Showing posts sorted by relevance for query brownies. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query brownies. Sort by date Show all posts
Happy Valentines Day. I know that to many people it is just a huge money grab, and really, if you love someone you can celebrate that love for them any day of the year in large and small ways.
It is nice however, or at least I think it is . . . to do something out of the ordinary for your loved ones on this special day!!
When I was a child it was always marked by exchanging special cards with all of the children in my class at school . . . at least while I was in Primary school.
It wouldn't have gone over well in Middle or High School! (To say the least!)
In Primary school however, great care was taken in the run up to Valentines day picking and cutting out Valentines, gluing them together, gluing the envelopes and then deciding who you wanted to give what Valentine to.
Oh, you could always get the already cut out fancy boxes of cards . . . they cost a bit more . . . but, in all truth, I really enjoyed the whole exercise of cutting them out and putting them together. I've always been crafty in that way.
There used to be a contest at school for whoever had made the prettiest/most unusual box to collect your Valentines in. One year my mother helped me make my box using an old chocolate box.
It was all decorated with white crepe paper and looked like a cake. On the top were little hearts standing upright on toothpicks, with little sayings on them . . . like a field of valentine flowers.
I won the prize that year (rightly or wrongly) and I have never forgotten how pretty the box was. It is one of my happy mom memories in the annals of my heart.
These brownies are so special and yet so simple to make. You can use a boxed Brownie mix (I used Ghirardelli. You get it as Costco.) or you can use your favourite brownie recipe.
I have an excellent recipe here for Fudge Walnut Brownies.
They are excellent brownies (both the boxed mix and the from scratch ones.) You can't go wrong with either one.
Just bake them in a paper lined muffin tin. I used Valentine wrappers, but really paper wrappers never look great after you bake in them.
Most of the pictures/patterns on them just kind of disappears into blah, blah, blah . . . so plain brown paper cups will work just fine, and might even look better.
Bake them to the degree that you enjoy your Brownies, as fudgy or as cakey as you like. The longer you bake them the cakier they will be.
Once they are baked, take them out of the tin and let them cool on a wire rack.
While they are cooling you make a really simple chocolate ganache topping.
Its as simple as chopping chocolate and then pouring hot cream over it. Let is sit, and then stir to melt the chocolate. Once it is all amalgamated together you spoon it over the top of the brownies.
After that you just need to pop one of your favourite chocolates on top, and let it all set up.
Its as simple as that. Easy peasy an look at how cute they are!
I can't think of anyone who wouldn't enjoy one of these delicious little cakes!
Well, my husband maybe . . . because he doesn't like chocolate cakes of any kind . . . but I know a neighbour of mine who is really going to enjoy these!
She's had a bit of a rough go lately and I reckon these will really cheer her up!
Yield: 12
Chocolate Box Brownies
prep time: 5 minscook time: 40 minstotal time: 45 mins
Something cute to share with those you love on Valentines Day. You can either use your favourite Brownie Recipe or a mix. They are a very simple bake and really cute!
ingredients:
- 1 box of Brownie Mix (I used Ghirardelli)
- (Or your favourite Brownie recipe)
- For the Ganache:
- 115g of bittersweet chocolate, chopped (4 ounces)
- 150ml double cream (2/3 cup)
- You will also need a box of assorted chocolates
instructions:
- Preheat the oven to the temperature recommended on your box of brownie mix, or according to your recipe for Brownies. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners. Following the directions on the box or in the recipe, make the brownie batter and then spoon it into the lined muffin cups, dividing it equally. Bake for about 25 - 30 minutes, or until the tops are glossy and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out a little wet (if you want fudgy brownies) or clean (If you want drier brownies.)
- Remove the paper cups from the pan and set aside to cool on a wire rack.
- To make the ganache, put the chopped chocolate into a heat proof bowl. Measure the cream into a small saucepan. Bring the cream just to the boiling point. Pour over the chopped chocolate and let it sit for a few minutes. Whisk together to melt the chocolate and make a smooth mixture. Spoon the ganache over top of the brownies. Top each one with a chocolate. Leave to set completely.
