Tag Archive: Brownies

Almond Flour Brownies

Written on August 18, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

This week I made brownies for the first time in months. MONTHS. Who am I? The thing is these aren’t even for me; I’m still trying to get in better shape for marathon training. The last thing I need on my plate(literally) is brownies.

I’m not saying I didn’t steal a taste, but as soon as these were cooled, cut, and photographed I sealed them up to bring to the Healthy Living Summit to share with friends and this girl for hosting me for a night. If you’re going, too, please find me and say hi. I’ll be the one trying to buy friends with brownies.

I made these by modifying my outrageous triple chocolate brownies recipe and—dare I say?—I like these better. Cooked they taste the same but the raw batter is much more delicious since it doesn’t have that funky gluten-free flavor to it. And it requires no special flour/starch blend, just plain old almond flour. Since I always keep these ingredients on hand, I can tell this will be my new go-to brownie recipe.

Almond Flour Brownies

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 1 8 x 8 pan):

3/4 cup almond flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup sugar*
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules(optional)
1/2 cup butter
7oz semisweet or bittersweet baking chocolate, divided OR 3/4 cup chocolate chips

*You can replace the cane sugar in this recipe with 1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons of liquid sweetener like maple syrup, honey, agave, or corn syrup.

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Mix together the almond flour, salt, cocoa powder, and baking powder and set aside.
In a separate bowl, melt together 4 ounces of chocolate or a scant 1/2 cup chocolate chips with the butter.
While the chocolate is melting, beat together the eggs, sugar, vanilla and coffee granules if using.
Slowly pour the melted chocolate and butter into the egg/sugar mixture while whisking until fully incorporated. Don’t go too fast so that the raw eggs don’t cook upon contact.
Add the chocolate mixture in with the dry ingredients and mix completely.
Pour the batter in an 8 x 8 pan.
Sprinkle the top with the remaining chocolate and gently press it into the batter.
Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick poked into the center comes out clean. Let these cool completely before cutting in.

The first time I made these I took them out of the oven after only 25 minutes. 2 hours later I cut in to a gooey and basically raw center. Oops. I stuck them back into the oven and—of course—got distracted, baking them a little too long and burning the tops of the ones towards the back. The lesson is bake as I say, not as I do.

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If I Had Time, I Would Make These

Written on April 8, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Recipe Round-Up

January 19th 050

Grasshopper Brownies

Rawxy’s Raw Turtle Brownies

December 31st 043

Peppermint Patties

Mama Pea’s Magic Bars

March 13th 015

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Dessert Hummus

Anna’s Browned Butter Blondies

…But I don’t so who can I give my address to to send me these?

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I Cater

Written on March 19, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Recipe Round-Up

This is why you should invite me to your parties.

This is also why I will never succeed on any diet, but that’s another story.

Like any good Classicists, some friends and I got together on St. Patty’s Day to celebrate The Ides of March since green beer and jello shots clearly weren’t in our future. I offered to bring the entertainment(HBO’s Rome. Horribly inaccurate but highly entertaining) and a slew of baked goods.

Outrageous Triple Chocolate Brownies, which got a “really chocolaty” vote for itself.

Better-Than-Boxed Brownies, which got a few nibbles.

And Coconut Blondies with Lemon Drop Frosting, which definitely had the most crowd appeal.

Lucky for me it’s not hard to please people who live off cafeteria food. After the show we sat around talking, eating brownies, and translating Latin. I know—we’re a wild bunch.

My point? Invite me to your parties and I promise to bring enough food to feed an army. And if it’s a toga party, well I’m already dressed for that.

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You Might Need A Brownie

Written on March 16, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

If the only wedding marked on your calendar is the royal wedding, you might need a brownie.

If your boss of 5 years called you the wrong name this week, you might need a brownie.

If the last Saturday night you spent out was under a different president, you might need a brownie.

If your goal is to make it through a St. Patrick’s day parade sober, you might need a brownie.

If you’re a warlock who just got fired from his multi-million dollar contract, you might need a brownie.

If you’re paler than a polar bear after the long cold winter, you might need a brownie.

If it’s that time of month, you definitely need a brownie.

If you’ve only got one brownie left, you might need to make more.

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The Holy Trinity of Food Photography

Written on February 19, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Photography

In cooking, the “holy trinity” is onion, carrots, and celery—start any dish by sautéing those three vegetables and it’s a sure favorite.

But when it comes to the other half of food blogging—the actual photographing—it’s a whole new ball game. To take good photos, you need to account for plating, lighting, and camera angle.

Plating:

Chili-Rubbed Sole With Sauteed Kale and Avocado(post to come)

The best way to start plating is with a clean, white plate. That lets the colors of the food pop naturally. The more mingled the components of a plate are, the more cohesive the overall photo looks. And a variety of textures and angles creates motion and keeps the eyes moving over different areas.

Photo from Raw Vegan Hazelnut Cream Cheese

Plating also can extend to the background, as well. Even when the dish is the main focus of the photo, you’re still showing whatever’s in the camera’s view and this can be disruptive to the overall photo. Choose either a neutral background or one that continues the theme of what you’re photographing. And always make sure the prime subject matter is in focus.

