Oatmeal Cookie-Crusted Brownies

Sorry I've been a little MIA this week. Between feeling a little under the weather and working ten to eleven hour shifts at work, I haven't had much time to do anything other than sleep. December is by far our busiest month at work so I don't hold out much hope of it slowing down anytime soon.

BUT. I'm determined to get back in my own kitchen, hopefully very soon, to churn out some more fun decorated cookies so stay tuned for those. But enough about cookies. You're here to read about brownies. Crazy, jacked up on cookie steroids, brownies.

I had an iteration of this at a restaurant in Virginia Beach over the summer. It was like a fudgey chocolate cake with a chewy oatmeal crust, and I could NOT stop eating it. So when I came across this recipe in a magazine, I tore it out and put it at the top of my list.

I'll be honest, it wasn't as good as the dessert I remember, but it was pretty fantastic in its own right. The brownie was the perfect combination of cakey and fudgey, and had an intense chocolate flavor. And the oatmeal cookie crust stayed nice and chewy (although it didn't add enough of an impact for me, which was disappointing). But my absolute favorite part was the icing. I have never come across this kind of recipe before, using melted butter instead of softened, but it worked like a charm. And the sweet chocolate flavor was a perfect compliment to the much darker brownies. I can definitely see myself using it again for a cake or cupcakes in the future.

I think what I particularly love is that you could take this idea and run with it. Instead of an oatmeal cookie layer, sub in peanut butter for the oats, or leave any flavoring out and go for a sugar cookie crust. Or just try out a new brownie recipe. Whatever you do, you won't be disappointed. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some cleaning to do. Like finally getting rid of our pumpkins from Halloween. Yeah, we're those people.

Oatmeal Cookie-Crusted Brownies
Yield: 12 large brownies

Ingredients:
For the crust
1 1/2 cups rolled oats, pulsed in a processor 5-6 times
3/4 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp kosher salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x12’’ baking dish with parchment and spray with cooking spray, set aside.
2. Mix all ingredients except butter in a bowl; add butter and mix well.
3. Pat evenly into prepared pan. Bake 10 min. Cool 30 min and reserve. Keep oven on.

For the brownies
1 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
8 Tbsp unsalted butter
1.4 lb unsweetened chocolate
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups granulated sugar
4 lg eggs, lightly beaten


1. Mix flour and baking powder in a bowl and set aside.
2. Heat butter and chocolate in a small saucepan set over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until melted. Remove from heat, pour into a large bowl, and cool slightly. Add vanilla. Stir in sugar, eggs, and flour mixture.
3. Pour evenly over oatmeal crust. Spread with offset spatula to cover evenly. Bake 45 minutes (do not open door during baking). Remove from oven, cool, cover with plastic wrap. Reserve overnight.

For the icing
8 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2/3 cup dark cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Place butter in bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.
2. Sift cocoa over top, mix well. Add sugar, milk, and vanilla. Whisk on medium speed until spreading consistency.
3. To serve, spread frosting evenly over top of brownies with offset spatula. Cut brownies into 12 squares and serve. Store wrapped well, at room temperature, for 2-3 days.

Recipe Notes

• Many pastry chefs believe brownies are better the day after they are made. Some store them in the fridge overnight or even freeze them for 24 hours before serving them.
• I found it was easiest to use the parchment paper and remove the finished brownies in one big slab before cutting them.

Recipe courtesy of Chef/Owner Anne Kearney, Rue Dumaine, Dayton Ohio from Food Arts September 2011

Dirty Blondies

I'd been craving something sweet for days, but couldn't settle on anything to bake. Did I want cookies? Some kind of bar? Maybe ice cream? As I was going through my pantry for inspiration, I pulled out a half-empty bag of white chocolate chips... that expired in August of 2010. Not ideal.

Not only was this a waste of chocolate, but I found three other bags of open goodies that were in danger of meeting the same fate! Since I couldn't figure out what I wanted anyway, I decided to dump everything that was already open into a bowl and hope for the best.

