German Chocolate Brownies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We had our second Easter dinner tonight. The first, which also happened to be our 51st wedding anniversary, was a bit of a disaster. Truth be told, I nearly cremated a leg of lamb that I thought was safely spinning on the spit of our new grill. Like Enrico, the troubadour in Il Trovatore, I was distracted and in my haste to start, finish and prioritize chores, I left both burners, as well as the rotisserie element of the grill on high. Within 40 minutes there was an inch of char covering my gorgeous, and I might add pricey, leg of lamb. Needless-to-say, we had pizza, as well as some interesting side dishes, for dinner Sunday night. Determined to do better, and to prove to myself that some kitchen witch had not stolen my culinary prowess, I recreated our Easter dinner tonight. I'm happy to report I still have game. The Silver Fox loved the brownies I made for dessert, so I thought I'd share them with you. I know you already have a gazillion recipes for brownies, but these German chocolate bars are so nice that I thought they might entice you to add just one more recipe to your collection. The recipe is based on one that first appeared in Cook's Country magazine, so rest assured, the brownies are worth your time, effort and dinero. I know you will enjoy them. Here is how they are made.

Brown Bag Brownies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a perfect brownie to tuck into a school lunch box or family picnic hamper. These bars are moist and densely chocolate, but they keep their shape and are neater to eat than most others I've tried. The brownies are simple to make and almost impossible to spoil. However, overbaking them will produce a brownie that is dry and quite ordinary, so do mind the time as these bake. This is one of those recipes that is perfect for beginning bakers to tackle and more experienced cooks will appreciate the ease with which the brownies come together. I do hope you'll give the recipe a try. Here is how the brownies are made.

Easy Everyday Frosted Fudge Brownies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I fall back on this recipe whenever I'm short of time and I've committed to bring a dessert or cookies to a gathering. These brownies are very easy to make and the frosting allows some creativity in the way you flavor and finish them. I love to ice these bars with peppermint frosting, but they are equally good when made with any of the extracts suggested in the recipe below. While I doubt you'll have a problem with leftovers, the brownies will keep for several days if they are well-wrapped and stored in an airtight container. I do hope you will try them. I'm of the opinion that there is always room for one more brownie recipe. Here is how this moist and rich version is made.

Tiramisu Brownies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...These moist, sweet and fudgy bars were developed for Taste of Home magazine where they are called Tiramisu Brownies. I'm not sure why. While the bars are worth a king's ransom in chocolate, Mascarpone cheese and espresso powder, their flavor doesn't quite reach the heights of the Italian classic dessert. I'd be happier if they had called them Mocha and Mascarpone brownies, so I could have set my sights lower. Please don't get me wrong. The bars are delicious, but they are not what I had expected, nor are they as trouble-free to make as I had anticipated. Fortunately, I read the comments associated with the recipe before I started to work on it. That saved me from an expensive disaster. The recipe was not well-reviewed, and a common problem appeared to be that the layers were not in sync with each other and required different baking times to  cook. To their credit, someone at Taste of Home read the reviews and came back with a revision that takes care of the problem. Unfortunately, the correction does not appear in the body of the recipe itself, so I've changed the recipe instructions to include the revisions for you. Now, if I haven't scared you off, I think you'll find the recipe works quite well. The brownies are nice and I think those of you who like really sweet desserts will love them. Here is how they are made.

Perfectly Portioned and Packable Brownie Bites

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I had planned to make an elaborate dessert tonight, but the clock and I were not in sync and reality dictated I move a bit further down the food chain and come up with something simple, or simply forget about dessert. My first thought was an ice cream sundae, but as I played with the idea it became more elaborate and I mentally added a brownie base and some hot fudge sauce to to my original idea. We had picnicked earlier in the week and I still had some brownie bites, made for that occasion, in my freezer. The bites are nothing more than brownies that are baked in muffin tins and the recipe I use was developed by America's Test Kitchen. It makes 12 uniform brownies that tote well in a mess-free fashion. The cake-like brownies may look dry, but they are actually moist and keep well for 2 to 3 days. They make a perfect base for a sundae or can be eaten out of hand, and, because they are portion controlled and ready to serve, they are perfect for meetings or large group get-togethers. They can be made without special equipment, so they are great candidates for baking in the poorly equipped kitchens usually found in summer cottage rentals. I really like the idea of brownies baked in this fashion and I think those of you who try this technique will like it too. Here is how the brownie cups are made.

