The Baked Brownie – Decadent, Rich, and Delicious

I know it’s been ages since my last post. With the end of summer classes, a cross country road trip, and getting ready for the current semester, I haven’t had much time to do anything. I hope these brownies may make up for it, though.

This brownie has been making headlines all across the dessert world. The recipe comes from the famed bakery Baked, in the Redhook section of Brooklyn, New York. Specializing in a variety of “baked” goods, the bakery is really famous for their moist, chocolatey brownie. In 2008, they published their cookbook Baked: New Frontiers in Baking (which features this recipe), and more recently Baked Explorations. I’d had my eye on this recipe for a long time now, and I am so glad that I finally decided to make it. It was so good slightly warm and cakey but even better when it got a chance to fully cool. I can’t even imagine how awesome it would be topped with some rich ganache or caramel. Yummm…

 

With many baked goods, it’s super important to separate the dry and the wet ingredients. Here I whisked together the flour salt, and the cocoa powder.

 

To melt the solid chocolate and the butter, I used a technique called double boiling. Basically, a double boiler is a double pot contraption that has hot water in the bottom pot and whatever you are cooking in a pot above the water. It’s excellent for delicate foods, things that would normally burn or scorch over regular heat. I used a large metal bowl over my pot of water, but lots of different types of bowls and pots can be used as long as they can stand the heat and are bigger than the mouth of the bottom (water) pot.

It’s really important, when using this technique to make sure that the boiling water in the bottom pot doesn’t touch the bowl/pot on top. Usually a few inches of water will do (make sure to keep an eye on the bottom pot, so all the water doesn’t evaporate out).

 

Whisk the solid chocolate, instant espresso powder, and butter over the double boiler until it’s smooth.

 

Turn off the heat and whisk in the brown and granulated sugars.

 

Slowly incorporate the wet and dry ingredients. To prevent over mixing, mix the batter until it is barely combined. There will be some white clumps, but it all bakes out.

 

Pour the batter into a well greased pan and bake. Warning: The smells are intoxicating. Ice cream is strongly recommended.

 

Rich,  fudgy, chocolatey goodness…

The Baked Brownie (recipe courtesy of Brown Eyed Baker)

Makes 24 brownies

Ingredients

• 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons dark unsweetened cocoa powder
• 11 ounces dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
• 1½ cups granulated sugar
• ½ cup packed light brown sugar
• 5 eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the sides and bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Place a sheet of parchment paper over the butter (this helps to get the brownies out more easily).

2. In a bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, salt, and cocoa powder). Set aside

3. In a large bowl, place the chocolate, butter and instant espresso powder and set it over a pot of simmering water. Stir the lovely mixture occasionally, until the chocolate, espresso, and butter are completely melted and smooth. Once melted turn the heat off, but keep the bowl over the water and add the granulated and brown sugar. Whisk the mixture until it is completely combined, then remove the bowl from the pan (it may be hot). The mixture should be room temperature.

4. Add 3 (room temperature!! to prevent scrambled eggs brownies) eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Add the remaining 2 eggs and whisk until combined. Add the vanilla extract, stirring until combined. To prevent cake-y brownies, make sure not to over beat the brownies

5. Combine the wet and the dry ingredients. Sprinkle the flour-cocoa mixture over the chocolate mixture. With a rubber spatula, slowly fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. A little flour may be visible in the batter, but that’s okay because it will disappear upon baking.

6. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and smooth the top with the spatula. Bake in the center of the oven for 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs sticking to it. Once baked, let the brownies cool completely (you must resist). Lift the brownies out of the pan with the parchment paper, cut, and serve.

7. The brownies may be stored for up to three days in an airtight container or in plastic wrap, if they last that long.

 

 

Summer Salad with Strawberry Balsamic Dressing

Is it weird that I really like fruit on my salads? I love the flavor of crunchy apples or sweet strawberries on top of crispy romaine lettuce or mixed greens. Maybe it’s just because it’s summer and I am constantly bombarded with delicious fresh fruit. When winter rolls around, I’ll probably be mixing pumpkin and fruitcake and layering it over greens or throwing turkey and green bean casserole together over spinach. Actually, maybe I should just take a salad hiatus over winter…

Recently, my mom and I visited this gorgeous hiking spot called Rough Ridge which is located off the Blue Ridge Parkway near Boone, North Carolina. I’ve heard that the Blue Ridge Parkway is supposed to be the most scenic highway in the U.S. I think it’s one of my favorite places. Here’s a photo I took while I was there. Pretty, huh?

