Brownie Walnut Pie

I saw the lovely Giada De Laurentiis make this pie on her chocolate themed episode on Food Network a while back and have wanted to make it ever since. So when my coworker’s Birthday approached and I found out he prefers pie over cakes and likes chocolate and nuts, this dessert immediately came to mind.

You can follow the original recipe and make a tasty biscotti cookie crust, but I went with a simple homemade graham cracker crust instead. But, I decided to use dark brown sugar to give it a richer and deeper flavor that really worked with the chocolate and walnut combo. (the crust recipe will be posted soon too!) The consistency of the pie is like a fudgy brownie and is super rich. So just a warning that a small slice will go a long way! You can get creative with the nutty decoration on the top of the pie. Plus if you want to sub another type of nut (pecans would be awesome too) it would be just as delicious!

Brownie Walnut Pie

Ingredients:
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, diced
3 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 1/4 cups packed dark brown sugar
3 eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup walnut pieces
Graham cracker crust (pre-made or homemade)
Walnut halves, optional

Yield: 8-10 servings

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Whisk the butter and the chocolate over low heat in a medium saucepan until the chocolate is almost melted. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk until the chocolate is fully melted and the mixture is smooth. Whisk in the sugar, then the eggs, one at a time. Stir in the flour and salt with a spatula. Stir in the nut pieces. Scrape the batter into the prepared crust. Press a ring of walnut halves, if using, into the batter around the top edge.

Place the pie on a baking sheet and bake until the outer 2 to 3 inches are slightly puffed and dry looking and the center is set, 35 minutes. A wooden skewer inserted into the center should come out with some moist batter still attached. Cool the pie completely on a rack.

Cut the pie into wedges and serve with ice cream or whipped cream, if wanted. Enjoy!

Source: Food Network – Giada De Laurentiis

Chocolate Chip Cookie Brownies

When planning my bakes for a recent birthday, I was told that they liked the classics – chocolate chip cookies and brownies. So instead of making the usual variety, I decided to combine the best of both worlds and make chocolate chip cookie brownies! I figured I wasn’t the first person to think of this concept, and sure enough, I found a great recipe.

These were a huge hit! The brownie layer was nice and gooey and the chocolate chip cookie layer was chewy and rich. It totally made me think of those recent commercials where they discuss choosing one or the other, like sweet OR sour chicken, or staying at a bed OR breakfast – why not both? Indeed, cookies or brownies – why not both? Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Brownies

Ingredients:
For the cookie layer:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
5 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
3 Tbsp brown sugar
3 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

For the brownie layer:
5 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
3 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 tsp instant espresso powder
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Yield: 12 brownies

Directions: 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8×8 inch pan with foil, letting it extend up two sides of the pan and overhang slightly on both ends. Spray the foil with non-stick spray.

To make the cookie layer: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the egg and vanilla and beat until well combined. Add half of the flour mixture and mix for 15 seconds. Add the remaining flour mixture and beat until just incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips and set aside.

To make the brownie layer:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and cocoa powder; set aside. In a large mixing bowl set over simmering water, stir together chocolate, butter, and espresso powder until completely melted and smooth. Keeping the bowl over the water, turn off the heat and add the sugar. Whisk until completely combined. Remove the bowl from the pan and cool slightly. Once the chocolate mixture is cool, add the egg and vanilla and whisk until combined.

Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate mixture. Using a spatula, fold the flour mixture into the chocolate until just combined. (a bit of the flour mixture should still be visible) Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
Using your hand to form clumps, distribute the cookie dough onto the top of the brownie batter in teaspoon-sized clumps, using all of the dough.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the cookie layer is set and lightly browned. Place the pan on a wire rack and let the brownies cool completely. Cut into squares and serve.

Source: Sweet Pea’s Kitchen

Roasted Cherry Brownies

Cherry season is upon us and I, for one, am loving it! Whether adding them to cocktails or just grabbing a few as a quick and healthy snack, I can’t seem to get enough.

I remember growing up, the men in my family always loved getting a box of chocolate covered cherries as a gift. I never bothered to try them as a youngin, but now my grown up taste buds adore the combination of chocolate and cherry.

This recipe caught my eye a while back and recently made my taste buds oh so happy. First, you roast some cherries in the oven to get the juices flowing and soften them a bit. Then spoon them into a delicious homemade brownie batter and magic is made. The brownies are gooey and rich and the cherries add a nice fresh flavor. If only I’d bought some Cherry Garcia ice cream to top it off, then we’d really be in business!

Roasted Cherry Brownies

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh cherries, pitted and halved
1 1/4 cups, plus 2 Tbsp, sugar, divided
5 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
8 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into quarters
3 Tbsp cocoa powder
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup all-purpose flour

Yield: 9+ servings (depends how big you cut them!)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 450˚ F.  Combine the cherries and 2 tablespoons of the sugar in a small roasting pan and toss well to combine.  Roast the cherries for 10 minutes, or until they begin to release their juices.  Remove the pan from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 350˚ F.

Line a 9 x 9-inch baking pan with foil.  Lightly spray the foil with cooking spray.

In a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, melt the chocolate and butter, stirring occasionally until smooth.  Whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth.  Set aside to cool.

In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, remaining sugar, vanilla and salt; whisk until combined, about 15 seconds.  Whisk in the warm chocolate mixture until incorporated.  Then stir in the flour with a wooden spoon until just combined.  Gently fold in the roasted cherries.  Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and spread with a spatula to make an even layer.  Bake until slightly puffed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a small amount of sticky crumbs clinging to it, about 35 minutes.  Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature, about 2 hours.

Remove the brownies from the pan using the foil and transfer to a cutting board.  Cut into squares as desired.  Store in an air-tight container.

Source: Annie’s Eats

Mint Brownies

The best word to describe these brownies is YUM. If you’re a chocolate mint fan, then this is the dessert for you – please make them immediately! A homemade fudgey brownie that’s not overly sweet, topped with a soft minty frosting – they’re like a big Andes mint!

These were the first brownies I’ve ever made completely from scratch. And while I’m a sucker for box mix brownies, these are not hard to make and totally worth a little extra time. I shared these and was told that they’re the best brownies ever tasted, while another person asked that I have a bake sale just to sell these. Hmm, I guess they’re a keeper? 🙂

Mint Brownies

Ingredients:
Brownies:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt

Mint Layer:
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 Tbsp milk
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
A few drops green food coloring

Yield: 16 medium pieces

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and place the rack in the center of  the oven. Line an 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish with foil and set aside.

For the brownies: Put the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water and stir the ingredients together until totally melted. Remove from heat and add the sugar and vanilla, stirring to combine. Add the eggs one at a time and stir until completely combined. Stir in the flour and salt and beat until the batter is smooth. Pour the batter evenly into the foil lined pan.

Bake the brownies for 30-45 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Then remove from the oven and allow them to completely cool.

For the mint layer: Beat all the ingredients together with a mixer until smooth. If the frosting is too thick, add a little more milk until you get the right consistency. Or if it’s too thin, add more powdered sugar, a little at a time. Spread the mint frosting over the brownies and smooth it out evenly. Refrigerate at least 10-15 minutes, until the frosting is set.

When ready to serve, use the foil to lift the brownies out of the pan. Cut them into squares, you’ll get at least 16 medium sized pieces. Feel free to add any other toppings you like. Serve and enjoy!

Source: Slightly adapted from The Whimsical Cupcake