Tuesdays with Dorie- Chipster Topped Brownies

This week's TWD was chosen by Beth at Supplicious. When I first read the choice I was thinking, wow two of my favorite things together... brownies and cookies! How could this go wrong?? Then I started reading the actual recipe, and realized... holy cow... this is a heart attack in a pan. 3 1/2 sticks of butter, are you kidding me?? good god.. eek!! Forgive me, you know I love my sweets... really I do, but I also would like to keep my arteries in tack... if you know what I mean.


I made my usual substitutes for the flour... 2 part Brown or white rice flour, then 1 part tapioca flour, 1 part potato starch and some added xanthan gum. I also used semi- sweet chips for the cookies.. as it was what I had on hand. I only baked this for 55 minutes, and honestly I think it could have used an additional 15 more. It seemed to be TOO gooey, and undercooked. I can't believe I am about to say this... but this sweet was TOO rich for my taste. GASP!! (I know, try to not fall over.) It was good, but I think I like cookies and brownies separate and not together. However, it was certainly fun to give it a go & I am, of course, looking forward to trying more Dorie recipes in June! :)

Easy Brownies- a quick sugar fix

Do you ever have those days where sugar just speaks to you? You walk by the donuts in your office & they start calling you "PSST.. yea I'm talking to you.. come over here and eat me.. I have 900 calories and 300 grams of fat, but I taste really good". ha! Opps, um yea maybe that's a personal issue... But lets just say I have been a good girl all week, busted my butt at the gym every day, stuck to my healthy eating and darn it.. I was having a major sugar craving last night. And wouldn't you know, I had seen these on Tastespotting yesterday and happened to have all the ingredients that the recipe called for. It was fate, no? ;)

These brownies were a breeze to make, and very decadent! I made them gluten free of course, and used mini muffin pans. They were the perfect sweet to soothe my inner sugar beast, and comfort me as I cried my way thru the season finale of Greys Anatomy (good grief!!). So the next time you need a quick sugar fix... make these, you won't be sorry. :)

Best Brownies
All Recipes

Brownies:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter*
1 cup sugar*
2 eggs*
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (I used 1/4c brown rice flour, 1/8c potato starch, 1/8 tapioca flour & 1/2tsp xanthan gum)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder

Frosting:
3 tbsp butter, softened*
3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour an 8 inch square pan (or 10 cups of a muffin pan). In a large saucepan melt stick of butter. Remove from heat and stir in sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Beat in cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking powder. Spread batter into prepared pan.

Bake for 25-30 minutes. Do not over cook. (20 minutes if you are using mini-muffin pans)

To make the frosting: Combine 3 tbsp butter, cocoa powder, honey, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Frost brownies while they are still warm.

Makes 16 brownies in 8 inch square pan or 24 individual brownies in mini muffin pans.

Cream Cheese Brownies

This recipe was inspired (and found) by of one of my friends/coworkers. She has been having a cream cheese brownie craving for sometime... and she sent me this recipe, from the Joy of Baking on Monday. She wasn't having the best of days, her husbands company closed its' doors that morning...and they became one of the millions of families feeling the affects of our troubled economy. Needless to say, the girl REALLY deserved some home-made brownies... and who am I to refuse!!
This is a very easy recipe and literally came together in about 10 minutes. The only change I made was I used a Pamela's Gluten Free baking mix instead of all purpose flour. Thankfully the conversion was a success, and they were just as the recipes described.. very fudgy, rich and delectable!!Cream Cheese Brownies-
*Joy of Baking- Medrich, Alice. 'Cookies and Brownies'. Warner Books, Inc. New York: 1999.

Makes about 16 - 2 inch squares.

Brownie Layer:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 1/4 cups granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/2 cup all purpose flour ( I used Pamela's Gluten Free Baking Mix)
1/4 teaspoon salt

Cream Cheese Layer-
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C) and place the rack in the center of the oven. Have ready a 9 x 9 inch (23 x 23 cm) square baking pan that has been lined with aluminum foil across the bottom and up two opposite sides of the pan. Set aside.

In a stainless steel (heatproof) bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the butter and chocolate. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar and vanilla extract. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well (with a wooden spoon or spatula) after each addition. Stir in the flour and salt and beat, with a wooden spoon, until the batter is smooth and glossy and comes away from the sides of the pan (about one minute). Remove 1/2 cup of the brownie batter and set aside. Place the remainder of the brownie batter evenly into the prepared pan.

Then in the bowl of your food processor (or with a hand mixer), process the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar, vanilla, and egg and process until creamy and smooth. Spread the cream cheese filling over the brownie layer. Spoon small dollops of the reserved brownie batter evenly on top of the cream cheese filling. Then with a table knife or wooden skewer, swirl the two batters without mixing them.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until the brownies start to pull away from the sides of the pan and the edges of the brownies are just beginning to brown. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Refrigerate the brownies until they are firm enough to cut into squares (at least two hours). Once chilled, remove the brownies from the pan by lifting with the ends of the foil and transfer to a cutting board. With a sharp knife, cut into 16 squares. It is a good idea to have a damp cloth nearby to wipe your knife between cuts. These brownies can be stored in the refrigerator for several days.

Hazelnut Brownies

This is hands down, one of the best brownie recipes I have ever made. If you love chocolate, you will love this. I also happen to love the Hazelnut flavor. There is not much more to say about this one, other than it Rocks!! :) *This is recipe is gluten free, however you can substitute all purpose flour.

Wheat Free Hazelnut Brownies
*recipe originally from Karina's Kitchen

5 ounces dark chocolate with hazelnuts
4 oz unsalted butter (8 tablespoons)
2 large eggs
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 rounded cup hazelnuts, processed into a fine meal
1/4 cup white or brown rice flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt (regular will do – use slightly less)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup extra semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8×8-inch square baking pan with non-stick foil or parchment

Melt the dark chocolate and butter together in microwave or in a bowl set over simmering water.

In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs with an electric mixer until frothy. Add the brown sugar and beat until smooth. Add the melted chocolate mixture to the egg-sugar mixture a little at a time and beat well.

In a bowl, combine the nut meal, rice flour, salt and baking soda. Add the dry mixture to the chocolate mixture and stir until well mixed. Add the vanilla, beat another half a minute or so. Stir in the chocolate chips. Pour into the lined pan.

Bake on center rack for 33 to 35 minutes, or until the brownies are set. Don’t overcook.

Cool on a wire rack; and remove the brownies from the pan by gripping the foil edges. Chill before cutting.

Makes 9-12 servings.

Butterfinger Blondies

A friend & coworker asked me to bake something for her Chorus's bake sale. (they are raising $ for a trip to Hawaii where the will be competing nationally) Of course I jumped at the excuse to try out a new recipe! (how could I say no.. )

So as I was in search of something "evil" to bake I stumbled upon "Recipe Girls" Butterfinger Blondies. The were incredibly easy to make, and VERY Decadent! They got rave reviews in my office, and to be honest.. I was so happy to have them out of my hands for fear of eating too many!

Butterfinger Blondies
from Recipe Girl

2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
2 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 regular-sized Butterfinger candy bars, crushed

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour or line a 9×13 inch baking pan.
2. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, with electric mixer at medium speed, combine butter and brown sugar for about 3 minutes.
4. Beat in eggs and vanilla until smooth.
5. Stir in flour mixture and 2 cups of crushed butterfingers.
6. Spread in prepared pan. Sprinkle remaining crushed butterfinger bars over top of batter.
7. Bake 30- 35 minutes, or until the bars are a bit firm to the touch. Cool completely before cutting into bars.