CHOCOLATE CHIP BROWNIES

Because sometimes only chocolate will do!

CHOCOLATE CHIP BROWNIES

1/2 cup walnus
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate plus one cup
1 3/4 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350F.
Line the bottom and sides of an 8 or 9 inch baking pan with parchment paper and grease the lining.
Put the nuts in a food processor and process until finely ground. Add the flour and salt, and pulse a few times to combine.
Put the butter and chocolate in a large saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until they melt and the mixture is smooth.
Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar. Beat together the eggs and vanilla in a small bowl, then add the egg mixture to the saucepan and stir to combine. Stir in first the flour mixture, then the chocolate chips and transfer the batter to the prepared pan.
Bake until the brownies begin to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 30 minutes. Cool thoroughly before removing from the pan and cutting.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Arkansas Democrat Gazette, April 2012
www.arkansasonline.com/news/features/food/

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE ORANGE APRICOT AND PECAN BROWNIES

A wonderful friend and generally graceful and lovely lady had an Open House at her Pilates studio. I am a huge proponent, making it to classes as often as I can - along with yoga, walking, weights and biking, she helps me stay a healthy weight through all my cooking, sampling and dining.
I really wanted to contribute something to the buffet table, and have had this superb sounding brownie recipe for a while. I look longingly at the ingredients, yearning to bake it every time I see it, and decided it was finally time to indulge and share the deliciousness.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE ORANGE APRICOT AND PECAN BROWNIES

100 grams of dried apricots
100 grams of butter
60 grams of cocoa powder, sifted
120 grams of sugar
90 grams of Manuka honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
finely grated zest of 1 orange
90 grams of flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
80 grams of milk chocolate, chopped
80 grams of white chocolate, chopped
100 grams of pecans, lightly toasted

Pour boiling water over the apricots and leave for 2 hours to plump up. Drain and cut into thick slices.
Heat oven to 180C. Line a 24 cm square cake tin with baking paper.
Melt butter in a small pan then mix in cocoa. Beat in sugar, honey, vanilla, eggs and orange zest together for a minute. Mix in the butter and cocoa.
Sift flour, baking powder and baking soda together and stir into egg mixture. Stir in chocolate, pecans and apricot slices.
Pour mixture into cake tin and bake for 14 minutes, or until it is set.
Take from the oven and leave to cool, then place in the refrigerator to firm completely before cutting.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from new Zealand House and Garden
www.nzhouseandgarden.co.nz/entertaining.asp‎

ROSEMARY RICOTTA AND PINE NUT TARTS and CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

One of my favorite summer past times is spending an afternoon beside my friends pool. She has a wonderful, relaxed and very welcoming entertaining style, and my boys love her boys, so the adults have the chance for an actual conversation, while the kids are happily playing.
I was thrilled when she invited us over for lunch and a swim date, and couldn't wait to get to her back yard. I offered to bring dessert, and as she is gluten free, I made one dessert to appeal to the adults, and another that was more kid friendly.
Lunch was set up buffet style, so I added my desserts and went out to sit under the umbrella where the wine was chilling in an oversized ice bucket and the conversation was already flowing.

ROSEMARY RICOTTA AND PINE NUT TARTS

30 grams of butter softened
1/3 cup honey
2 teaspoons of rosemary, finely chopped
500 grams of ricotta
2 tablespoons sugar
4 eggs
200 grams of Greek yogurt
grated zest of 1 lemon
1/3 cup golden raisins, chopped
1/3 cup pine nuts

Heat oven to 180C.
In a small saucepan, combine honey and rosemary. Stir over medium heat until simmering. Allow to cool.
In a food processor, combine ricotta and sugar. Process until smooth. With the motor running, add eggs, one at a time, processing until smooth. Add honey mixture, yogurt and zest. Pulse to combine. Stir in raisins.
Divide mixture among 6 ramekins, sprinkle with pine nuts.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, cool.
Garnish with whipped cream and grated lemon zest.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Woman's Day
www.womansday.com/food-recipes/‎

CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

BROWNIES
1 cup butter
4 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups chocolate chips
1 teaspoon of vanilla
FROSTING
1 cup cream
8 ounces chocolate, finely chopped

BROWNIES
Heat oven to 350F.
Line the bottom of an 18 by 12 baking pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
In the top of a double boiler, over medium heat, helt butter and 4 ounces of chocolate.
In a large bowl, beat sugar and eggs until fluffy. Add flour and salt, mixing well. Add chocolate mixture, blending thoroughly. Stir in chocolate chips and vanilla.
Pour into prepared baking pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until top is crisp and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool before frosting.
FROSTING
Bring cream to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add chopped chocolate. Stir to blend well. Spread over brownies.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Northwest Arkansas Times, May 2012

EXTREME BROWNIE COOKIES

I printed this delicious sounding recipe from the computer a really long time ago, and just recently found it buried at the bottom of my recipe pile. The words were superimposed over an old invitation for a Neighborhood Happy Hour, which was fun to reminisce over, but made it difficult to read the ingredients and instructions!! I ended up having to look the recipe up again (its still there) and cook from the original on the screen.
I put the ingredients together, then baked the cookies later in the afternoon. The dough chilled for about 1 1/2 hours, however, if you don't happen to have a massage scheduled, I'm sure 20 to 30 minutes in the refrigerator would be just fine.

EXTREME BROWNIE COOKIES

2 cups (12 ounces) chocolate, chopped
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup dark chocolate chips

In the top of a double boiler, set over hot water, melt the chocolate and butter (or I just melt mine directly in the pot). Allow it to cool. Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and vanilla in a mixing bowl until frothy. Slowly add the sugar and beat until the mixture ribbons off the beaters (I'm not really sure what this means). Add the melted chocolate mixture. Stir to combine.
Sift the dry ingredients together. Add to the chocolate mixture and stir to combine. 
Fold in the chocolate chips. The dough will seem more like cake batter than cookie dough. Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the dough is well chilled (and more of a cookie dough consistency).
Heat the oven to 350F.
Using a scoop, place balls of the chilled dough on to a cookie sheet. Bake about 12 minutes, the tops of the cookies should look dry and cracked. Allow to cool a minute on the baking sheet then remove to cake racks for further cooling.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from the Food Network
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/extreme-brownie-cookies-recipe/index.html

TRICK OR TREAT BROWNIE CUPCAKES

Halloween is always such an exciting time of year- and these cupcakes add to the fun! They would be perfect for before or after the festivities, with their colored frosting and candy bar decoration.

TRICK OR TREAT BROWNIE CUPCAKES

1 box fudge brownie mix
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons water
2 eggs
1 cup white baking chips
1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
6 tablespoons butter, softened
3 tablespoons milk
6 to 8 drops red food coloring
6 to 8 drops yellow food coloring
24 miniature candy bars

Heat oven to 350F.
Spray 24 muffin cups with cooking spray. In medium bowl, mix brownie mix, oil, water and eggs. Divide batter among muffin cups. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until centers are set and toothpick inserted near edge of cupcake comes out clean. Cool 30 minutes. Run metal spatula around edge of each brownie, lift out to remove from muffin cup.
In microwavable bowl, microwave white chocolate chips 30 to 45 minutes, stirring every 15 seconds until melted. Cool slightly.
In medium bowl, beat powdered sugar, butter, milk and food colors on medium speed until fluffy. Stir in melted chocolate. Spoon frosting over cooled cupcakes, top each with a candy bar.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Betty Crocker Halloween Treats, 2009
www.bettycrocker.com/menus-holidays-parties/all.../halloween