AKICILJ: the birthday version

[mrissa]

I have a sudden craving, and I've had few enough food cravings lately that I really would like to go with it. I'm not sure I have the resources, though. Here's what I want: I want the kind of brownie that has the same density of plutonium. The kind with just enough flour to make them crinkly. I have recipes for mint brownies and caramel brownies and zebra brownies and peanut butter brownies and all these many things, but what I want is plutonium plain-chocolate brownies.

Can anybody help?

Comments

[wilfulcait.livejournal.com]

Hmmm. I have one for flourless chocolate cake that might make brownies, maybe. But I am Not A Person Who Bakes, so I'm probably up the wrong alley here.


Ultimate Chocolate Flourless Cake

YIELD: 8 servings
PREPARATION: 50 minutes plus baking and chilling times.

Chocolate cake:
10 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
3/4 cup boiling water
12 ounces unsalted butter, softened
6 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Raspberry coulis:
One 12-ounce bag frozen unsweetened raspberries
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon black raspberry liqueur, such as Chambord

Decoration:
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Fresh raspberries for garnish (optional)

Make the cake:
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees(F).
Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-by-2 1/2-inch round springform pan. Line
the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment or waxed paper and butter
the paper.


In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, process the chocolates,
sugar and coffee for 15 to 20 seconds until finely ground.


With the motor of the food processor running, pour the boiling water through
the feed tube. Process for 10 to 15 seconds, until the chocolate is
completely melted. Using a spatula, scrape down the sides of the work bowl.
Add the butter and process for about 5 seconds, or until incorporated. Add
the eggs and vanilla and process for about 5 seconds, just until the mixture
is smooth and creamy. Scrape the chocolate batter into the prepared pan and
smooth the top with a rubber spatula.


Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until the edges of the cake are puffy and the
center is just set. Cool the cake in the pan set on a wire rack for 30
minutes. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or until ready to
serve.
Make the raspberry coulis:
In a medium saucepan, combine the frozen raspberries and sugar. Cook over
medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the sugar is
completely dissolved and the berries are soft. Do not let the mixture boil.
Strain the raspberry mixture through a fine-meshed sieve into a bowl. Stir
in the raspberry liqueur. Cover and refrigerate.
Decorate the chocolate cake:
Run a thin-bladed knife around the edge of the cake to loosen it from the
sides of the springform pan. Remove the side of the springform pan. Invert
the cake onto a serving plate. Peel off the paper. Refrigerate the cake
while you prepare the whipped cream.


In a chilled large bowl, using a handheld electric mixer set at medium
speed, beat the cream with the sugar and vanilla just until stiff peaks
begin to form.


Using an offset metal cake spatula, spread a thin even layer of whipped
cream over the top of the chocolate cake. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a
star tip (such as Ateco #6) with the remaining whipped cream. Completely
cover the top of the cake with whipped cream rosettes.


To serve, drizzle some of the raspberry coulis onto each dessert plate. With a sharp thin-bladed knife, slice the cake, wiping the blade clean between each slice. Place the slices on the dessert plates, and garnish with fresh raspberries if desired.

[wilfulcait.livejournal.com]

Now that I look at this, it looks nothing like brownies. It looks less like brownies than the recipe for "Chocolate soup and caramelized bananas" that follows it in the recipe file. Sorry!

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

It's all right: one is quite fond of caramelized bananas."

Ooh. Dang. I don't want the chocolate soup, but I'm pretty sure I do want the caramelized bananas.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

As you have noticed, this is not at all what I want. It does, however, look extremely good, and I like getting recipes.

[wilfulcait.livejournal.com]

After you secure the brownies, perhaps there should be vanilla ice cream, and over the ice cream caramelized bananas.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

No freakin' kidding.

[raecarson.livejournal.com]

Do you have Claim Jumper restaurants where you live? They have the chocolateyest high-density brownie evah.

And Happy Birthday!!!
*confetti*

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

No, no Claim Jumping here.

And thank you!

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

1 square of chocolate (unsweetened or semi as to taste)
1 stick butter
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

melt butter with chocolate. remove from heat and stir in the sugar and flour. Mix well (duh!)pour in greased pan and bake at 325 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.

They come out about the same density as lead, if memory serves.

[pameladean]

We may have differing definitions of "dense."

However, back when I could eat eggs and dairy, this was the quintessential brownie that I made. David was very fond of it. Well, so was I.

