Perfect Fudge Brownies

If you've been reading my blog or following me on Instagram you probably remember last year when I set out on a quest to find my perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe. I found it, and you can get the recipe here. Well now I have put it on myself to find my perfect brownie recipe. Like CCCs, people differ in how they like their brownies. My brother-in-law is a brownie connoisseur. He even had brownies and milk instead of a groom's cake he and my sister's wedding. 

I was excited and he was excited as I began my brownie recipe testing, only to find out we have very different opinions when it comes to brownies. I like mine dense, fudgy and super chocolatey. He likes his cakey and fluffy. I'm sorry John, but no. 

With my flavor and texture profile in mind, I did some research, developed a recipe, and to my excitement I found it on the first try! My cookie quest took four rounds of testing... This brownie recipe checked all of my required boxes. Dense, fudgy, strong chocolate flavor, and makes more than an 8x8 in pan. I know that is a funny requirement, but I always feel like 9 square brownies from an 8x8 is not enough. This recipe fills a whole 9x13 pan! 

I gave out lots of samples to gain feedback (completely ignoring my B-I-L's opinion). There was a "Stop testing, you found it" and my favorite compliment, "These remind me of 501's." Cafe 501 is a local restaurant that has my favorite brownies. I had them in mind the whole time I was developing this recipe. So, if you are like me and want your brownies, dense, fudgy and chocolatey, keep reading. 

Perfect Fudge Brownies
yields 9x13 pan, 18 brownies

Ingredients:
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
4 oz unsweetened chocolate
4 eggs
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 Tbsp. ground coffee (enhances the chocolate flavor)
2 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1 cup flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. salt

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 pan and set aside.

Melt the butter and chocolates in a microwave safe bowl in 30 second increments until fully melted. Stirring between each 30 seconds. Make sure to scrape the bottom to keep from burning. In a separate bowl, use a hand held mixer or a whisk to beat sugar, eggs, coffee and vanilla together. With a wooden spoon, stir in the melted chocolate mixture. Fold the flour and salt into the mix. Pour into your prepared pan and bake for 25 to 35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

Annie

Better For You Brownies + Giada's Happy Cooking

For me, I'm happiest when I'm cooking. For Giada De Laurentiis it's the same. It's also the mantra behind her new cookbook, Happy Cooking. I chose her book for this round of my Blogging For Books.  I have grown up watching Giada on Food Network, but in her past few seasons she has really focused on healthy and nourishing recipes. Something you don't always see on Food Network. I love ya PW but a stick of butter can't go in everything...

Happy Cooking is stock full of happy healthy recipes. And nothing that is too difficult. GDL quotes "make every meal count...without stressing out!" Between her lightened up pasta dishes, gorgeous vegetable sides, Sunday dinner comfort food, I not surprisingly leaned toward her sensible sweet treats for this recipe post. 

Black bean brownies. Don't be scared of them. If Giada is doing it, you know it's no fluke. They are satisfying without being too sweet, the perfect thing to end a meal with. She includes peanut butter chips in her recipe which I obviously omitted. Check the recipe below for some alternate additions!

Better For You Brownies adapted from Happy Cooking
yields 9

Ingredients:
1 (15-oz) can black beans, rinsed well and drained
3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 Tbsp. espresso powder or coffee granules
1 large egg, plus 1 yolk
1/4 cup coconut oil, warmed so it is a liquid

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray and 8x8-inch pan with cooking spray. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom of the pan and adhere it with the cooking spray, then set aside. 

In a food processor, place the drained black beans, cocoa powder, oats, salt, brown sugar, vanilla, baking powder, coffee, egg and yolk. Puree to combine. With the motor running, drizzle in the melted coconut oil until everything is pureed and smooth. Spread the batter in the pan. Bake fro 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow the brownies to cool and enjoy!

*Would be great with chocolate chips sprinkled over the top, a coffee glaze made from coffee and powdered sugar, or a big slathering of almond butter over each piece. Or, you can take these somewhat healthy brownies and serve them with a big scoop of ice cream like I did. Balance ya know?

Annie

I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review. Read more about my thoughts on Happy Cooking here.

 

Halloween Sluts

I don't mean to offend anyone, but I hate, HATE those slutty Halloween costumes you can buy at the party store. You know, the sexy Alice in Wonderland, sexy kitten or sexy fireman? Fireman are supposed to be respected, not turned into skimpy sexy outfits for girls to parade around in on Halloween. I've never seen a fireman walking around in knee-high socks and heels with a little red skirt and fireman hat on. At least not in Oklahoma.