And the best is definitely what I got. A little nugget of chocolate or peanut butter in every bite, nice and dense, but chewy from all that coconut. Not to mention the crunchy, sugary graham cracker crust.

And of course, a drizzle of a little salted caramel sauce.

Oh yes. I went there. Totally optional. Except not really because this is absolutely necessary. Go out and get some (Mine's from Trader Joe's). You don't need to make it; you just made the most epic blondies of all time. Take a break. Get yourself a treat.

I had more than one of these after dinner. And no, I won't tell you how many more because it is OBSCENE. Someone come save me.

Dirty Blondies
Yield: 16 Blondies

Ingredients:
4 graham crackers
12 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened + 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2/3 cup, plus 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips (I used a mix of dark and milk)
1/2 cup peanut butter chips
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
Salted Caramel Sauce (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9x9'' baking dish or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the graham crackers to make crumbs. Add 2 Tbsp granulated sugar and the 2 Tbsp melted butter. Process to combine. Press evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake at 350 for 7-9 minutes, until lightly toasted. Set aside to cool while you make the filling.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the remaining butter with both sugars until creamy and light, about 3 minutes on medium speed. Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
4. Add the eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, along with the vanilla extract. Add the dry ingredients, mixing on low speed until barely incorporated.
5. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the chocolate and peanut butter chips, and coconut. Spread evenly over reserved crust. Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Set on a wire rack to cool. Cut into 16 squares to serve. Drizzle with caramel sauce, if desired. Store at room temperature.

Recipe Notes:

• This batter is very thick, more like cookie batter than brownies. Spread it gently into the pan so as not to break the baked crust. A small offset spatula works best.
• Try different combinations of mix-ins: pecans and coconut, all different kinds of chocolate, pretzel pieces and caramel chips, etc.
• Seriously, the caramel sauce is totally optional. These are delicious all on their own and there's already a lot going on with the chocolate, peanut butter, and coconut. The caramel sauce just takes them over the edge.

Adapted from my Blondies

Coconut Pecan Pie Bars

I was so prepared to not like these. I don't like pecans. I don't like pecan pie. There was no way I was going to want to eat these. Which is why I thought it was safe to make them even though Dan is out of town.

But when they came out of the oven they smelled so good. I thought, I'll just take one little bite out of the corner, just to see if they're good. And then I needed a piece- just a small piece. And then I had two more pieces after dinner.

What is happening?? I don't even like pecans! Seriously, forget the pecan pie this year. These are so much easier. You don't even need a mixer. And the crust is like one huge amazing shortbread cookie. O.M.G. Thank goodness I have hungry neighbors.

Coconut Pecan Pie Bars
Yield: 16 bars

Ingredients:
For the crust:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp dark brown sugar
4 Tbsp (half stick) unsalted butter, softened

For the filling:
2 eggs
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp corn syrup
1 Tbsp butter, melted
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup chocolate chunks
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup shredded coconut

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x9'' square pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. For the crust, in a medium bowl, mix together the flour and brown sugar. Add butter and use a fork and then your hands to combine. The dough should be crumbly but will hold together when pressed.
3. Press the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake 12-15 minutes or until light golden. Set aside to cool slightly.
4. Meanwhile, make the filling. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar. Add the corn syrup, butter, and vanilla extract. With a rubber spatula, fold in chocolate, nuts, and coconut. Pour evenly over baked crust.
5. Bake bars 25-30 minutes or until filling is set. Cool in the pan on a wire rack. Cool completely and cut into 16 bars. Store in a cool place.

Recipe Notes

• The crust may look cracked after it is baked, but that's ok. It will stay together with the filling inside.
• Grease the pan very generously! 
• If my house was warmer or I was making these in the middle of summer, I might store them in the fridge, but they can be left, wrapped well, at a cool room temperature.

Recipe adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

Peanut Butter Cup Bars

Although Peanut Butter cups aren't usually my go-to choice in the candy aisle, they're definitely in my top five. Peanut butter on the other hand? Can't live without it. I literally eat it almost every day. I used to a keep a jar in my desk at work and would just eat spoonfuls of it throughout the day. Thankfully I no longer work in an office, so an intervention is no longer imminent. 