Camera Angle:

Photo from Gluten-Free Chinese Dumplings

In general, there are 3 typical camera angles: Overhead, same-level, and eye-level(slightly angled down). Each one should be used to highlight different features of a plate, but the most general two to use would be same-level or eye-level. Camera angle is also what lets you reveal or hide the backdrop to your photo, so consider that as well when choosing how to photograph it.

Lighting:

Photo from Grasshopper Brownies

When it comes to lighting, natural is almost always best. If you can find a spot with a strong, clean, natural light, then by all means use that. The more angles that the light hits the food the better as that reduces shadows.

Photo from Better-Than-Boxed Brownies

The other option for lighting is a light-box, which I use probably more than anything else. The benefit of a light-box is that it gives you complete control over lighting and shadows. The drawback of a light-box is that they don’t let you continue the backdrop but rather create a focused, narrow space.

Do you have any questions on any of these? Now, I’m not saying I’m an expert at this at all; in fact, most nights I’ll eat dinner out of the frying pan if I don’t have to photograph it so I don’t have to do more dishes. I’ve learned most of these tricks by doing the exact opposite and looking back only to see how bad they actually were. The best tip is to just keep snapping away, because the more photos you take the better your eye gets for taking photos.

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Photos From The Weekend

Written on February 6, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Miscellaneous

Today is Superbowl Sunday and to be completely honest I’d have no clue if all of my favorite food blogs weren’t posting guacamole and buffalo chicken dip recipes. I don’t regularly follow football and barely enjoy watching the Superbowl if the Patriots are in it. But please, somebody alert me any time a Betty White commercial comes on.

Instead of guacamole or dip, I’d much rather be eating these:

I made a batch of Outrageous Triple Chocolate Brownies for a friend’s belated birthday. Obviously, I had to try one to make sure I wasn’t poisoning anyone, and then I had to move the pan out of site to make sure I didn’t try anymore.

January 30th 032

Last weekend I got new running shoes. Can you tell which pair is the new one and which is the old one? I’ll give you a hint: Their the same brand and the treads should be mirror images of one another except for the color. I really like to get my money’s worth.

Saturday morning I went out for a long run. Holly asked how marathon training was going; right now I’m taking it week-by-week meaning if I can make it through my long run then I haven’t given in yet. This run went really well in the new shoes.

And then I ate a large bowl of Chinese food, which really isn’t the best thing after a long run I’ve learned because you’ll spend the rest of the day burping up soy sauce and garlic. I’m going to need another brownie to freshen my breath.

Superbowl: yay or nay?

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Better-Than-Boxed Brownies and a CSN Store Giveaway

Written on February 1, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert, Giveaway

Today is the first day of February, the time to (hopefully) start enjoying the outside more by cleaning off the swing set, taking out bicycles, and ignoring that little thing called Valentine’s Day. What better way to celebrate a new month than with brownies?

When I ran yearbook bake sales in high school, the one food that went without exception were brownies made from a box. People just like them. Once you get to a certain level of cooking/baking, serving a box mix feels like a stab through the heart. Instead, we make recipes that rival boxed brownies. These are just as sugary and fudgy as the ones you get from a Duncan Hines or Betty Crocker mix. They’re also the same that I used in my grasshopper brownies but the recipe is good enough that it needs its own post. I mean, don’t they just look that good?

Better-Than-Boxed Brownies

Ingredients(Makes 16 2’-inch brownies):

1 1/4 cup flour(I used gluten-free all-purpose flour)
1/3 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4oz(1/2 cup) semi-sweet chocolate or chocolate chips
1/4 cup cooking oil
1/4 cup water
1 egg

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees. Melt the chocolate and mixing it with the cooking oil. Next mix in the water, sugar, extract, salt, and cocoa powder. Sift in the flour and baking powder and mix until just combined.

Grease an 8×8 baking pan and pour in the batter. Cook for 25 minutes until the center is just cooked. Wait until they have cooled to cut.

Giveaway

The people at CSN Stores have offered one US/Canadian reader a $35 gift certificate to any of their online stores. There are 3 simple ways to enter; please leave a separate comment for each one.

1. What’s your favorite childhood dessert? or what dessert are you looking forward to eating this month?

2. Follow me on Twitter(or just say if you already do)

3. Like me on Facebook(or just say if you already do)

This giveaway ended February 5th

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Grasshopper Brownies

Written on January 26, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

These are my new favorite brownies. They’re also probably the most fattening/sugary brownies I’ve ever made. Coincidence? I think not.

I’ve been wanting to make grasshopper brownies for the past few months. If you don’t know what those are, they’re a layer of brownies topped with a peppermint filling and a chocolate top. Delicious, no? These are so sweet and rich and they absolutely melt in your mouth. I couldn’t praise these enough. It’s like a peppermint patty in brownie form. Just don’t think about how many calories in them and enjoy.