On the way back, we stopped at this awesome little shop that sells a wide variety of balsamic vinegars and olive oils called The Art of Oil. The store lets you sample all of their products and they are amazing. They have chocolate infused balsamic vinegar and blood orange flavored olive oil, to name a few. The cinnamon pear balsamic vinegar was a little spicy, but also had a wonderful sweetness.

I love pairing tangy goat cheese, balsamic vinegar, and granny smith apples, so I knew I would creating something delicious in the near future…

For this salad, I use a red romaine lettuce. I loved the color of this lettuce. But really any lettuce will do. I would love to try it over arugula or mesclun greens.

I pretty much tossed together a sweet and simple, creamy dressing with the balsamic vinegar and some greek yogurt. I add strawberry preserves to give the dressing some sweetness and texture

I’m pretty crazy about greek yogurt. Did you know it has 2 times the protein of regular yogurt? Plus it is a wonderful substitute for mayonnaise and sour cream.

I also threw in some fresh strawberries, granny smith apples, crumbled goat cheese, celery, and sliced turkey. I think some walnuts on top would have taken this over the edge.

Summer Salad with Creamy Balsamic Dressing

Makes 1 large salad or 2 side salads

For the salad

Ingredients

• 4-6 cups of chopped romaine lettuce
• 2 Tablespoons soft goat cheese, crumbled, plus more for garnish
• 4 strawberries, diced, plus some slices for garnish
• 1/2 medium granny smith apple, diced, plus some slices for garnish
• 4 ounces cooker turkey or chicken, sliced or cubed
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• walnuts, for garnish
• dressing, recipe follows

Method

1. In a large bowl, toss lettuce, goat cheese, strawberries, apple, turkey, celery, and desired amount of dressing.
2. Serve salad, garnishing with strawberry and apple slices, crumbled goat cheese, and walnuts.

For the dressing

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup low-fat or fat-free greek yogurt
• 1/2 – 1 teaspoon Cinnamon Pear Balsamic Vinegar (or any other “plain” or flavored balsamic vinegars or a red wine vinegar)
• 1 Tablespoon strawberry preserves or jam
• 1 Tablespoon orange juice

Method

1. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, mixing until smooth.

Macaroni and Cheese… with a twist

Do you ever have those days when all you crave is something insanely rich and comforting? (Yes, like everyday…) Do you ever want something thick and cheesy and carb-y? (Always) If you answered no, then you should probably just look away from this recipe right now. It may be more than you can handle.

BUT, if you are one of those people who enjoys a delicious, cheesy masterpiece, let me introduce you to the most glorious macaroni and cheese I have ever come upon. This recipe was borrowed from the Food Network’s Ina Garten. It is an insane mix of tasty cheese, pasta, roasted tomatoes, and crispy breadcrumbs.

I used whole-wheat penne for this recipe. I try to cook with whole-wheat pasta whenever I am able because it has a lot more fiber and nutrients than white pasta.

 

In Ina’s original recipe, she calls for only two cheeses: Gruyere, a sharp Swiss-like cheese, and Cheddar. Because I didn’t have Gruyere, I substituted one of my favorite cheeses, Dubliner. I would best describe Dubliner cheese as a cross between a Parmesan and a cheddar cheese with a slight hint of sweetness. If you are unable to find cheese like Gruyere or Dubliner, call your grocery and complain that they are keeping these delicious morsels from you and they should be ashamed. After that, I would recommend using a swiss, a variety of cheddars, or any other firm, melting cheese that you like.

 

In your pot, melt the 6 tablespoons of butter. To the melted butter, you are going to whisk in the flour. This is the beginning of your roux (pronounced “rhoo”). The flour will at first be slightly clumpy, but it will whisk out to look like a smooth sauce.

After that, you are going to add your hot milk and stir until the mixture has thickened

 

To the milk mixture, add your combination of cheeses, salt, pepper, and nutmeg

 

Stir, stir, stir. It doesn’t have to be super combined because it does get rather thick, but something like this will work.

 

Add your cooked pasta

 

And stir…

 

Pour the heaping mess into a baking dish.