Perfectly Portioned and Packable Brownie Bites...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of America's Test Kitchen

Ingredients:
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, toasted and chopped

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
2) Microwave butter and chocolate together in bowl, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth, about 2 minutes; let mixture cool slightly.
3) In large bowl, whisk sugar, eggs, vanilla, baking powder, and salt together. Whisk in melted chocolate mixture until combined. Gently stir in flour with rubber spatula until just incorporated.
4) Portion batter evenly into greased 12-cup muffin tin and sprinkle with nuts. Bake brownies 18-20 minutes at 350F, rotating pan halfway through baking. Let brownies cool slightly in pan before removing. Yield: 12 brownies.

If you have enjoyed your visit here, I hope you'll take a minute to...

      

One Year Ago Today: Warm Strawberry Crumb Cake

Two Years Ago Today: Pear Sorbet

Three Years Ago Today: Thai Gingered Noodle Salad

Four Years Ago Today: Lemon Tea Cookies

Buckeye Brownie Bars

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I don't often use cake or brownie mixes in my cooking. This recipe is a contradiction that I'm drawn to when I'm short of time and need something that can be thrown together quickly. The chocolate and peanut butter in these bars guarantee that they will be popular, and for reasons that I have yet to determine, the combination seems to mask other artificial flavors that I swear I can  taste in other baked goods made with mixes.  These brownies are named after a chocolate and peanut butter confection that is popular in many areas of the country at Christmas time.  While these bars are easy to make, the dough is sticky and can be difficult to work with. I've found it helpful to keep my hands wet while patting it into place. I also try to make these a day before I plan to serve them. I think they slice in a far nicer fashion if they have time to firm up before being cut. I suspect many of you have already tried these bars, but I wanted to feature the recipe for those who may have missed it when it was first published by Better Homes and Gardens. I think you'll like these brownie bars. Here's the recipe.

Buckeye Brownie Bars ...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens 

Ingredients:
1 (19.5-oz.) package brownie mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup cooking oil
1 cup chopped peanuts
1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan. Set aside.
2) In a large bowl, combine brownie mix, eggs, and oil. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined. Stir in peanuts. Remove half of the brownie mixture and set aside. Spread remaining brownie mixture evenly into prepared pan.
3) In a medium bowl, whisk together sweetened condensed milk and peanut butter until smooth. Spread evenly over brownie mixture in pan. Separate the remaining brownie mixture into pieces, flatten them with your fingers, and place them on top of the brownie mixture in pan.
4) Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until top is set and edges are lightly browned. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Makes 32 bars.

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Butterscotch and Walnut Brownies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The good news is these brownies are delicious. They're patterned after those served at Clementine in Los Angeles and they are really, really good. The Los Angeles Times first published the recipe, and while it was picked up by the wires and published by other news organizations, I haven't been able to find a review of the recipe that was written by a home cook or a blogger. Normally, I wouldn't care, but I was looking for validation. The fudge-like brownies I made look nothing like the cake-type brownies that appeared in the paper. Here's hoping I got it right.

This is one of the easiest recipes I've come across. It requires no special equipment, and, if you have 2 mixing bowls and a wooden spoon, you'll be able to whip these bars up in a matter of minutes. I'm sure you have the ingredients needed to make them in your pantry. I made no changes to the original recipe, although I did find it necessary to bake them five minutes longer than was recommended. I plan to make these again, though next time around I intend to put away my cups and spoons and measure ingredients by weight. I normally don't fuss with a recipe this way, but the brownies are so good I want to make sure I do them justice. I'll let you know what happens. I hope you'll try these. Here's the recipe .

Addendum: The brownies were made again, this time using a scale to weigh the the ingredients. No signicant changes were noted and the finished brownie was fudgy rather than cake-like.

Butterscotch and Walnut Brownies...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of the Los Angeles Times

Ingredients:
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (3.5 ounces) flour
1-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup + 2 tablespoons (9.25 ounces) dark brown sugar
5 tablespoons butter, melted
1 extra-large egg
1/2 + 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped toasted walnuts

Directions:
1) Heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease an 8-inch square pan. Set aside.
2) In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.
3) In a large bowl, stir brown sugar into melted butter. Stir in egg, then vanilla.
4) Stir in dry ingredients, then fold in nuts.
5) Place the batter into prepared pan and bake until set (a toothpick inserted will have moist crumbs), 25 to 30 minutes.
6) Remove from heat and cool slightly before serving. Yield: 12 to 16 servings.







