tahini brownies.

Hi!   It's been a weird not-at-all relaxing December.  Work has been exceptionally nutty and for that reason I'm not in the holiday mindset or in the holiday spirit.  Everything about the holidays has exhausted me this year. I tried listening to Mariah Carey's All I Want for Christmas is You on repeat to get out of this funk and that did't help.  (Instead I've reverted to Joni Mitchell's River which will always and forever be the greatest Christmas song though the furthest thing from uplifting.)

For a lot of the above reasons, I didn't attempt too many new cookies this year because it all seemed like a lot of work.   Instead I relied on some old favorites (like these and these) to contribute to the annual Cavagnolo cookie-plate extravaganza.  I'm still working on the perfect ginger-molasses cookie.  The first batch I made was good flavorwise but totally wrong when it came to texture.  I'm in the process of making a second batch and tweaked some things.  Will see what happens.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed.  

I did make one new recipe.  These brownies which have been calling my name in the new Ottolenghi Sweet cookbook for sometime.  These are decadent but my god are they unreal.  The tahini and chocolate pairing makes these really special.  Like holiday table special.   Since they are rich, they can be cut into tiny squares which means they are great for sharing.  And if you do have any left, they freeze brilliantly (I actually prefer them frozen).  

Tahini Brownies 
Recipe tweaked slightly from Sweet 

1 cup plus 1 1/2 tbsp/250 g unsalted butter, cut into 3/4-inch/2-cm cubes, plus extra for greasing 
9 oz/260 g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), broken into 1 1/2-inch/4-cm pieces 
4 large eggs 
1 1/3 cups/280 g granulated sugar 
3/4 cup plus 3 tbsp/120 g all-purpose flour 
1/3 cup/30 g Dutch-processed cocoa powder 
1/2 tsp salt 
7 oz/200 g halva, broken into 3/4-inch/2-cm pieces  (can be omitted if you can't find)
1/3 cup/70 g tahini paste 
1/4 cup cocoa nibs (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C. Grease your chosen pan and line with parchment paper, then set aside.

Place the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure that the base of the bowl is not touching the water. Leave for about 2 minutes to melt, then remove the bowl from the heat. Stir until you have a thick shiny sauce and set aside to come to room temperature.

Place the eggs and sugar in a large bowl and whisk until pale and creamy and a trail is left behind when you move the whisk; this will take about 3 minutes with an electric mixer, longer by hand. Add the chocolate and fold through gently with a spatula—don’t overwork the mixture here.

Sift the flour, cocoa powder and salt into a bowl, then gently fold into the chocolate mixture. Finally, add the pieces of halva, gently fold through the mix, then pour or scrape the mixture into the lined baking pan, using a small spatula to even it out. Dollop small spoonfuls of the tahini paste into the mix in about 12 different places, then use a skewer to swirl them through to create a marbled effect, taking the marbling right to the edges of the pan.

Bake for about 23 minutes, until the middle has a slight wobble and it is gooey inside—they may be ready anywhere between 22 and 25 minutes. If using the 12 x 8-inch/30.5 x 20-cm pan, they will need a couple minutes less cooking time. They may seem a little undercooked at first, but they firm up once they start to cool down. If you want to serve them warmish (and gooey), set aside for just 30 minutes before cutting into 16 pieces. Otherwise, set aside for longer to cool to room temperature.

Storage: These will keep well for up to 5 days in an airtight container. They also freeze well, covered in plastic wrap, for up to a month. When you take them out of the freezer, they are uncommonly good eaten at the half-frozen, half-thawed stage.

sweet and salty brownies.

A couple of years ago, I went to a holiday party where a charming, adorable, clearly talented boy brought these brownies.  I ate one.  And then I ate another one.  And then I stationed myself next to the plastic container of brownies giving evil eyes to everyone that dared to take one of my brownies.  At the end of the night I stuffed all the remaining brownies into my purse and coat pockets and brought them home (no shame).  

I waited all of 12 hours before asking for the recipe. After getting it, I waited all of 24 hours before I set out to make them myself. (I can't believe I waited that long.)

These brownies are addicting (I think I demonstrated the truth of this statement based on my aforementioned behavior).  They are dark, rich, dense and fudgey (aka my dream brownie).  Coupled with a caramel that's sweet, salty, and subtly tangy (you can thank the sour cream for that) and you basically have a recipe for the best brownie ever.  I adore baking them around Valentine's Day because everyone loves chocolate, caramel, and salt (if you didn't I would question your sanity), they store incredibly well (so you can make them today and share with your loves on Friday), and they ship brilliantly which means your Valentine's both near and far can taste the love. 