 

Cover the macaroni and cheese with the sliced tomatoes and buttered bread crumbs. Bake it for 30-40 minutes (depending on your casserole dish and oven) or until the top is golden and the cheese is bubbly at the edges.

I always keep homemade bread crumbs on hand. I make it from stale, toasted bread that I then grind in the food processor. If you’d like to use bread crumbs purchased from the store to make it a little easier, go for it (they are usually in the pasta sauce section of the store).

 

Macaroni and Cheese with Tomatoes and Breadcrumbs (Lightly adapted from Ina Garten’s recipe)

Serves 6 to 8 really hungry people

Ingredients

• 1 pound whole-wheat penne, macaroni, or other tiny-ish pasta
• 4 cups of milk
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided into 6 and 2 tablespoons
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 6 ounces *Dubliner Cheese*, grated (about 2 cups)
• 8 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (about 2 cups)
• 6 ounces Colby-Jack Cheese, grated (about 2 cups)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 3/4 pound fresh tomatoes (4 small)
• 1 cup of plain or Italian breadcrumbs (you can purchase already made italian breadcrumbs at the grocery store)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well.
3. Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don’t boil it.
4. Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large (4-quart) pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth.
5. Off the heat, add the Dubliner, Cheddar, and Colby Jack Cheeses, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and stir well. Pour into a 3-quart baking dish.
6. Slice the tomatoes and arrange on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, combine them with the bread crumbs, and sprinkle on the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.

*I really loved the Dubliner cheese in this, but if you are unable to find it, try adding Gruyere (this is what Ina used in the original recipe). You can also use swiss cheese or a white cheddar. But for the most part it’s up to you and your taste preferences.

Whole-Wheat Blueberry and Lemon Pancakes

I love breakfast.

I didn’t come to this realization when I was young, though. For years I complained about how much I despised breakfast, most probably because I still hadn’t found choices that I really liked. Only recently did I discover just how much I enjoyed waking up in the morning and deciding what exactly I want to eat. Hot cereal or thick greek yogurt and fruit. A savory dutch baby or thick slices of homemade bread and jam. I fantasize about all kinds of tasty breakfast treats all the time.

Recently, I purchased a container of gorgeous, sweet blueberries that were asking to be paired with tart lemon. I found a recipe for blueberry pancakes that I modified slightly and set about making a healthy and filling breakfast that was very satisfying.

Don’t blueberries just sing summer? Okay, maybe not sing… Whisper?

 

Whole-Wheat flour makes the pancakes a little heartier and has loads of nutritional benefits!

Whisk the egg, milk, salt, and sugar until it’s nice and frothy. I found that the pancakes aren’t the sweetest, which I actually prefer. If you are someone who enjoys a sweeter pancake, I would add 1 to 2 more tablespoons of sugar here.

Gently whisk the dry mixture into the wet mixture. Be sure not to over mix the batter (stop once it appears to be just combined), there’s nothing worse than tough pancakes. Actually, melted ice cream that has been left in the car is worse…

Toss in the blueberries, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Never “zested”? Go here!

Plop the pancakes on the pan using a 1/4 cup measure. This just ensures uniform pancakes. Unless you don’t like uniform pancakes…

Ahhhh…. Golden brown and delicious.

The juices of the blueberries explode when you cut into it. Glorious…

Whole-Wheat Blueberry and Lemon Pancakes (lightly adapted from All Recipes)

Makes about 10 pancakes

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk, plus more if necessary
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (but if you like it sweeter, try 2 or 3)
• 1 cup blueberries
• Zest and juice of one lemon
• Powdered Sugar (optional garnish)
• Butter (optional)
• Maple Syrup (optional)

Method

1. Sift together flour and baking powder, set aside.
2. Beat together the egg, milk, salt and sugar in a bowl. Stir in flour until just moistened, add blueberries and lemon juice, and stir to incorporate.
3. Preheat a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat, and spray with cooking spray or a light pat of butter. Pour approximately 1/4 cup of the batter into the pan for each pancake. Cook until bubbles begin to form in batter and bottom is golden brown, about 1-1/2 minutes. Flip, and continue cooking until both sides are golden brown.

**To keep pancakes warm, I set my toaster oven to 200 degrees and placed the cooked pancakes on a foiled pan in the oven until they were ready to be served.**