons vanilla. Add flour mixture; stir until well combined.

Pour one-third of the chocolate batter into the prepared pan. Spread evenly with an offset spatula. Drop dollops of the coconut mixture (about 1 tablespoon each) on top of batter, spacing about 1 inch apart. Drizzle remaining batter on top, and gently spread to fill pan. Drop dollops of remaining coconut mixture on top.

Gently swirl coconut mixture into batter with a butter knife, running the knife lengthwise and crosswise through layers. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the middle of the brownies comes out with a few crumbs, but is not wet, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool slightly in pan, about 15 minutes. Lift out; let cool completely on a wire rack before cutting into squares.

Post from: Chocolate Bytes

It’s National Soft Ice Cream Day, so I thought I’d share a new recipe. I don’t have any pictures of my usual ice cream process because the lid of my ice cream maker was overly-cuddled by one of the cats, who ended up knocking it to the floor where it didn’t survive.

So while I wait for the replacement lid to finally make its way out of New Jersey and to the desert southwest, I’ll leave you with the amusing picture above and a quick, no-maker-needed recipe for soft chocolate ice cream. This is by no means classy or elegant, but it gets the job done!

Soft Chocolate Ice Cream

1/2 gallon chocolate milk
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 large (16 oz) carton whipped topping (Cool Whip)

Mix the condensed milk and whipped topping, stirring gently. Slowly stir in chocolate milk. Pour in gallon freezer bag and freeze. Makes 1 gallon.

[image: flickr]

Post from: Chocolate Bytes