I think these bars are magic. I had to send half of them to the hospital with Dan because I could not be trusted. The graham cracker crumbs give them that almost perfect peanut butter cup texture, and even with the hefty dose of sugar, they're not cloyingly sweet. I added salted peanuts to mine for some added crunchy texture, but you could leave them out if you want that true sense of a peanut butter cup.

Plus, they're no-bake. In fact, you don't even really need a working stove. All you really need is a microwave and a fridge. You could make these in a dorm. And give them to a boy you think is cute. Or a girl. Or a professor.

Ok, not the professor. That would be inappropriate.

Peanut Butter Cup Bars
Makes 16 bars

Ingredients:

8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup smooth peanut butter
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (6 graham crackers coursely ground)
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 cup salted peanuts (optional)
4 Tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup milk chocolate chips
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Line an 8x8'' square baking dish with parchment paper. Spray with non-stick cooking spray (I used a disposable foil pan but I still greased it). Set aside.
2. In a small saucepan, melt the 8 Tbsp of butter over low heat. Alternately, microwave butter in a microwave-safe bowl on high at 30 second intervals until melted. Add the powdered sugar to a medium bowl. Once the butter has melted, pour it over the sugar and whisk until smooth.
3. To the bowl, add the peanut butter, graham cracker crumbs, and salt. Whisk until smooth. Fold in peanuts with a rubber spatula, if using.
4. Pour the peanut butter mixture into your prepared pan and use a rubber spatula to even and smooth the top. Set aside.
5. To the same saucepan used before, add the remaining 4 Tbsp of butter and all the chocolate. Set over low heat, stirring frequently. Continue to heat and stir until the mixture is melted and smooth. Alternately, place chocolate and butter in microwave-safe dish and microwave in 15 second intervals, stirring after each, until completely melted and smooth.
6. Slowly pour the melted chocolate over the peanut butter layer and spread gently to cover the entire surface.
7. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Slice into 16 even squares. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Salted Caramel Brownies

I'm not really sure what to say about these brownies. There's caramel. And chocolate. And salt. It is a near perfect combination.

Salted caramel brownies have been on my list to bake, but when I decided they were next for the oven, I also found that I needed to use a different brownie recipe than my go to. I wanted there to be plenty of salty caramel goodness so I needed a brownie recipe that was baked in a deep square or rectangular dish instead of a flat sheet pan. Luckily the "Baked" Brownie from Brooklyn's bakeshop of the same name was also on my baking list and fit the bill. (Bonus: it's a recipe that's best made by hand so no mixer required!)

The Baked Brownie did not disappoint. It's rich, fudgy, and has that hint of espresso that I think is essential to a good chocolate brownie. There's the right ratio of chocolate to butter and the lack of chemical leavening makes for a really dense texture.

If you're into cakey brownies, these will not be your favorite. Also, I'm totally judging you.

Even though there's a fair bit of salt in this caramel sauce, it wasn't quite enough for my palate. I continued to add sea salt to the top of the brownies once they came out of the oven. And every time I slice a square to eat it. I can't help it. I'm addicted, and my drug of choice is Maldon Sea Salt. Seriously, think about it. Try one as it is, and then (since you're totally going in for seconds) add an extra little pinch of sea salt, just for me.

ALSO, take note! This recipe for caramel sauce makes more than you will need! Don't be shy with it, but you do want your brownies to actually bake, so hold back at least 1/2 cup. Save it. Pour it over ice cream. Dunk apple slices in it. Send me a thank you note.

