Chocolate Chip Blondies

Ever since I did the first batch of Butterscotch Blondies last year, I knew I had to try some other variations and Chocolate Chip Blondies were the obvious choice! Browsing through the many (many) recipes I have bookmarked that haven’t yet made it to my Pinterest board or to my MacGourmet library, I found this one from Deb at the Smitten Kitchen. Her recipes are always on the dot and never disappoint.

What I absolutely love about it: an easy one bowl recipe and it’s easy to double. Try your own version! You can replace the Chocolate Chips for Butterscotch or Peanut Butter Chips, or dried Cranberries (or maybe a cranberries and raisins medley)? Or nuts? See, I’m already planing the next batch! Here are some suggestions from Deb (found on her site):

Further additions, use one or a combination of:

½ to 1 cup chopped nuts, toasting them first for even better flavor
½ to 1 cup chocolate chips
½ teaspoon mint extract in addition to or in place of the vanilla
½ cup mashed bananas
½ cup bourbon, scotch or other whiskey; increase the flour by one tablespoon
2 tablespoons of espresso powder with the vanilla
Stir ½ cup dried fruit, especially dried cherries, into the prepared batter
Top with a vanilla butter cream or chocolate peanut butter cream frosting

The options are endless!

Chocolate Chip Blondies

Recipe by Deb from Smitten Kitchen One 8″x8″ pan

Ingredients:

8 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat the oven at 350°F. Butter an 8×8 pan.
Mix melted butter with brown sugar – beat until smooth. Beat in egg and then vanilla.
Add salt, stir in flour. Mix in chocolate chips.
Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until set in the middle.
Cool on rack before cutting them.

Classic Brownies

Well, it seems to be working… all those afternoons in the kitchen with Kristen baking cookies, cupcakes, cakes, pancakes, etc. apparently have made an impact on her. She is starting to ask for cooking sessions out of her own motivation. A few weeks ago, she organized her first family gathering inviting her aunt, uncles and grandparents over for coffee and cupcakes. I let her prepare the (cake mix) cupcakes all by herself (under my supervision for chaos control). She was so proud of herself!… and so were we.

On one of her requested baking sessions, we wanted to make brownies. I reached for the brownie mix in my pantry, only to find that it had expired. Brownies from scratch it is, then. I searched for a few recipes and decided to go with the one from Smitten Kitchen, I didn’t want any surprises and Deb’s recipes haven’t let me down. What I liked the most about this recipe, aside from being a good classic brownie recipe, is the tip for using aluminum foil to cover the pan before you add the batter! I will do this every time from now on, it made getting neat squares easy.

Be sure to test for doneness before removing the brownies from the oven. If underbaked (the toothpick has batter clinging to it) the texture of the brownies will be dense and gummy. If overbaked (the toothpick comes out completely clean), the brownies will be dry and cakey.

Classic Brownies

Recipe from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients

1 cup (4 ounces) pecans or walnuts, chopped medium (optional)
1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped fine
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into six 1-inch pieces
2 1/4 cups (15 3/4 ounces) sugar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Procedure:

Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 325 degrees. Cut 18-inch length foil and fold lengthwise to 8-inch width. Fit foil into length of 13 by 9-inch baking dish, pushing it into corners and up sides of pan; allow excess to overhand pan edges. Cut 14-inch length foil and, if using extra-wide foil, fold lengthwise to 12-inch width; fit into width of baking pan in same manner, perpendicular to first sheet. Spray foil-lined pan with nonstick cooking spray.
If using nuts, spread nuts evenly on rimmed baking sheet and toast in oven until fragrant, 5 to 8 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Whisk to combine flour, salt, and baking powder in medium bowl; set aside.
Melt chocolate and butter in large heatproof bowl set over saucepan of almost-simmering water, stirring occasionally, until smooth. (Alternatively, in microwave, heat butter and chocolate in large microwave-safe bowl on high for 45 seconds, then stir and heat for 30 seconds more. Stir again, and, if necessary, repeat in 15-second increments; do not let chocolate burn.) When chocolate mixture is completely smooth, remove bowl from saucepan and gradually whisk in sugar.
Add eggs on at a time, whisking after each addition until thoroughly combined. Whisk in vanilla. Add flour mixture in three additions, folding with rubber spatula until batter is completely smooth and homogeneous.
Transfer batter to prepared pan; using spatula, spread batter into corners of pan and smooth surface. Sprinkle toasted nuts (if using) evenly over batter and bake until toothpick or wooden skewer inserted into center of brownies comes out with few moist crumbs attached, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool on wire rack to room temperature, about 2 hours, then remove brownies from pan by lifting foil overhang. Cut brownies into 2-inch squares and serve.

09:39 AM
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- Bake, Brownies, Chocolate, Classic, Dessert
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Chocolate-Peanut Butter Brownie Balls

You HAVE TO make these. They are easy and incredibly… Chocolatey. I’m trying out cake balls, cake pops, marshmallow pops and anything else I can put on a stick. Little individual treats that can be beautifully displayed at parties.

I haven’t made the actual cake balls yet, but I tried these to get familiarized with the method. Just bake brownies from a mix, or from your favorite recipe and while they are still warm form balls, which will then be dipped in melted chocolate and sprinkled with candy. Easy and a great idea to give brownies a different twist.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownie Balls
Adapted from The Picky Palete

Ingredients

1 brownie mix
6 ounces of semi-sweet baking chocolate
1/4 cup peanut butter
Candy Sprinkles for decorating
You will also need wax paper to line a cookie sheet

Procedure

Prepare brownie mix according to package directions.
Bake until toothpick comes out nearly clean from center but still slightly undercooked. Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes.
When you are able to touch brownies comfortably, scoop brownies with a medium cookie scoop, roll tightly into a ball and place onto a wax paper lined baking sheet.
Continue rolling until brownies are gone.
Freeze brownies until very firm, a couple hours.
No worries if your brownie balls aren’t perfect, once frozen reshape them. They are easier to handle when chilled.
Place chocolate over a double broiler to melt, then stir in peanut butter until creamy smooth.
Roll each frozen brownie ball into chocolate and place onto wax paper to dry. Enjoy room temperature or chilled.