These Halloween brownies are slutty, but not in a slutty costume kind of way. I'm on a slutty brownie kick and pretty much think they are going to be my go-to dessert from now on. Don't be surprised if Christmas, Valentine's Day and St. Patrick's Day slutty brownies pop up in the future. Thank goodness Oreo likes to celebrate as much as me and provides themed cookies to go with each holiday.

Third times the charm because this batch turned out perfect! Tips I learned: make sure you use a 9x9 pan, an 8x8 won't cut it. Double layer your foil, for easier removal from the pan, and 35 minutes is the baking time that has worked best for me to get fully cooked slutty brownies.

Halloween Slutty Brownies
yields 16-20 brownies
Recipe stays the same as the original just sub holiday themed Oreos for the regular ones and add holiday sprinkles!

Annie

These Brownies Are Sluts

No these brownies aren't wearing inappropriate clothing and no they didn't "get around," but they are a little slutty. 

My current food blogger girl crush is Gaby Dalkin (pronounced Goby) from What's Gaby Cooking. If you don't already follow her on Snapchat, stop what you are doing and give her a follow @whatsgabycookin. This SoCal based, avocado obsessed, slutty brownie extraordinaire has it going on. She is constantly posting new recipes of all the amazing food she is eating or making. Not to mention she is hilarious and seriously brightens my day every time she puts a new snap up. 

The recipe of Gaby's that has been at the top of my list are these slutty brownies. I mentioned how they don't "get around," but I guess they kind of do. They flirt with chocolate chip cookie dough, oreos and brownie batter, making them the ultimate slut. All for our enjoyment though. 

I love when my kitchen looks like this. Only good things come from copious amounts of measuring cups and spatulas covered in batter and dough. Props to mom for setting the backdrop with her killer marble countertops. 

Slutty Brownies adapted from What's Gaby Cooking
yields 16 brownies

Ingredients:

For the brownie layer:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups white sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/2 cup flour

For the Oreo layer:
1 package of regular or double stuff Oreos (you wont use them all)

For the cookie dough layer:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of a 9x9 baking pan with foil. Use two sheets for extra sturdiness. Then spray the foil covered pan with cooking spray. 

For the brownie layer, in a medium sauce pan, melt the butter over medium high heat. Add the sugar and cocoa powder once the butter is melted. Whisk to combine and remove from heat. Add the salt, vanilla and eggs and continuously whisk until the eggs are combined. Add the flour and continue to mix. Set batter aside.

For the cookie dough layer, cream together the butter and sugars in a mixer. Add the eggs and vanilla, scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder and mix on low until everything is incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips with your spatula. Set dough aside.

To assemble, layer the cookie dough on the bottom of a 9x9 baking pan, pressing down to form the bottom of the slutty brownies. Layer as many Oreos that will fit on top of the cookie dough. No need to overlap. One single layer will do. Pour the brownie batter on top of the Oreo layer and make sure it's evenly layerd on top.

Bake for 30-35 minutes. Test with a knife to see if the center is done. If the knife comes out clean, let the brownies rest before serving. If the knife comes out with batter still on it, allow the brownies to bake about 5 minutes more. Once they are done, you have to let them rest. It's the hardest part, but it's crucial otherwise they will fall apart on you. 

Serve with a tall glass of milk, you'll need it!

Now get a little slutty and make some brownies. They went over far too well with all of my taste testers. 

Annie

Gettin' Figgy With It

Let the fig frenzy continue! With a bunch of figs on hand, I sort of forced myself into this fig frenzy. I had to find a way to use them all up! I used them in my Strawberry Fig and Almond Butter Smoothie and had been waiting to finish them off in these blondies!

Fresh figs, lots of brown sugar and butter and salted caramel. What could go wrong? Oh wait did I mention there is vanilla bean it it too? A recipe for success! I love a good blondie (more than brownies I must admit). With the addition of the fresh figs they honestly resemble the taste of a fig newton. The fig taste is strong which I love.

Salted Caramel Fig Blondies adapted from Hippopotamousse

Ingredients:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 egg
2/3 cup flour
1 vanilla bean or 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 figs, cut into 1/8ths
10 caramel squares
sea salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x8 square pan. 

Add the sugars and butter to an electric mixer and cream until fully combined, then beat in the egg. Sift in the flour and mix until incorporated. Cut the vanilla bean in half and scrape the caviars from it with the back of your knife. Add in the vanilla beans. Take the bowl off the mixer and fold in the figs with a spatula. Spread the mixture out into your prepared pan.

In a microwave safe bowl melt the caramel squares and a few sprinkles of sea salt in 30 second intervals. Once your caramel is melted drizzle it over the top of your blondie batter. Sprinkle a few more shakes of sea salt over the top.

Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely before you cut them!

Annie