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Double Chocolate Mint Brownies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I wanted to post this recipe on the odd chance you have not yet tried Maida Heatter's Chocolate Mint Brownies. While they are delicious at any time, their layer of mint cream makes them especially appropriate for the St.Patrick's Day holiday. This is a layered treat. It begins with a dense fudgy brownie that is covered with peppermint cream and then coated with a gleaming, dark chocolate glaze. The peppermint cream can, of course, be tinted for those who wear the green and love overt symbols of the holiday. Brownies are one of the easiest dessert that can be made in our kitchens. They rarely require special equipment and this recipe can be made with a couple of bowls and a wooden spoon. Despite the ease with which these can be made, I promise you they are delicious. Just don't overbake them. While these can be made several days ahead of serving, they lose their sheen when refrigerated. I love the chocolate-mint combination and use it often. It works especially well here. If you need a dessert for St. Patrick's Day, I think you'll love this one. Here's the recipe.

Double Chocolate Mint Brownies...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Maida Heatter

Ingredients:
Brownie Layer
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1-1/4 cups granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
Mint Layer
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 to 1-1/2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon pure peppermint extract or 1 to 2 tablespoons creme de menthe
Green food coloring (optional)
Chocolate Glaze
3 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and place the rack in the center of the oven.
2) Line a 9 x 9-inch pan with aluminum foil, covering bottom and two opposite sides of pan. Foil is used to lift brownies from pan. Set aside.
3) In a stainless steel bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water, melt butter and chocolate. Remove from heat and stir in sugar and vanilla extract. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well with a wooden spoon after each addition. Stir in flour and salt and beat, with a wooden spoon, until batter is smooth and glossy and comes away from sides of pan (about one minute). Pour batter evenly into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until brownies start to pull away from the sides of pan and the edges of brownies are just beginning to brown. A toothpick inserted in center of brownies will come out almost clean. Remove from oven and place on a rack to completely cool.
4) To make mint layer, combine butter, confectioners' sugar, heavy cream, peppermint extract in a small bowl and beat until smooth. Add a few drops of green food coloring if you wish. If frosting is too thick, add a little extra cream. (Frosting should be just thin enough to spread.) Spread frosting evenly over cooled brownie layer. Place in refrigerator for about 5-10 minutes, or until firm.
5) To make chocolate glaze, melt chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Spread over mint filling and refrigerate for about 30 minutes or until chocolate glaze starts to dull.
6) To serve, remove brownies from pan by lifting with ends of foil and transfer to a cutting board. With a sharp knife, cut into 30 squares. These brownies can be refrigerated for several days or else frozen. Yield: 30 squares.

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Chocolate Cheesecake Squares

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I'm going to begin the chocolate extravaganza with one of the easiest recipes I'll be featuring this week. It's not a flashy or rich dessert, but I decided to include it for those of you who will be baking for Valentines who are, or should be, dieting. This is by no means diet food, but the squares are definitely lighter than their full-fat cousins. The recipe was developed by Martha Stewart and it uses reduced fat dairy products and unsweetened cocoa powder to make these light, but rich tasting, squares that taste far more like cheesecake than brownies. While they won't set your world on fire, the brownies are a nice alternative for those of you who are counting fat grams and calories. I've played ever so slightly with the original recipe. The first few times I made these brownies, I used sour cream, but found its tang to be off-putting. I solved that problem by using a low fat creme fraiche in its place. In order to get a richer chocolate flavor I also upgraded the cocoa powder I was using. I switched to Guittard products because that was what was available to me. I'm not touting this brand, but I do want you to know that this is a recipe where it pays to use the best chocolate you can get your hands on. If your ingredients are at room temperature, you can have the brownies in the oven in about 15 minutes. I found mine took a few minutes longer to cook than the recipe had indicated, but they were out of the oven in 45 minutes. I let them cool at room temperature for about an hour and then let them chill for an hour longer before cutting them. I think you'll like these. They are certainly worth a try. Here's the recipe.

