Tag Archives: brownies

Caramel Brownies

Leave a reply

Compared to many parts of Canada, our winter in Vancouver has been very mild…..until 2 days ago ! A snow pile just dumped onto us in a matter of hours ! Seriously, I was still jogging in the morning at 9 am, it was cold, but no snow. Three hours later, everywhere was covered in white ! I guess it’s our turn to experience this cold snowy winter ! And what does a baker do when it snows ? Bake of course ! So I made these brownies and also had time to decorate a whole bunch of Valentine’s cookies ! The snow has made me more productive !

I like my chocolate desserts very chocolaty, and I mean VERY……And this brownie is not only chocolaty, but also soft, fudgy and chewy ! Who can say no to that ? Especially if you are making it for your Valentine’s ! Make sure you don’t overbake, in fact, a good brownie is often slightly underbaked. It’s best to serve them warm, reheat in the oven for a few minutes if you need.

Happy Valentine’s Day !

Makes about 10 – 12 brownies
For the batter

  • 180 g unsalted butter
  • 180 g semi-sweet chocolate
  • 40 g unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 eggs
  • 240 g granulated sugar
  • 5 ml vanilla extract
  • 135 g all-purpose flour
  • 2 g baking powder
  • 2 g salt
  • 10-12 caramel candies

For the caramel sauce

Melt together 30 caramel candies (about 240 g) and 1/2 cup of whipping cream in a non-stick pot over low heat until well blended, stirring frequently

  1. Preheat oven to 350ºF
  2. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt
  3. Melt butter, chocolate and cocoa powder in a bowl over a pot of simmering water, let cool for about 5 minutes
  4. Whisk together eggs, sugar and vanilla until pale
  5. Mix in chocolate mixture
  6. Add flour mixture and mix until blended, the batter can be quite thick
  7. Spoon half the batter into lightly-greased silicone molds, place a caramel candy in the middle, cover with remaining batter and bake for about 20 minutes
  8. Cool slightly, drizzle with caramel sauce and serve warm
Advertisement

Roasted Beet Chocolate Brownies

20 Replies

I get so excited whenever I can put vegetables in my desserts. Perhaps it makes me feel healthier and less guilty?!  I picked the beautiful beets this time.  They are sweet, colourful and very nutritious.  (My batter came out purple, which is my favourite colour!  Can’t “beet” that! ) You can make them into soup, salads, desserts, even their leaves are edible !  With their sweetness, I managed to use a little less sugar.  My son doesn’t normally like sweets, but he loves my brownies. He was a little skeptical when I told him I used beets. But after he had one, he said he couldn’t even taste them!  I guess that’s a success for me! My daughter?  No problem, she eats everything I make ! 

Roasted Beet Chocolate Brownies

Makes about 16 squares 

  • 200 g beet puree (about 2 -3 medium beets)
  • 180 g all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder 
  • 50 g unsweetened cocoa powder 
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt 
  • 2 eggs
  • 180 g  granulated sugar 
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
  • 120 mL melted coconut oil 
  • 180 g semi-sweet chocolate 
  1. To prepare the beet puree, preheat oven to 375°F
  2. Cut stems and roots off, leave skin on 
  3. Wrap with aluminium foil and bake for about 60 minutes until fork tender 
  4. Cool, peel skin off and puree using a blender or food processor 
  5. To make the brownies, preheat oven to 350ºF
  6. Melt chocolate in a heat proof bowl over a pot of simmering water, cool slightly 
  7. Sift together flour, baking powder, cocoa powder and salt, set aside 
  8. In a large mixing bowl , whisk together eggs and sugar until pale (you can use an electric mixer, I just hand-whisked mine)
  9. Mix in vanilla extract, coconut oil and melted chocolate
  10. Add flour mixture in 2 parts, mix until blended 
  11. Add beet puree 
  12. Bake in a square baking pan lined with parchment paper for about 30 minutes 
  13. Cool completely before cutting 

Fresh Beets

I am so glad to be part of the The Canadian Food Creatives.  This month, our topic is “Fresh from the Garden”.  Be sure to check out the links below for other great recipes. They can also be found on social media using the hashtag #CDNFoodCreatives. Many thanks to Cassie Hendry at The Crumb Kitchen for hosting.

fb_img_1468681894617.jpg

Chocolate Brownies

Leave a reply

This recipe was taste tested by my son’s friends and it was a thumbs-up !

Makes about 18 squares

  • 100 g unsalted butter
  • 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F
  2. Line 12 inch x 4 inch loaf pan or pan of your choice with buttered parchment paper
  3. Melt butter, chocolate and cocoa powder in a bowl over a pot of simmering water, let cool for about 5 minutes
  4. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt, set aside
  5. Using an electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, mix together sugar, eggs and vanilla extract until pale at medium speed
  6. Add chocolate mixture, mix until blended
  7. Add flour mixture until well blended, make sure you scrape down sides of mixing bowl
  8. Pour batter in pan, about 1 inch in height and bake for about 35-40 minutes
  9. Let cool in pan for about 10 minutes, then cool completely on rack and cut into squares

Brownies can be stored in airtight container at room temperature for 3 days.  Check if brownies are done by inserting a tooth pick in the middle, it should be slightly sticky but not too wet.