On-The-Fence Brownies

Recipe courtesy of King Arthur Flour

Fudgy, cakey, fudgy, cakey...can't make up your mind! These brownies combine the best of both worlds - the fudge brownie's ultramoist texture and the nice rise of a cake brownie.

Yield: 2 dozen 2-inch brownies

1 cup (2 sticks, 8 ozs.) unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups (15 3/4 ozs.) sugar
1 1/4 cups (3 3/4 ozs.) Dutch process cocoa *
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups (6 1/4 ozs.) King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour
1 cup (4 ozs.) chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
1 cup (6 ozs.) chocolate chips (optional) *

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch pan.
In a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl, or in a medium saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter, then add the sugar and stir to combine. Return the mixture to the heat (or microwave) briefly, just until its hot (110-120 degrees F), but not bubbling; it will become shiny looking as you stir it. Heating this mixture a second time will dissolve more of the sugar, which will yield a shiny top crust on your brownies.

Stir in the cocoa, salt, baking powder, and vanilla. Whisk in the eggs, stirring until smooth, then add the flour and nuts and chips, again stirring until smooth. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake brownies for 28-30 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. The brownies should feel set on the edges and in the center. Remove them from the oven and cool on a rack before cutting and serving.

* Will soon be available at FoodieAffair.com

Peanut Butter Brownie Cups

Photo Source: Bon Appetit March 2009

BROWNIE MIX
2 Cups Sugar
1 Cups Vegetable Oil
4 Lg Eggs
6 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder *
1 Tablespoons Vanilla
1 3/4 Cups All-purpose Flour
2 1/4 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1 1/2 Teaspoons Salt

FILLING MIX
8 Ounces Cream Cheese, softened
1/3 Cup Sugar
1 Egg
1/4 Cup Peanut Butter
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla
1 1/2 Cups Whipped Cream
20 Maraschino Cherries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

BROWNIE MIXTURE
Blend sugar, oil eggs, cocoa, and vanilla.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
Add flour mixture to wet mixture and combine well..
Spoon batter into 20 paer-lined muffin cups.

FILLING
Beat cream cheese, sugar, egg, peanut butter and vanilla with mixer until blended.
Spoon 1 rounded Tablespoon into center of batter in each cup, pressing lightly into batter.
Bake 30 minutes or until centers are set.
Cool on rack .
When ready to serve, top with whipped cream and a Maraschino cherry.
*RESOURCES:
Cocoa Powder - FoodieAffair.com

Walnut Brownies

Serves 15-20

• 2 cup sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 4 large eggs
• 6 Tablespoons cocoa powder *
  
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla *
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  

Preheat to 350 F.
Toast walnuts in oven for about 10 minutes. Then toss hot walnuts with 1 Tablespoon butter and 1/4 teaspoon salt and set aside
Spray a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with non stick spray. Cut a piece of parchment long enough to cover the bottom and hang over the sides by about 2 inches on each side. Place parchment in pan being careful to leave sufficient overhang on each side. Spray the parchment with non stick spray.
Blend sugar, oil, eggs, cocoa, and vanilla.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
Add 1/2 flour mixture to wet mixture and mix. Then add the other half and mix just till there are no flour streaks showing. Then fold in walnuts.
Spread into prepared 13 x 9 inch baking dish.
Bake for 25-30 minutes. A toothpick inserted in center should come out moist, not wet.

Cool on rack for about 45 minutes.
Lift brownie slab out of pan using your two parchment overhangs.Parchment should come off easily.
Slice into desired size pieces.

Tip: Place walnuts in a freezer zip top bag, seal and break up walnuts with a heavy object, such as a rolling pin or a meat pounder. Be careful not to overdo it.
*RESOURCES:
Cocoa Powder - FoodieAffair.com
Vanilla Extract - FoodieAffair.com

Fudgy Brownies

Recipe Source: Shirley Corriher
Yield: One 13 x 9-inch (33 x 23-cm) pan, about 24 pieces

• 1 1/2 cups (5.2 oz/149 g) pecans
• 1 1/2 cups plus 2 Tablespoons (13 oz/369 g) unsalted butter, cut into 1-Tablespoon (0.5-oz/14-g) pieces, divided
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 12 ounces (339 g) semisweet chocolate, finely chopped *
  
• 1 ounce (28 g) German's Sweet Chocolate *
• 4 large eggs (7 oz/198 g)
• 3 large egg yolks (1.95 oz/55 g)
• 1 1/2 cups (12.6 oz/375 g) dark brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup (4 oz/120 g) confectioners' sugar
• 2 Tablespoons (0.9 oz/2.5 g) granulated sugar
• 3 Tablespoons (45 ml) light corn syrup
• 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) pure vanilla extract *
• 3/4 teaspoon (4.5 g) salt
• 1 1/2 cups (6.6 oz/187 g) spooned and leveled bleached all-purpose flour

1. Arrange a shelf in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 300 F/149 C.
2. Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes. While the nuts are hot, stir in 2 Tablespoons (1 oz/28 g) of the butter. When cool, coarsely chop and set aside.
3. Line a 13 x 9 x 2-inch (33 x 23 x 5-cm) pan with parchment sprayed with nonstick cooking spray or Release foil (nonstick side up), allowing overhand on both long sides to make removal easier.
4. Place the remaining 1 1/2 cups (12 oz/340 g) butter around the edge of a microwave-safe glass bowl. Place the semisweet and sweet chocolate in the center. Melt the butter and the chocolate in the microwave on 100% power for 1 minute, stirring at least 2 times, and then 15 seconds more, stirring 1 time. Or, place the chocolates and butter together in a stainless steel bowl. In a large skillet, bring water to a simmer. Set aside until the water is no longer steaming. Place the bowl of chocolate and butter in the hot water, being careful not to get water or steam into the chocolate. Stir the chocolate every few minutes until melted.
5. In a large bowl, heat the eggs with a fork just to blend whites and yolks. With a minimum of hand stirring, stir together the eggs, egg yolks, brown sugar, confectioners' sugar, granulated sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, and salt.
6. By hand, with a minimum of stirring, stir together the egg mixture and the chocolate mixture. Stir in the flour. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out. Soak cake strips in water and wrap around the outside edge of the pan as directed.
7. Place the pan on the arranged shelf and bake until brownies just begin to pull away from the edge of the pan, about 1 hour. Err on the side of under cooking rather than risk drying out the brownies. A toothpick inserted should come out wet with gooey chocolate.
8. Cool completely in the pan on a rack. Remove the brownies from the pan, using the parchment or foil overhang to help lift out the brownies. When completely cool, wrap the brownies well with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
9. Place the brownies on a cutting board and remove the parchment or foil. Place another cutting board on top and turn over so that the brownies are right side up. Trim the edges and cut into 2-inch (5-cm) squares. Wrap individually in plastic wrap and store refrigerated.

*RESOURCES:
Semisweet Chocolate - FoodieAffair.com
German's Sweet Chocolate - FoodieAffair.com
Pure Vanilla Extract - FoodieAffair.com