Chocolate Cheesecake Squares...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Martha Stewart

Ingredients:
Nonstick cooking spray
8 chocolate wafer cookies
1 brick (8-ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese
1 cup reduced fat creme fraiche
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons corn starch
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 large whole egg plus 1 egg white
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Coat an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray. Line with two crisscrossed pieces of parchment or wax paper, spraying between the sheets. Spray lined pan and set aside.
2) Process cookies in food processor until finely ground. Gently press crumbs into bottom of prepared pan (it is not necessary to rinse the processor bowl).
3) Blend cream cheese and creme fraiche until smooth, scraping down sides of the bowl as needed. Add cocoa, cornstarch, sugar, almond extract, egg and egg white and process until smooth. Pour into pan and sprinkle with chocolate chips.
4) Bake until just set, 35 to 40 minutes (mine took 45 minutes). Cool completely in pan. Refrigerate at least 1 hour. Invert onto tray, peel off paper and reinvert crust side down. Cut into 9 squares. Yield: 9 servings.

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Mexican Chocolate Brownies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Food for themed get-togethers rarely causes a problem for a host or hostess, though dessert can occasionally be a challenge. It would be a bit ludicrous to serve flan with football fare, so over the years I've found or developed recipes a bit more fitting for these informal gatherings. My dessert plans for our Southwestern-style Super Bowl gathering, include a moist fudge-type brownie made with Mexican chocolate and ground chiles, and a homemade dulce de leche ice cream that I'll serve with a salted caramel sauce. I'll save the recipe for the ice cream for another day and just concentrate on the brownies tonight. Mexican chocolate can be difficult to find, so rather than rely on the vagaries of the market place, I use a recipe whose ingredients create a reasonable facsimile of the real deal. I think most of you would agree that brownies are among the easiest desserts that can be made. This one is no exception. My recipe for Mexican chocolate brownies is inspired by one that appeared in Gourmet magazine over 15 years ago. While it is not my favorite brownie, it is my favorite for Mexican or Southwestern themed events. I've simplified the original recipe by using store-bought almond meal, and I have added a small amount of ground chili to give the brownies an authentic flavor punch. The chocolate-chili combination is not unusual in Mexican desserts and the flavors work well together. Do not use your standard chili powder to make these brownies. It contains cumin and other additives that don't work well with the chocolate. If you cannot find a New Mexico or an Ancho chili powder, a very small amount of cayenne pepper can be substituted. These brownies are dense and moist and almost like a confection. I think they are deliciously different. I hope you will too. Here's the recipe.

Mexican Chocolate Brownies ...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, inspired by Gourmet Magazine

Ingredients:
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup almond meal
2 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground pure chili powder (i.e. New Mexico or Ancho)

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9-inch square baking pan, knocking out excess flour. Set aside.
2) In a heavy 1-1/2-quart saucepan melt butter and chocolate over low heat, stirring, until smooth. Remove pan from heat and let chocolate cool for 10 minutes.
3) Combine almond meal and sugar in bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Stir mixture into chocolate mixture. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well with a wooden spoon until mixture is smooth and glossy. Stir in flour, salt, cinnamon and chili powder until just combined.
4) Spread batter evenly in pan and bake in middle of oven 25 to 30 minutes, or until a tester comes out with crumbs adhering to it. Cool brownies completely in pan on a rack before cutting into 16 squares. Brownies keep, layered between sheets of wax paper in an airtight container at cool room temperature. Yield: 16 brownies.

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Bittersweets - The Ultimate Brownie

We all have our favorite brownie. This is mine. It's the ultimate dieter's confection - so rich that it's hard to eat more than one and that one will cure a sweet tooth that's screaming to be feed. The only trick here is in the quality of chocolate you use for baking; get the best you can. This confection is closer to a candy than a cookie and it has a wonderful texture. Don't be surprised if the kids won't eat these - they're not sweet enough for most children and they are awfully rich. Adults will take a bite and start looking for the champagne. A quick word about the icing on the brownies. There's one person in our family of two who loves hazelnut spread - I'm not that person. That other person iced the brownies while I was on the phone. Actually, I must admit they're not half bad this way but it is overkill. These brownies don't need icing.

Bittersweet Brownies

Ingredients:
8 ounces 70% bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, broken into pieces
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Directions:
1) Adjust oven rack to lower third of oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil.
2) Melt butter and chocolate in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir frequently until smooth, melted and warm. Remove from pan. Set aside.
3) Combine eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla in a medium bowl and beat with a hand-held mixer until thick and lemon colored and the mixture forms a ribbon when it falls back upon itself, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the chocolate. Fold in flour.
4) Scrape batter into prepared pan. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, abot 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven. Place pan on a cooling rack. Let cool. Invert pan on rack. Carefully remove foil and turn upright again. Cut into sixteen 2-inch pieces. Store in an airtight container. Yield: 16 pieces.

From Pure Dessert by Alice Medrich