Salted Caramel Brownies

Ingredients:

For Brownies:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp dark unsweetened cocoa powder
4 oz 70% extra bittersweet chocolate, chopped or broken into pieces
7 oz 60% bittersweet chocolate, chopped or broken into pieces
8 oz (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 tsp instant espresso powder
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
5 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
Sea Salt

For salted caramel sauce:
1 cup granulated sugar
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tsp flaked sea salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13'' baking dish. Line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. Start the brownie batter. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and cocoa powder. Set aside.
3. Set a large bowl over a pot of simmering water. Add chocolate, butter, and espresso powder. Stir occasionally until the mixture has melted. Turn off the heat under your pot and add both sugars the the chocolate butter mixture. Whisk to incorporate. Remove the bowl from the pot and set aside to come to room temperature.
4. Make the caramel sauce. Place a medium sauce pot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle enough sugar in the pot to coat the bottom. Watch carefully and wait for the sugar to begin to melt. Do not stir, but shake the pot around if necessary so the sugar coats the bottom of the pot evenly. When the first layer of sugar has melted, add another layer of sugar. Continue to shake the pot occasionally to spread the sugar evenly. Once the second addition of sugar has melted, add a little more. Begin to incorporate this sugar with a wooden spoon. Once melted, add more sugar and continue this process until all the sugar has been added. Lower heat as needed so your sugar doesn't color too quickly or burn. Cook the sugar to an amber caramel color and remove the pot from the heat.
5. One by one, add the pieces of butter, whisking to incorporate each one before adding the next. Slowly pour in the cream, whisking to incorporate. Be careful as this will cause the caramel to bubble up. Set caramel aside to cool for 5-10 minutes. Add salt and let cool another 5-10 minutes.
6. Now, finish the brownie batter. Add 3 eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk to incorporate. Add the remaining 2 eggs and vanilla extract. Whisk to incorporate, but be careful not to overmix.
7. Add the flour mixture to the chocolate and, using a rubber spatula, fold until just incorporated.
8. Pour half the brownie batter in the bottom of the pan. Drizzle some of the caramel sauce over this layer. Add the remaining brownie batter, using a rubber spatula to spread it into the corners. Drizzle more of the caramel sauce over top. Drag a butter knife through the batter to marble the caramel, but be careful not to mix the brownies too much or the caramel will become too incorporated. Sprinkle more sea salt over top of the brownies.
9. Bake brownies 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. If the caramel is making it too difficult to determine the doneness of the brownies, test one of the edges or corners. Allow to cool completely before slicing and serving. Top with additional sea salt if desired.


Recipes adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

Ina's Outrageous Brownies

You know what I love about brownies? They're always in season! I know there are all kinds of delicious, ripe summer fruits out there right now (and I have a really great plum recipe coming soon), but sometimes you just need some chocolate, ya know?

These brownies are even better than the Chocolate Fudge Brownies I made a few months ago. They're thinner than traditional brownies due to the pan they're baked in, which is why they are typically cut extra large, but the texture warrants this alteration. They are thick, chocolatey, and chewy so baking them in a traditional brownie pan I think would make them too dense and overwhelming. But trust me, these are fudgey enough to satisfy any boxed brownie lovers, but not soft enough to warrant the need for something crunchy to offset the texture. Although, if you HAVE to, I guess you COULD add some walnuts to the batter. We just can't be friends anymore. Sorry Mom. Sniff.

I think the two key secret ingredients are the coffee and salt. If you know the coffee is there, you get just a whiff of it, but if not, you just know there's something in them that makes them taste better. Dan thought it was peanut butter until I clued him in. And each bite has just the smallest hint of salt, which I love.

There is one teeny tiny itty bitty downfall to these, but it's actually considered a perk for some. My favorite brownie is the corner because I love those chewy edges, and while you may think because of the large shallow pan these would have a great chewy edge, even THAT is super soft and tender. But these brownies are so good I don't even really mind; I'll take just about any piece, corner or center.

These I wrapped in wax paper and brought to Dan's parents' house 

I suggest eating these within the first 24 hours, and giving some away so that your waistline doesn't expand exponentially, but they will keep in an airtight container for about 3 days before getting too dry.

Ina's Outrageous Brownies

Yield: 20 large brownies


Ingredients:
1 pound unsalted butter
1 pound plus 12 oz semisweet chocolate chips
6 oz unsweetened chocolate
6 extra large eggs
2 Tablespoons instant coffee granules
2 Tablespoons pure vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a half sheet pan (12 x 18 x 1 inch).