PREHEAT OVEN TO 375
GREASE 8 X 8 METAL PAN

4 oz unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup (1 stick) plus one tablespoon unsalted butter, cut
into six pieces
3 large eggs at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cup walnut pieces (optional)
powdered sugar (optional)

1. In a double boiler, melt the chocolate. Add the butter one piece at a time, stirring until each is incorporated into the chocolate. Remove from heat, mix well, and cool to room temperature.

2. In the medium bowl of an electric mixer, beat eggs, salt, vanilla extract, until thick and light in color. Add sugar and continue to beat until eggs reach the texture of soft whipped cream; probably about eight minutes.

3. Thoroughly blend in chocolate mixture; then fold in flour and nut pieces, if you want the nuts.

4. Pour batter into buttered pan and bake in the center of the oven until a toothpick inserted 1 1/2 inches from the edge comes out clean and the top is dry.

The recipe says to cool them for at least six hours before cutting, but we never did.

This may be more fudgy than dense. If so:

Oven at 375, 8 x 8 metal pan.

8 oz semisweet chocolate, broken up
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup stirred all-purpose flour
1 to 1 1/4 cups chopped walnuts or pecans, optional

Proceed as above, only bake for 30 minutes.

These too are supposed to cool for five hours before being cut. It's up to you.

P.

[songwind.livejournal.com]

What about the Killer Brownie from Byerly's?

[flewellyn.livejournal.com]

Hmm...this sounds a bit like my sister's recipe for brownies. I'll email her and ask for the recipe.

Only oddity: she uses coffee grounds in the mix to add body.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

I think I tried that at timprov's folks' house once. If I can't find the time/energy to bake, I may see about it.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

Coffee grounds. That seems odd. Some people use instant coffee crystals, but I've never heard of coffee grounds being consumed before.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

Lovely. Thank you.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

How large a square? How large a pan?

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

wow! caffinated brownies. could life get any better...

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

Mrissas are pretty strictly decaf. So yes.

(Chocolate does not have nearly as much caffeine in it as some people think. Trust me. I know.)

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

the 4oz square and an 8x8 pan. sorry about that. :-)

Birthday Brownies for Mrissa

[stillnotbored.livejournal.com]

4- 1oz bars unsweetened baking chocolate
3/4 cup butter or margarine
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup flour
nuts of your choice, which are optional

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13x9 pan

Melt chocolate and butter together in microwave on low or in double boiler on top of the stove until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Add sugar, stir with spoon until well blended. Add eggs and vanilla, blend well. Add flour and nuts, if desired, stir until well blended. Spread into pan.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out almost clean. Cool in pan before cutting.

Have a great birthday!

Another voice

[magentamn.livejournal.com]

Happy birthday!

I'm at work. so I don't have any recipes handy. But you might want to browse here: http://www.hersheys.com/recipes/

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

thanks

Re: Birthday Brownies for Mrissa

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[seagrit.livejournal.com]

I probably can't get you one of these in time for your birthday, but Johnny's (the sandwich shop/grocery store here on campus) has a signature brownie that they sell for about 50 cents that would fit this craving perfectly. They usually are cut in about 4 inch squares, about 1 1/2 inches thick; the brownie is extremely dense and chewy; there's a 1/2 layer of chocolate frosting on top of that; and the very top layer is M&M's, spread about as thick as possible without overlapping. I'm almost drooling just describing it here. Very hard to eat in one sitting. Very chocolaty.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

I am a persistent Mrissa. I would be willing to come back for multiple sittings if that's what it took to get the job done.

Re: Another voice

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[katymulvey.livejournal.com]

These aren't super-dense, but perhaps you could reduce the number of eggs and/or take out some of the flour. They are quite delicious, in any case.

====

It's adapted from a recipe in _Dying For Chocolate_ by Diane Mott Davidson.

1 cup unsalted butter
4 oz unsweetened chocolate
3 Tbsp dark unsweetened cocoa
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Melt butter with unsweetened chocolate in double boiler, stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool.

Sift together cocoa, flour, baking powder and salt. Beat eggs until creamy, then gradually add in sugar, beating constantly. Add vanilla and cooled chocolate-butter mixture. Stir in dry ingreedients just until combined. Spread batter in greased 9x13 pan. Sprinkle chips over surface. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until center no longer jiggles.

Cool, then cut.

[katymulvey.livejournal.com]

Oh, and happy birthday!

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[jackiejj.livejournal.com]

I hope you had a happy birthday yesterday! I meant to drop by here, but I am never on time.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

It's okay -- I'm not done celebrating. My party isn't until Saturday.

[flewellyn.livejournal.com]

Generally she uses decaf coffee.