- Store in an airtight container.
- Note - Alternately you can melt some white chocolate and drizzle over top in decorative manner.
Created using The Recipes Generator
No matter what you do, or how you celebrate it, I hope that you have a really lovely Sweethearts Day! Bon Appetit!
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The
English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are
reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you
may report it to me at: theenglishkitchen@mail.com
I don't know about you but one of my favorite treats to enjoy with a hot cuppa, or a cold glass of milk, or for dessert has to be a brownie. A brownie is a smallish square or rectangular chocolate baked confection.
Brownies come in a variety of forms and flavors, and may be either fudgy or cakey, depending on their density, ingredients used and manner of baking.
When not topped with frosting or some other moreish confection, they will often have a glossy appearance on the upper crust. They can come filled with nuts, or chocolate chips, or even pieces of fruit. Some have a cream cheese filling.
One thing that all brownies have in common, along with their density, is that they are incredibly rich, moreish and a real favorite teatime treat for most people!
They are typically eaten by hand, often accompanied by milk. They are also delicious served warm with ice cream as a dessert, topped with whipped cream, or sprinkled with powdered sugar and fudge sauce.
I thought it would be fun today to share my favorite brownie recipes with you. I could not pick any single one recipe from any of these. Each is delicious in their own right. The hardest part of these will be in choosing which one you want to bake!
Check out my hints and tips at the bottom of the page to help you make your best brownies ever!
TRIPLE CHOCOLATE FUDGE BROWNIES
What you see here today is my regular brownie recipe amped up with the addition of three kinds of chocolate chips.
Well, semi sweet chocolate chunks, white chocolate chips and peanut butter chips.
You could use butterscotch chips if you can find them and if you can't find either butterscotch or peanut butter chips, add milk chocolate chips in their place.
These delicious brownies use a brownie mix and a can of cherry pie filling. I use the Ghiradelli triple chocolate brownie mix you can get at Costco, but any brownie mix will do. You won't need the whole tin of cherry pie filling, but I am sure you will find a use for the rest.
With a flaked almond topping, these easy brownies are rich and delicious. They are a real favorite around here.
Mint and chocolate are a flavor combination made in heaven. There is a double whammy of peppermint flavour in the batter. One form comes from peppermint tea that you blitz with the sugar. The second peppermint blast comes from the use of peppermint extract. Soooo good!
They have a sweet and glistening chocolate ganache topping. This is decorated with a melted white chocolate drizzle that you run a toothpick through to give it an extra pretty finish.
This is my original brownie recipe and the brownie recipe that I had to bake for my boss at least once a week when I worked at the Manor. They are rich and fudgy. Incredibly moreish.
Easy to hold in the hand. These are everything a perfect brownie should be. This is the bar that I hold every other brownie recipe up to.
Rocky Road Brownies are a glorious amalgamation of the two things I love. Chocolate Tiffin Squares/Cake and Brownies. I like to think it is composed of the best of both worlds.
You get a dense fudgy brownie, filled with sticky sweet cherries and toasted nuts. Top that with a rich chocolate glaze and sweet mini marshmallows and you have a heavenly bar that everyone who loves brownies is sure to fall in love with!
You can use either a chocolate brownie mix for these, or your favorite from scratch brownie recipe. Baked in a cupcake wrapper (pick a pretty one) each brownie is topped with a rich chocolate ganache and a pretty chocolate.
They are a great way to use up that box of leftover chocolates from Christmas!
A brownie that is a bit lighter on the sugar and the fat, but I can promise you, if cooked properly, they are not light on the satisfaction.
Make sure you use good quality semisweet chocolate in these, not chocolate chips. The additives in chocolate chips will result in a much drier brownie. Be careful not to overbake.
Somewhere in between a chocolate brownie and a chocolate cookie bar. Still fudgy. Still delicious and each square gets topped with a chocolate jazzie.
What is a Chocolate Jazzie? Well, it's a milk chocolate button, topped with multi coloured non-pareil cake decorations. You could use anything you want really . . . just so long as you pop it on while the squares are still hot from the oven.
