Made brownies largely following this recipe:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/10549/best-brownies/
Best Brownies
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Prep
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Cook
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Ready In
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- Frosting:
- 3 tablespoons butter, softened
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8-inch square pan.
- In a large saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat in 1/3 cup cocoa, 1/2 cup flour, salt, and baking powder. Spread batter into prepared pan.
- Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Do not overcook.
- To Make Frosting: Combine 3 tablespoons softened butter, 3 tablespoons cocoa, honey, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 cup confectioners’ sugar. Stir until smooth. Frost brownies while they are still warm.
Good brownies, I made them too think because I put them in a 9×9 pan. Frosting while still warm is a must — it helps melt the sugar. I did indeed only add half the sugar for the frosting, and it is very sweet. I may try adding dark chocolate cocoa to see if it adds more complexity. I baked it for 25 min, was slightly overbaked, but the brownie was too thin. I need to try again with a smaller pan, and with dark chocolate frosting.
20161031 addendum:
Made brownies again following this recipe:
INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for pan
- 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
Gold Medal Flour All-Purpose$2.00 thru 11/05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
DIRECTIONS
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan or heatproof glass dish. Line pan with parchment paper, leaving a 1-inch overhang on 2 sides. Set aside. Place butter and chocolate in a large heatproof bowl set over (but not touching) simmering water; stir frequently until chocolate and butter are melted, about 7 minutes. Remove bowl from heat; let cool to room temperature, 10 to 15 minutes.
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Stir sugar into cooled chocolate mixture until combined. Whisk in eggs one at a time, whisking until smooth after each addition. Whisk in vanilla. Gently fold in flour and salt.
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Pour batter into prepared pan, and smooth top with an offset spatula. Bake until cake tester inserted in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
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Run a knife or offset spatula around the edges of the pan. Using parchment, lift brownies out of pan and onto the rack. Transfer to a cutting board; cut into 2-inch squares.
16 ounces (2 cups) heavy cream
ADD CHECKED ITEMS TO GROCERY LIST
Directions
Place the chopped chocolate into the bowl of a food processor.
Heat the heavy cream in a quart-sized, microwavable container and microwave for 3 to 4 minutes on high, or until it just begins to simmer; be careful not to allow cream to boil over. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let stand for 2 minutes. Process by pulsing several times until chocolate mixture is smooth. Use as is for glazing. If you wish to make a lighter frosting, allow it to come to room temperature, approximately 2 hours. Once at room temperature, place in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk on high for 2 to 3 minutes.
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/ganache-frosting-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback
