Mexican Brownies

As promised, Mexican Brownies!

At the Ocho de Mayo Party, I wanted to try something new... but not too difficult. Last year I made Flan. It tasted great, but had a weird mouth-feel. Instead of experimenting with that more, I decided Mexican Brownies would be pretty easy... and they were!

After searching the interwebs for awhile, I settled on FoodTV's Aaron Sanchez's Mexican Brownies. It has a 5-star rating and lots of good reviews.



Mexican Brownies
1 C butter, plus more for greasing
2 C sugar
4 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 C good-quality unsweetened cocoa powder
1 C all-purpose flour
1 tsp ground Mexican cinnamon (canela)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 350F.
Line a 13x9 baking dish with parchment paper and either rub butter papers to grease or spray with cooking spray.

Melt butter over medium-low heat; do not boil. Remove pan from heat and let cool slightly. Add the sugar, eggs and vanilla to the saucepan and mix well.

Add cocoa, flour, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, salt and baking powder and mix well; until smooth.

Spread into prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the middle comes out with fudgy crumbs.

Cool on rack.

Enjoy!!

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There are no step-by-step pictures with this one either. It was a really busy night!

I had planned to add some finely chopped dark chocolate to the brownies. But when I started baking them I realized I only had about half of the cocoa powder needed. I balanced it out with dark cocoa powder, so I didn't have to make another trip to the store. But I decided to omit the dark chocolate, which the recipe didn't call for anyway!

These came out really good. I think I would have liked them better if there had been a little more heat in the background. I think about half of the people who tried them got a little heat and the other half didn't.

I didn't want melt-your-face-off hot... but something a little noticeable. I didn't notice the heat. Maybe it was the addition of the dark cocoa. Or maybe I just needed more cayenne.

This is definitely a keeper! If you like your brownies fudgy... definitely try these!!



Have a great weekend!

Shane's Brownies

First I want to say, if you haven't checked out Shane's blog, Culinary Alchemy, you need to head over there right now!

Shane is a fantastic cook... and he's often channeling Alton Brown!

This is another one of his recipes. It makes a very rich, decadent, chocolaty batch of brownies that is sure to satisfy even the most demanding chocolate lover.



Shane's Brownies
12 oz Bitter Sweet Chocolate – 60 – 65%
1 1/2 cups Unsalted Butter
1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
A Pinch of Salt
6 Large Eggs
1 1/2 cups Granulated sugar
1/4 cup Light Brown sugar
1 tsp Vanilla extract -or- 1/2 Vanilla bean scraped
1 TB Strong brewed Coffee or 1 tsp Espresso Powder
1 1/2 cups Plus 2 TB AP Flour
1 cup Milk Chocolate chips

Line a 13x9 pan with Parchment paper, leaving an overhang so the brownie slab can be lifted out in 1 piece.
Preheat oven to 350F.
In a large sauce pan, melt butter over low heat.
Chop your chocolate for even melting.
Add chopped Chocolate to the melting butter and stir until smooth.
Remove from heat, whisk in cayenne and salt, then set aside to cool slightly.
Meanwhile, whisk eggs and sugars together with vanilla and espresso powder.
Once the chocolate is cooled, begin pouring in the eggs, in a steady stream, into the chocolate, stirring constantly.
This will keep the eggs from curdling.
Your chocolate mixture should thicken slightly once the eggs are incorporated.
Begin folding in the flour, just until combined, lumps are OK. If you mix it too much, your brownies will be more like cake when they are finished baking.
Once the flour is folded in, add the chocolate chips and incorporate with a few quick strokes.
Pour into your prepared pan and, with a spatula, level out your batter making sure to get it into the corners.

Then bake in the oven for 30 – 40 minutes. (5 minutes less for a dark pan)
Brownies are not supposed to be cooked to complete done-ness or they will be dry. You will know they are done when the top becomes shiny and mottled and a toothpick inserted should come out with fudgy crumbs.

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So I really just followed Shane's recipe... no tweaking.

I weighed out a combination of 70% chocolate & baking squares (54% I think)
Going heavy on the 70%




Melt the butter... then add chopped chocolate.




Mmmmm.... melty...


