Katherine hepburn brownies

Hello readers…I haven’t been blogging much in the past few days…a lot happening around which is keeping me occupied but that doesn’t deter me from being on the lookout for some interesting recipes which I can cook/ bake and more importantly, blog about :)

One such browsing session brought me to this brownie recipe which by its name, sounded quite interesting !! I just had to bake these beauties and was waiting for the right time ( though there isn’t any right time to bite into chocolate…chocolate is for ANYTIME and EVERYTIME..I can imagine chocolate lovers smiling out there :) ) . Ok, so the right time came soon. Some friends planned a get - together and I decided to bake these for them. 

They are so dense and chocolate-y. I just couldn’t stop at one ( err…four actually ). You will not either..Don’t trust me ? Bake them and then see… You can thank me later…just kidding : )..Do check out my other brownie recipes as well…Mocha brownie and Cocoa brownie

Credits : Joy of baking
Makes - 16 brownies

Ingredients :
Unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped - 60 gms ( 2 ounces )
Unsalted butter, cut into pieces - 113 gms ( 1/2 cup )
Granulated white sugar - 200 gms ( 1 cup )
Eggs - 2 large
Vanilla extract - 1/2 tsp
All purpose flour (maida) - 30 gms ( 1/4 cup )
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Chopped walnuts or pecans ( optional ) - 100 gms ( 1 cup )

Method :
1.  Get some things ready  - Preheat oven to 325º F or 165º C and place rack in the center of the oven.
Grease an 8 inch ( 20 cms ) square baking pan with butter and dust some flour or line with parchment paper ( I used a slightly bigger pan and hence the flat brownies ).
2.  Melt the chocolate and butter by placing it in a heat-proof bowl kept on a pot of simmering  water (double broiler method).
3. Remove from the flame and mix in the sugar.
4. Then stir in the vanilla extract and add the eggs one by one. Whisk well to incorporate after each addition.
5.  Finally, stir in the flour, salt and nuts , if using.
6.  Pour this batter into the pan and bake for about 30 - 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
7.  Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack before cutting into pieces.

Linking this recipe to “Bake fest “ hosted by Palachinka flagged off by Vardhini of Cook’s joy

Cocoa brownies

Im back with another recipe of a sinfully delicious brownie. It has been a while since I baked anything with chocolate in it but was warding off this (EVIL ) thought ever since I dumped off yet another set of clothes since I couldn’t fit into them. Well, thats  another sad story….Sigh !!

Yesterday, we had a friend and her husband drop over to invite us home for dinner. How I beamed ear to ear at the thought…No, not of the feast that lay ahead but that I now have an opportunity to bake something as a gift when I visit them. Also, this would be such a guilt-free trip. I get to have that heady feeling on baking something and also I don’t necessarily have to eat it : )…Yes, I surprise myself quite often nowadays by being just happy baking and not wanting to lunge at my bakes…hope this continues till the discarded set of clothes reappear in my wardrobe…OK , I promise I am not going to talk about my sob story anymore.

So finally I decided to make some brownies since the friend and her husband are both lovers of brownies. I searched and searched for a good brownie recipe and found it here. What struck me about this recipe is that it is purely made out of cocoa powder…yes, no chocolate bar here !! I definitely wanted to try this since I had baked one using melted chocolate before ( Check out the Mocha brownies recipe )…So try I did and it baked wonderfully. I gave in to my temptation and bit into just a teeny weeny piece and I had to resist the urge to take another…So addictive they were !!

One note of caution…If you want neat pieces of brownies, please please please refrigerate for a while and then cut the chilled block . I didn’t and the pictures say it all !! So don’t be like me unless of course you don’t care how they look :)

The recipe ??  Here goes….I have given both the volume and weight measurements …but I personally prefer the weight measurement since they are more accurate.