But might I suggest you hand out the recipe as well.  Everyone will thank you.  

Sweet and Salty Brownies

Recipe from BAKED: Explorations 

A couple of things to note.  You do not want to touch/remove/eat these brownies until they are 100% cool.  They will fall apart and you will be sad about this.  I recommend letting them cool in their pan and then placing them in the fridge for a couple hours (or overnight which is ideal) before cutting them.  Doing so makes slicing them a breeze.  Everyone will think you are a professional and you will be very happy.  This recipe makes a lot of brownies.  I freeze the extras and have been known to eat them straight from the freezer.  They are magical when cold.  Also, this recipe makes more than enough caramel for the brownie assembly. Use the extra to serve with the brownies or to make awesome brownie ice-cream sundaes (Best. Idea. Ever.). 

For the Caramel 

1 cup sugar 
2 tablespoons light corn syrup 
½ cup heavy cream 
1 teaspoon fleur de sel 
½ cup sour cream 

For the Brownies 

1 ¼ cup flour 
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 
1 teaspoon fleur de sel 
11oz dark chocolate, chopped (I used Valrhona) 
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into cubes 
1 ½ cups sugar 
½ cup packed light brown sugar 
5 large eggs at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla 

To Finish 

1 ½ teaspoons fleur de sel 
1 teaspoons coarse sugar (i.e. Demerara  or Turbinado sugar) 

Make the caramel: In a medium saucepan combine the sugar, corn syrup, ¼ cup water and stir together carefully. Cook this mixture over high heat until an instant read thermometer reads 350F OR until the mixture is dark amber in color (6-8 minutes). Watch this carefully as it will go from amber to burnt in a matter of seconds.  Remove from heat and slowly add the cream (be careful it will bubble up), then the salt, then the sour cream.  Set aside to cool. 

Note: This recipe makes more than enough caramel for the brownie assembly. Use the extra to serve with the brownies or to make awesome brownie ice-cream sundaes. 

Preheat oven to 350, line a 9x13 glass or light colored metal baking dish with buttered parchment .

For the brownies: In a medium bowl whisk the flour, salt and cocoa powder 

Put the chocolate and butter in the bowl of a double boiler set over simmering water and stir occasionally until chocolate and butter are melted. Take the bowl from the heat, add both sugars and whisk until thoroughly combined. 

Add three eggs to the mixture and whisk until just combined, add the remaining eggs and vanilla. 

Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate mixture and fold to combine, do not overbeat or your brownies will be cakey instead of fudgy. (Trust me, you do not want this.) 

To assemble: Pour half of the brownie mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Drizzle about ¾ - 1 cup of the caramel over top while being careful to make sure the caramel doesn't come into contact with the edge of the pan. Gently spread the caramel into an even layer using your offset spatula. Finish by topping the caramel layer with big dollops of the remaining brownie batter and gently smooth the top. 

Bake the brownies for 30 – 40 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. The brownies are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. (Mine took about 38 minutes.  I started checking at 30 minutes and continued to check every 2 -3 minutes after that). 

After removing the brownies from the oven, sprinkle them with the fleur de sel and coarse sugar. 

Cool completely before cutting and serving.

salted espresso brownies.

People (myself included) are very particular about their brownies.  Are nuts sacrilegious or a necessary addition (and are walnuts the only acceptable addition)? Should a brownie be a 2-bite sized indulgence or a palm-sized behemoth?  Can a brownie be cakey and soft or is fudgy and dense the only way to go?  It's truly exhausting reading and researching and trying to decipher what kind of brownie each recipe makes (is your definition of fudgy the same as my definition?!). I almost gave up on the search because sometimes my job actually requires me to do work and not just research my latest craving but then I found this gem of a recipe and all was right in the world.  

This is a fudgy, chocolaty, gloriously perfect (in my world) brownie.  It's dense and oh so rich, the kind of thing that begs for milk.  The espresso powder manages to both balance out the flavors and also make the coffee and cocoa flavor more apparent (so magical). The salt helps to cut the sweetness which is what moves this from a kid's snack to an adult's treat.  This is the kind of thing I would love to finish a dinner party with especially when served with scoops of vanilla ice cream and hot fudge.  

Salted Espresso Brownies

Recipe adapted from Leite’s Culinaria who got it from David Lebovitz

The salt and espresso powder are my own addition because it just felt right.  Here, the make a good brownie amazing.  