Whisk in cayenne and set aside to cool.
(I didn't add salt, because I typically have salted butter)


Whisk eggs and sugars together with vanilla and espresso powder.






When the chocolate has cooled, begin pouring in the eggs, in a steady stream, into the chocolate, stirring constantly.
Looks like no action shot here!


Begin folding in the flour, just until combined, lumps are OK. If you mix it too much, your brownies will be more like cake when they are finished baking.


I used a whisk... but wasn't really 'whisking'.




Fold in the chocolate chips.




Pour evenly into your prepared baking dish.




Then bake in the oven for 30 – 40 minutes. (5 minutes less for a dark pan)
Brownies are not supposed to be cooked to complete done-ness or they will be dry. You will know they are done when the top becomes shiny and mottled and a toothpick inserted should come out with fudgy crumbs.




These were great!

Next time I'd probably throw in a big handful of coarsely chopped walnuts.


This is for you Shane!

Wicked Easy Peanut Brittle Bars

These are wicked easy and wicked good!



I found the recipe in Better Homes Bars & Brownies Magazine.


Peanut Brittle Bars
2 C flour
1/2 C brown sugar
2/3 C butter
2 C cocktail peanuts
1 C milk chocolate chips
1 12oz jar caramel ice cream topping
3 TBLS flour

Preheat oven to 350F.
Line a 15x10x1 inch pan with foil or parchment paper.
If you use foil, spray with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar; using a pastry blender, cut in butter. Mixture will be crumbly.

Press evenly into prepared pan and bake 12 minutes or until golden.

Sprinkle peanuts and chocolate chips over crust. In a small bowl mix caramel topping and 3 TBLS flour. Drizzle evenly over peanuts and chocolate chips.

Bake 12 to 15 more minutes or until caramel is bubbly.

Cool in pan on rack. Cut into squares.

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This really couldn't have been any easier.

I was out of parchment paper, so I used foil sprayed with cooking spray.


Mix together flour and brown sugar.




Cut in butter.


It will be crumbly.


Pour it onto the prepared baking sheet and press evenly.




Bake 12 minutes or until golden.


Sprinkle crust evenly with peanuts & milk chocolate chips.






Mix 3 TBLS flour with caramel topping.




Drizzle evenly with caramel topping.


Bake 12 - 15 minutes until caramel is bubbly.


Grab one fast, because they disappear quickly!


Enjoy!

Shane's World Famous Blondies!

Since I'm not a big chocolate fan, I was VERY excited to come across Shane's Blondie Recipe. I think almost everyone at BakeSpace has made them at least once. Everyone LOVES these!! My kids ask me to make these a lot. My best sous chef Bob did most of work the last time we made them. They didn't even last 24 hours. If you bake no other bar cookie this year... you MUST bake these!




Shane's Blondies
3/4 C unsalted butter
1 1/2 C light brown sugar
1/2 C dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 C AP flour
1 tsp kosher salt
1 C chopped pecans
1/4 C Heath Toffee Chips (optional)

Line a 13x9 pan with parchment.
Preheat oven to 350F
In a sauce pan, melt butter.
Stir in the brown sugars, stirring until 'melted' and the mixture just begins to bubble
Whisk eggs and yolks together with vanilla.
Pour in the eggs in a steady stream, while whisking constantly to prevent scrambling.
In a small bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt.
Fold flour mixture into the egg mixture.
Fold in pecans and toffee chips (if using)
Bake 35-40 minutes (5 minutes less for dark pans)
Remove from oven and cool on a rack.
Lift via parchment and cut when cooled.

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In a sauce pan, melt butter.


I never have dark brown sugar... so I use 2 cups of light brown sugar and add 1.5 teaspoons of molasses.






Whisk eggs and yolks together with vanilla.




Pour in the eggs in a steady stream, while whisking constantly to prevent scrambling.






In a small bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt.


Fold flour mixture into the egg mixture.




Fold in pecans and toffee chips (if using)




Pour into parchment paper lined 13x9 baking dish.




Bake 35-40 minutes (5 minutes less for dark pans)


Lift via parchment and cut when cooled.


Cut and enjoy!


Shane this is for you!!!


These ROCK!!!!