2. Melt together the butter, 1 pound of chocolate chips, and the unsweetened chocolate in a medium bowl over simmering water. Allow to cool slightly.

3. In a large bowl, stir (do not beat) together the eggs, coffee granules, vanilla, and sugar. Stir the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and allow to cool to room temperature.

4. In a medium bowl, sift together 1 cup of flour, the baking powder, and salt. Add to the cooled chocolate mixture. 

Toss the 12 ounces of chocolate chips (and walnuts, if using) in a medium bowl with 1/4 cup of flour, then add them to the chocolate batter. Pour into the baking sheet.

5. Bake for 20 minutes, then rap the baking sheet against the oven shelf to force the air to escape from between the pan and the brownie dough (Don't skip this step!). Bake for another 15 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not overbake! Allow to cool thoroughly, refrigerate, and cut into 20 large squares. 

From The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook by Ina Garten

Mixed Berry Crumb Bars

One of my favorite things to do for holidays is plan the menu. I brainstorm with my mom and my sister and we come up with menus for the whole weekend. Thanksgiving is probably my favorite holiday because it's ALL ABOUT THE FOOD. And even though it's still months away, I've already started planning the menu for this year. Freshly baked bread? I think so. 

For dessert for our July 4th picnic, I wanted something easy to make, easy to eat, summery, and delicious. These hit all four points beautifully. They didn't require any cutlery to eat, and I made them the night before to be sure they would be nice and sturdy the next evening.

The berry flavor was intense, with just a hint of lemon in the background. The crust and crumble on top was sweet, delicate, and didn't detract from the beautiful ripe berries.

The great thing about these bars is that they're really versatile. We went with mixed berries this weekend because they all looked so good and BONUS: tied in all the colors of the flag! We're sooo patriotic. 

But you could just as easily use all of one type of berry, or a different ratio of two or three berry types, or even berries and stone fruit, cut into small pieces. Whatever calls to you from the produce section or farmer's market, use it!

Mixed Berry Crumb Bars

Yield: About 20 squares

Ingredients:

For the crust and topping:

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

Zest of 1 lemon

16 Tbsp. cold, unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 large egg

For the berries:

1 cup fresh raspberries

1 cup fresh blackberries

2 cups fresh blueberries

4 tsp. cornstarch

Juice of 1 lemon

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13'' pan. Set aside.

2. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the 1 cup of sugar, baking powder, and flour, pulsing a few times to combine. Mix in the salt and lemon zest. Add the butter and egg and pulse in 5 second intervals until the largest chunks of butter are pea-sized. The mixture should be crumbly without too much loose flour, but it should hold together when you squeeze it in your hand. 

FYI: It is impossible to take a flattering picture of your own hand

3. Spread about half of the dough mixture in an even layer over the bottom of the prepared pan and press down firmly to form the bottom crust.

4. In a medium bowl, stir together the 1/2 cup of sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice. Gently mix in the berries with a rubber spatula until combined. 

5. Sprinkle the berry mixture evenly over the crust. Crumble the remaining dough over the top of the berries.

6. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the top is slightly golden brown. Cool completely before cutting into squares and serving.

Store in an airtight container for 3-4 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week. 

Recipe adapted from Annie's Eats

Blondies

I have something really terrible to confess. It's just been eating me up inside and I've been sneaking around trying to hide the evidence, but I just can't anymore.  I feel guilty and dirty and need to just let it all out.

I've been cheating. 

I know, I know, I feel terrible about it but I just haven't been able to help myself. I was seduced. And not just once. A few times now. I just can't stop thinking about my new found interest, wanting to spend all our time together. It's new and exciting, but at the same time, comforting and familiar. I've just been so frustrated and disappointed recently and this new relationship is so easy and satisfying.

I'm confused and don't know what I really want. Will I be a failure if I give up on the relationship I have now? Maybe we just need some time apart, a little break to decide what we really want and if we're really right for each other. I mean, we've had some really great times. Amazing even. But lately, I just haven't felt the spark. And I let my eyes wander.

I've been quiet up until now, sharing this with almost no one, but I have to stop living a lie and be honest.