Makes 9 – 12 brownies

6 tablespoons (3 ounces) unsalted or salted butter cut into pieces, plus more for the pan

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

¾ cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs, at room temperature

¼ cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon instant espresso powder

¼ - ½ teaspoon flaky sea salt (smaller amount if using salted butter)

½ - ¾ cup chocolate chips (I am firmly in the more is better camp)

Powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

Line an 8-inch square pan with 2 long lengths of aluminum foil or parchment paper, positioning the sheets perpendicular to one other and allowing the excess to extend beyond the edges of the pan.   Lightly butter the foil or parchment. 

In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Add the chocolate and stir by hand until it is melted and smooth. (Note, this can also be done in the microwave just watch it carefully so you don’t burn the mixture.)

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the sugar and vanilla until combined. Beat in the eggs by hand, 1 at a time. Add the flour, salt and espresso powder and stir energetically for 1 full minute—time yourself—until the batter loses its graininess, becomes smooth and glossy, and pulls away a bit from the sides of the saucepan. (This is crucial in the making of these brownies. You must stir them "energetically”. You also must make certain you stir the batter for a full minute. It may appear to separate a few seconds into stirring, and it may appear grainy midway through, but when you stir with vigor for a full 60 seconds--and we do mean a full 60 seconds, along the lines of "One Mississippi, two Mississippi..."--you'll end up with a batter that's rich, thick, satiny smooth, and glossy as can be. Therein lies the difference between dry, crumbly brownies and the world's best brownies.) Stir in the chocolate chips.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the center feels almost set, about 22-25 minutes. Do not overbake. (Check at the 22 minute mark). 

Let the brownie cool completely in the pan—this is the difficult part—before lifting the foil or parchment and the block of brownie out of the pan. Dust the brownies with powdered sugar if using. Cut the brownie into squares. (The brownies will keep well for up to 4 days and can be frozen for up to 1 month.).  

cocoa brownies.

I have been craving sugar with abandon since Hurricane Sandy.  When I walk into Duane Reade for practical items like shampoo and a tooth brush, I find myself drawn to the discounted Halloween candy aisle where I end up loading my cart with bags and bags of processed sugar for a pittance.  It really amazes me that you can currently buy a bag of fun size Twix for 75 cents.  I like to think my sugar binge is because of lack of sleep and a lower level of energy since this whole hurricane thing occurred and I hope that once things return to normal I will return to my normal levels of sugar.  When I have an intense sugar/chocolate craving (and when I have a kitchen at my disposal), these brownies are the first thing I make to curb my craving.  They are the kind of rich and intense brownie that dreams are made of.  They are a dark and fudgey affair - the kind of brownie that screams for a large glass of milk.  I adore adding dried sour cherries and toasted walnuts to the batter to give a bit of crunch and a tangy bite but trust me those add in's aren't required, they are pretty perfect without any extras. 

 

Best Cocoa Brownies

Recipe adapted (barely) from Smitten Kitchen

 

These are my favorite brownie recipe thus far (the search is never over!).  They are quick and easy to make and they come out well every single time.  I highly recommend the really good cocoa powder like Valrhona, it makes all the difference here.

 

10 tablespoons (140 grams) unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups (250 grams) sugar

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (65 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder

Heaping 1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs, cold

1/2 cup (65 grams) all-purpose flour

1/2 cup toasted walnut pieces (optional)

1/2 cup dried cherries (optional)

 

Position a rack in the lower third of the over and preheat to 325 degrees.  Line the bottom and sides of an 8x8 square baking pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides. 

 

Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium bowl.  Place in the microwave for 30 second intervals and then stir every 30 seconds (watch carefully as you don't want to burn it!).  Continue to microwave for intervals until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth.  (You can also do this with a double boiler on your stove but the microwave is far easier).  Cool the mixture down until it's warm and not hot. 

 

Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon.  Add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one.  When the batter looks thick, shinny, and well blended, add the flour until you can not see it anymore, then beat vigorously for 40 strokes withe the wooden spoon or a rubber spatula.  Stir in the nuts and cherries, if using.  Spread evenly in the lined pan. 

 

Bake until a toothpick plunged into the center emerges slightly moist with batter, about 25 - 30 minutes.  Let cool completely on rack.  (You can place in the fridge to cool so you can cut clean lines). 

 

Life the ends of the parchment or foil liner, and transfer the brownies to a cutting board.  Cut into 16 or 25 squares.