Grasshopper Brownies

Ingredients(Makes 16 servings):

1 1/4 cup flour(I used gluten-free all-purpose flour)
1/3 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
4oz(1/2 cup) chocolate chips
1/4 cup cooking oil
1/4 cup water
1 egg

2 cups powdered sugar
1 stick butter(or Earth Balance)
1 teaspoon peppermint extract

1 tablespoon butter(or Earth Balance)
8oz(1 cup) chocolate chips

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees. Start by sifting together the first 6 ingredients. Melt down the 4 ounces of chocolate and mix this with the cooking oil. Add that to the flour mixture along with the water and egg and mix to form the batter. Grease an 8×8 cooking pan and spread the batter in. Bake for 25 minutes and let this cool completely.

To make the filling, melt a stick of butter, pour in the peppermint extract and sift in the powdered sugar. This will form a loose filling. Spread it over the cooled brownies in as even a layer as you can.

Tip: If you’re having trouble with the peppermint mixture sticking when spreading, put a piece of saran wrap between your hands and the filling and use that to press the filling down.

Lastly, melt 8 ounces of chocolate with a tablespoon of butter and spread this out evenly on top of the peppermint layer. Take care to move quickly and gently so that the peppermint layer and the chocolate don’t get mixed together. Let the top harden completely before cutting into these with a sharp knife.

You can really use any brownie recipe for the bottom; I just included that one for convenience sake(it also makes incredibly moist brownies which is never a bad thing). I wasn’t crazy about the filling as I was making it, but combined with the chocolate and brownies it’s just rich enough not to get lost in the experience. Yes, experience, because these brownies are better than any trip to Disney World.

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What Would Your Last Meal Be?

Written on January 23, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Recipe Round-Up

On Wednesday when I was ~~wasting my time on~~ perusing Twitter, I came across this article on the real last suppers death row inmates chose. I thought it was a fascinating look inside the inmates mind. I was surprised with some(like the smoker. What kind of meal is that?) and sympathized with others(I mean, who doesn’t want to sit down to a burger, fries, and a milkshake?). And then I started asking myself the very same question: What would my last meal be?

My initial reaction was that I’d eat all the things with gluten I can’t but crave—Dunkin’ Donuts lemon filled powder donuts, Boston Market mac n’ cheese, and a big chewy chocolate chip cookie. But after thinking about it I realized I don’t want to go out of this world gassy and bloated; I’ll take my vanity to the grave.

So then I thought I’d eat a really good Holiday meal with food like the best quinoa dressing, whole roasted chicken, and fingerling potatoes.

Who am I kidding? That’d be a great healthy meal to eat before a race, but it’s no last meal. I don’t have a sweet tooth; I have 26. So I’d more likely have to order a dessert platter.

Oh Baby bars so that I could die fat an happy.

Taza chocolate. Like I said, I can’t resist it.

Godiva’s flourless chocolate cake. I’m still in awe of how good this was, even better than my version. Those little bastards.

And a pan of these brownies, which are sinfully good(recipe coming later this week!).

That’s more like it. Can you see a theme?

What would you want for your last meal? Feel free to share recipes!

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How To Make Food Tastier With Just 1 Ingredient

Written on January 21, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Highlights, How To, Recipe Round-Up

There are certain secrets to cooking. Seasoning is one of them.

My favorite way to think of seasoning is that it shouldn’t flavor the dish; instead, it should make the dish taste more like itself. Certain ingredients are really good at that, especially in the right recipes. Here’s my quick list of “secret” ingredients that you can add to any dish to make the flavor pop. Look out because the cat’s coming out of the bag.

Salt is probably the most common seasoning. It’s also one of our taste sensations. We all salt our dinner plates but do you salt your desserts? A little bit of salt in sweets makes the flavor irresistible.

Example:

Banana Chocolate Chip Blondies with Peanut Butter Frosting

We all know a spoon full of sugar makes the medicine go down. But we don’t all know how good it works in savory foods. Most of the time when we’re cooking dinner, we don’t think to use sugar. Even if the flavors you’re working at aren’t sweet, a little sugar—just like a little salt—can go a long way in making savory flavors pop.

Example:

Vegged-Out Quinoa and The Best Quinoa Dressing

I’m always(OK, once) asked what’s the secret to making brownies taste good? Well, here’s one of them: instant coffee. The bitterness in coffee pairs really well with the bitterness in cacao and helps to make the flavor richer and deeper. Add a teaspoon of instant coffee to any brownie mix to boost the flavor.

Example:

Outrageous Triple Chocolate Brownies

January 16th 037

Most of the time, none of us think of nutmeg. We use it in pies and pumpkin bread in the Fall and that’s about it. But a pinch of nutmeg with any earth flavor like chicken, potato, or greens can enhance the overall dish.

Example:

Sautéed Spinach With Silken Tofu

Bay Leaves are the unsung hero of great tasting beans and marinades. You never see them because they’re not edible and need to be discarded after cooking. But adding a bay leaf when cooking beans or lentils, or when marinating chicken adds a strong earthy flavor that only enhances everything that’s there.

Example:

Mediterranean Chicken Marinade

Now I’ll open it to you: Do you have any secret ingredients that make people say “This is so good! What did you do to it?” that you’re willing to share?

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