Because not all brownies are made totally of chocolate. These fudgy banana squares are everything a good brownie should be, except that they are made with banana instead of chocolate.
Rich, fudgy, filled with milk chocolate chips and topped with a lush brown sugar fudge frosting.
These might be called blondies but you can think of them as a tasty, moreish, fudgy gingerbread brownie. They are quite simply fabulous. The smell when these are baking is pure and utter bliss . . . decadently gorgeously divinely gingerbready.
The consistency of them when baked . . . and still warm . . . wonderfully moist and incredibly fudgy, just like you want in a good brownie.
HINTS AND TIPS FOR THE BEST BROWNIES EVER
1. Use the best chocolate and cocoa you can afford. Use semisweet or bittersweet and of the best quality. When using cocoa, scoop it with a metal measuring spoon or cup and then sift it, or whisk it gently with the flour to make sure it is lump free. I like to use a chocolate with a high cacao percentage when it comes to cooking/baking with real chocolate. At least 75 or 80%. If you can find it Dutch Process cocoa is really good.
2. Pan size and shape are very important when it comes to baking brownies. The depth of the batter can really influence their taste and texture. Shallower pans create chewy, more candy-like brownies, whilst a deeper pan/batter makes for a denser, chewy, cake-like brownie.
3. Use butter rather than margarine for a richer flavor.
4. For a more cakey type of brownie, choose a recipe which uses cocoa powder rather than melted chocolate, and which has a larger proportion of flour. For a denser more fudge like brownie, choose a recipe which uses melted chocolate and less flour. The chocolate, butter and eggs should be a large quantity than the rest of the ingredients.
5. Line your baking tin with baking parchment, leaving a bit of an overhang for lifting them out. This makes for much neater cuts as well when it comes to serving them up.
6.Brownies can be very sensitive. Even just a few minutes too long in the oven and you can kiss squidginess goodbye. Follow the baking time in the recipe exactly, and check them five minutes before the timer buzzes.
If you do overbake them, don’t worry. They will still be edible. Just slather the top with chocolate spread or ganache before cutting. Even the driest of brownies can be used in a trifle or other layered dessert.
7. Wait before cutting. If possible leave them overnight to get the neatest cuts. You can also refrigerate them for an hour or two after baking. This will give you the best result when it comes to cutting them into bars or squares.
8. Also remember that brownies tend to firm up as they cool. It is far better to err by under-baking them, than by overbaking them. An under-baked brownie can be refrigerated for a dense fudgy square that is good. It is pretty hard to redeem an overbaked one.
I hope you will be inspired today to bake at least one of these brownie recipes which I have shared with you and that if you do you think that your family truly enjoys the fruits of your labors!
On your own or a smaller family, do check out my Small Batch Fudgy Brownie Recipe, which makes only 8 chewy dense and fudgy brownies!
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
Fudge Brownies. Everyone has their favorite brownie recipe and I am no different. My favorite recipe is my Fudge Walnut Brownies, which I have been baking for years and years. You can find that recipe here.
It is the brownie recipe that I used to bake for my children and it is the brownie recipe that used to be often requested when I worked at the Manor. It is quite simply the best chewy fudge brownie recipe going.
Its just not practical for me to bake a whole pan of brownies these days. As a singleton living on my own, I cannot be trusted with that many brownies! Far too dangerous!
I decided to work at downsizing my recipe so that it made a much smaller amount. The end result is this small-batch fudgy brownie recipe. Built for only two or one as it were.
These are dense and moist, rich and chocolatey. Just what a perfect brownie should be. I have eaten many a brownie in my day, and I declare these perfect.
I have my own ideas about what constitutes a really good brownie. I am always surprised when I see people cooking brownies and declaring them perfect when they are only a mass of sludge and goo.
A good brownie should not be a mass of sludge and goo. You should be able to totally pick up a good brownie in your hands.
Yes, they should be dense and fudgy. Moist and rich. Never runny or under-cooked. You should not ever need a spoon to eat one.