You see, I've been baking other recipes.

I finally found some other food blogs I like, and I just couldn't help it! Everything they were making looked so good that I just started collecting recipes left and right, wanting to try every one to find the best.

And last week, with the failure of that first batch of chocolate cookies I found myself thinking that it might be the last straw for Indulge. I was cursing it as I tried to pry the first batch of soft dough from the parchment paper, and my mom said exactly what I was thinking: "I don't know about this book..."

The new recipes I've begun collecting are different than those in Indulge. They're mostly crowd pleasers meant to be made by the amateur home cook rather than upscale or complicated recipes, but that's part of the appeal. I love baking something that can make just about anyone smile and lick their lips, considering just how bad it would be to have one more piece. I'm sure I'll learn so many new techniques and the basics for making all kinds of desserts once I start school, but for now, I'd love to have a few basic recipes in my back pocket that I can just whip up easily when I need a great basic chocolate frosting, or the best chocolate chip cookies, or moist and delicious cupcakes to bring to someone's birthday, or just something that inspires me to create my own recipe.

I've made a few things over the past few weeks and I want to share them with you along with the recipes, all of which I've tweaked somewhat. Unfortunately, I don't have many or sometimes any pictures of them since I was baking them for "fun" as opposed to "blog baking,"  but I can certainly tell you about them and get your mouths watering. I'm not sure if I just need a break from Indulge or if this will be a permanent change as I make the transition into a teeny tiny apartment (and kitchen) and into culinary school, but we'll see...

A couple of weeks ago I was scrolling through recipes, salivating, and started craving something sweet. I knew I wanted to bake something and bring it into work, and I wanted it to be irresistible, but I couldn't quite put my finger on what it was that I wanted. It took me a while, but I finally realized that what I really wanted were Blondies. The name's pretty fitting, don't you think?

If you've never had a Blondie, they're sort of like a cross between a brownie and and a chocolate chip cookie; soft and chewy like a brownie but with the flavor profile of a chocolate chip cookie. Sounds good, right? A lot of people add coconut or different kinds of nuts to theirs, which is perfectly fine, but I just like to add some butterscotch for a little something special. And if I'm feeling really bad, peanut butter.

I made these and brought them into work and they got rave reviews. Even my co-worker who doesn't really like sweets had to go back for seconds, and another commented that she could easily see paying up to $3 for a generous serving from any standard bakery. These were the treats that got people suggesting I should try out for the Food Network or consider culinary school. Little do they know...

Photo courtesy of Colette's Bakery

Blondies

Ingredients:
12 Tablespoons butter at room temperature, plus more for the pan
1 1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup light brown sugar
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup butterscotch chips
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 x 9 inch square pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixture, cream the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. 
4. Add eggs and vanilla, beating until well combined.
5. Add the flour mixture gradually, beating on low until just combined.
6. Fold in the butterscotch and chocolate chips.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, using a rubber spatula to smooth the top. Bake until the surface is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle of the pan comes out barely clean, about 45-55 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Adapted from Martha Stewart Living.

Next Indulgence: Dark Chocolate Chip Scones

Chocolate Fudge Brownies

Thanks to all of you who commented on my last post. Of course, I am delusion and still believe that there are other readers out there who are just too shy to comment, and that's ok. But at least I know I have at least 5 readers, and that's more than enough for me. And I say 5 because I know my mom does read my blog, it just usually takes her a while to catch up with my new posts. Right, Mom? Right???

So after I posted this, I came home from work to a spotless house. I mean SPOTLESS. Cleaner than I had ever seen it before. Yes, even the kitchen. Clean doesn't even begin to cover it. I mean, there was always a lot of clutter everywhere and now it's just GONE. I don't think any of my roommates read my blog, but maybe I'm wrong. And maybe I should write about how disgusting the house is more often. Or maybe they'll kill me in my sleep.

Anyway, I was praying it would stay that clean at least until Saturday so I could actually get some cooking done, because that would be FANTASTIC. I felt like putting signs everywhere about how CLEAN everything was and how GREAT that was, so people would maybe get the hint and not mess it all up in the span of 12 hours, as they are wont to do. I managed to restrain myself however and just hoped for the best. Guess what it looked like on Saturday.