Credits : Alice Merdich's recipe from FOOD52
Makes 16 large or 25 small brownies

Ingredients :

10 tbsp OR 1 1/4 sticks (140 gms ) of unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups ( 250 gms ) granulated sugar
3/4 cup + 2 tbsp ( 87 gms ) of unsweetened cocoa powder ( natural or Dutch process )
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 cold large eggs
1/2 cup ( 65 gms ) all purpose flour
2/3 cup ( 75 gms ) walnut or pecan pieces ( optional )

Method :

1.  Preheat the oven to 325º F or 165º C . Line the bottom and sides of 8 x 8 inch square pan ( I used a 9 x 4 inch loaf pan ) with parchment paper leaving a little to overhang on two opposite  sides ( makes it easier to lift the brownie when done ).
2.  Take the butter, sugar, cocoa and salt in a heat proof bowl. Place this bowl over a pot of simmering hot water and keep stirring while the butter melts. Once the butter has melted completely and you get a shiny dark mixture, turn off the flame and keep the mixture to cool until it is only warm.
3.  Now, add in the vanilla extract and the eggs , one at a time. Stir vigorously until well blended.
4.  Then stir in the flour and mix well so that no traces of the flour remain. Beat the batter vigorously for 40 strokes. The author mentions this so as to straighten the batter.
5.  Lastly stir in the nuts and spread the mixture evenly into the pan.
6.  Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out almost clean with a few moist crumbs still sticking to the toothpick. It takes about 20 - 25 minutes ( depending upon your oven ).
7.  Remove and cool completely by placing on a wire rack. Refrigerate and then cut if you desire neatly cut pieces.
8.  Serve with a glass of milk or a dollop of vanilla ice-cream. Enjoyyy !!!

Linking this recipe to Shruti’s ‘Sweet Celebration’ Event 

Also sending this recipe to “ What’s with my cuppa “ event hosted by Avika flagged off by Nupur

and to “ Bake fest “ hosted by Marija of Palachinka and flagged off by Vardhini of Cook’s joy

Mocha Brownies

The world would be a tad less beautiful without brownies…I am sure this statement would evoke unanimous nods from brownie lovers…and why wouldn't it ?

 I love anything and I mean ANYTHING with chocolate in it. The guilt in me ( and that disagreeable stare from hubby dearest ) often dissuades me from biting into chocolate way too often…But it doesn't hurt to have it once in a while ( Even if it did, I prefer being hurt !! :) ).

During one of my numerous food blog browsing sessions, I came across this delicious looking brownie on Shireen's blog. That was my "stop n stare "  moment. Though it was hard , I resisted the urge to bake it just yet simply because I had " sinned " by gobbling up …err, a few ( I am not going to mention, how many ) bars of chocolate, few moons ago. I had this huge battle going on between the urge to bake it and my sincere attempts to ward off the ( evil ) thought.. A couple of days later, Shireen egged me on to try it and that was just what I required…that one prod and wham…the urge WON !!!  Well, I tried hard , not to make it, you see..but can't refuse a friend, could I ?  ( cheeky smile )…

Well, I did make it and was happy with the result…this was my first attempt at brownie-making and I was not let down. The smell of coffee wafting all over the house was sheer bliss !! I devoured slice after  slice , promising myself that I wouldn't go near even a one kilometer radius around chocolate ( the authenticity of this promise lefts to be seen though )…

This sure is a winner brownie recipe and is for keeps…try it and don't forget to let me know how you like them :)

Mocha Brownies

Recipe source : Ruchik Randhap

Ingredients :

Unsalted butter (room temperature)                           55 gms plus a little more for greasing
Cooking chocolate, chopped                                       115 gms
Demerara ( or any brown ) sugar                               175 gms
Eggs                                                                             2
Instant coffee powder                                                 1 tbsp ( dissolved in 1 tbsp hot water
                                                                                                     and then cooled )
Plain flour                                                                    85 gms
Baking powder                                                            1/2 tsp
Chopped walnuts( you can toast lightly )                   55 gms

Method :

1.   Prepare an 8 inch square cake pan by greasing and then lining it with a parchment paper ( or you
      can dust the pan with flour ). Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celcius.
2.   Melt the chocolate and the butter using the double boiler method ( Boil water in a pan. Place
      chocolate and butter in a heat proof bowl and then place this bowl over the pan containing boiling
      water ). Cool and keep aside.
3.   Beat the sugar and eggs in a bowl until they turn pale.
4.   Gently mix in the melted chocolate - butter and the coffee dissolved in water.
5.   Then, sift the plain flour and baking powder and gently incorporate it in the mixture.
6.   Lastly, add the chopped walnuts and mix gently again.
7.   Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake for about 25-30  mins or till a skewer inserted in the
      center of the pan comes out clean.
8.   Remove from the oven and let the brownie cool in the pan.
9.  After about 10 mins, unmould the brownie on a wire rack and let cool completely before cutting it
     into pieces.