I had occasion to attend a cookery show in London one time. As an invited guest I was asked to bring in a recipe that I had cooked at home. There were several celebrity chef's in this particular show.
The Tanner Brothers and Paul Rankin. There was also a celebrity guest. Vanessa Phelps. One of the things they cooked was brownies. They actually had a brownie bake-off and I have to say, in all honesty I could have taught them a thing or two about baking brownies!
All of their brownies were the absolute worst brownies I have ever seen or tasted. They were masses of gooey chocolate sludge. Maybe it is just impossible to bake a good brownie in the time that they had to bake them in.
But I was singularly un-impressed. Totally disappointed. Surely they could do better than that, and if they didn't have enough time, they would have been much better served to have baked something which could be done properly in the time alloted.
This brownie recipe of mine always turns out. ALWAYS! Each and every time you are assured of the perfect brownie. So long as you follow my instructions. Even this small batch recipe.
One thing to remember when making brownies is to not overmix them. Once you have the chocolate melted and the sugar, eggs, etc. stirred in, you simply need to fold in the flour.
Make sure, of course, that no streaks of white flour remain in the batter. But don't overmix by any stretch. This will result in a tough brownie.
Also don't over-bake them. Not unless you want a more cake-like finish to your brownie. Overbaking is as huge a no-no as is under-baking them.
As you can see, these are lovely and dense. Not cake-like. Not gooey or oozy. Extremely fudgy. I did not add walnuts to these like I normally do.
Instead I opted to sprinkle a few mini chocolate chips on top. You could always fold in some chocolate chips/chunks and toasted nuts, if that is the way you enjoy your brownies.
Perfectly cooked brownies will have a shiny, glossy surface, and these did. I dusted them with icing sugar for photography purposes.
The truth is dark things, chocolate things, etc. never photograph really well. The camera does not like them. Adding something like a dusting of icing sugar helps them to photograph a lot better.
I hope you will forgive me for that. 😉
If you would like to check out all of my brownie recipes, you can find them here. You will need to scroll back through the pages, but not a problem if you like brownies I can assure you.
There is quite a variety to choose from. And I can assure you every one of them is delicious, a tried and true, perfect bake.
In the meantime, if you are looking for smaller sized, brownie perfection, you have come to the right place. Enjoy!
This content (written and photograph) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
Fudgy Brownies
Yield: makes 8
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 35 Min
I small batched my favorite brownie recipe to make the perfect size for the smaller family. These are rich, fudgy and delicious. Moist and chewy. Take care not to overbake.
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 ounces (100g) good quality semi sweet chocolate chips (scant 2/3 cup)
- 4 TBS butter, cut in four pieces
- 1 TBS unsweetened cocoa powder (not chocolate drink mix)
- 1/2 cup + 2 TBS (120g) sugar
- 1 large free range egg, plus 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (70g) all purpose plain flour
- a small handful of mini chocolate chips to sprinkle on top
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4.
- Line an 8 1/2 inch by 4 1/2 inch loaf tin with some aluminum foil, using two sheets of foil placed perpendicular to each other in the tin, and pushing it firmly into the corners. Leave an overhang in order to better lift the baked brownies out. Butter the foil really well.
- Melt the chocolate chips and butter together over medium low heat in a saucepan. whisking until melted and smoothly amalgamated. Whisk in the cocoa powder. Leave to cool to lukewarm.
- Whisk in the sugar, salt, egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract to combine. Fold in the flour.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, spreading it out to the corners and smoothing over the top. Sprinkle the mini chocolate chips evenly over all.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs attached. Rotate the pan halfway through the bake time. The surface will be shiny when done.
- Leave to cool completely in the pan. (I leave them overnight so I can cut them neater.)
- Remove from the pan and peel off the foil. Cut into rectangles or squares to serve.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Notes:
- These can be baked in a 9 X 5 inch loaf tin, but will be done about 5 minutes sooner.
- Take care not to overbake or your brownies will be more cake-like rather than fudgy.
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