No, really, guess.

I can tell you're not guessing and are just scrolling down to figure it out so fine, here you go:

FREAKING FANTASTIC

And since my kitchen (and whole house) looked so great, I was finally in the mood to do some baking. And after such a long hiatus, there was only one thing I wanted: chocolate.

So, let's get started. First, the ingredients for the Chocolate Fudge Brownies:

 Dark chocolate, eggs, vanilla, dark brown sugar, flour, baking powder, salt, butter 

Ever wonder what 7 ounces of butter looks like?

 Yeah, neither did I

All the dry measurements in this cookbook are by weight, which is really a much more exact method of measuring, which is so important when baking. I really like the precision, and am tempted to start weighing all of my food. However, I feel like that would quickly turn into an obsession, not so much in terms of restriction, but more in terms of curiosity. So this is 7 ounces of butter? How much cheeseburger could I eat to equal the same 7 ounces. What about Jell-O? And then hellllooo stomachache.

Anyway. I melted the butter, and then divided the chocolate in half, melting half and chopping the other half into small(ish) pieces.

I combined the brown sugar (what! 280 grams!?! Do you have any idea what 280 grams of sugar looks like?!), eggs, and vanilla in the bowl of my mixer, and "whisked" (aka used the paddle attachment since I still can't find my whisk, dammit. I know I have it somewhere, Mom! I KNOW!) them until they were pale and doubled in volume.

This didn't really look like it had doubled in volume to me, but the mixer had been on for at least five minutes, and I just didn't think I was going to get much of a change. At least it was pale. I sifted the dry ingredients together and folded them into the sugar mixture.

I combined the melted butter and melted chocolate and folded this mixture into the batter as well.

Lastly, I folded in the chocolate chunks.

The recipe also calls for pecans, but I don't like nuts in my chocolate, so I left them out. Because I can.

The batter was very thick, and lighter in color than your traditional brownie batter, so CLEARLY, I needed to taste test it. What really came through wasn't the chocolate; it was the brown sugar. It actually really reminded me of chocolate chip cookie dough which is so rich in brown sugar. I poured the batter into a prepared pan, smoothed it out, and placed it in the oven.

The recipe calls for using an 8x12 inch pan, and I think we all know given my history of looking for the correct baking dishes, that all I had was a 9x13 pan. Super. I figured that given the shallower pan, the brownies would just take a little less time to bake, and the recipe specifically notes not to overbake these to ensure optimal gooeyness (OK, so she doesn't say gooeyness, but that is the technical term). I timed the brownies for 15 minutes (the recipe says they'll take 20-22) and waited. When the timer went off, I was all ready with my toothpick, but it was completely unnecessary; the brownies were basically still just batter with a crunchy edge. 20 minutes, no change. 25 minutes, getting there, but still not cooked. I was beginning to think this was going to be the never ending recipe, but at 30 minutes I finally tested them with a toothpick with just a few wet crumbs sticking to it. At 33 minutes they were finally done.

Finally!

Definitely the most unconventional thing about this recipe was all the brown sugar; I had never seen a brownie recipe that used so much before. These were light and cakey, but surprisingly the chocolate didn't really punch me in the face like I wanted it to. Ok, a little masochistic, but I think you get the point. I wasn't sure how I felt about them at first. They were good, but not great. Adding chocolate ice cream helped.

What really improved the taste and texture was time. The next day, these were even better. Denser, and the chocolate flavor had really intensified, but they still somehow kept a light, moist, and tender quality about them.

I brought half of these into work to share with my office, and one of my co-workers, who doesn't have a huge sweet tooth (I know, I know, but don't judge her. She has other good qualities) said they were the most chocolatey, fudgey brownies she'd ever had. Ha, amateur. Dan, on the other hand, wanted even more chocolate, so next time, I may add more chocolate chunks or use more melted chocolate so the batter itself is more chocolatey.

Next Indulgence: Scones