Tag: chocolate

Fudgey Brownies

[image: brownie]
[image: brownie]

These are very sweet and very fudgey. Also they make kind of a hell of a mess. I don’t know if the original writer (I think this was from the Chicago Tribune, but I just have a really old photocopy a family friend passed along) thought that pulsing chocolate chips and sugar in a food processor would remain entirely contained, because a fine mist of choco-sugar coated the countertop after I was finished.

Nonstick spray
8 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup white sugar
3/4 cup butter (room temperature)
2 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla
1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 rounded tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup chopped walnut pieces, toasted
4 oz. white chocolate chips

Prepare a 9-inch square baking dish with nonstick spray and turn the oven to 325.

Place the semisweet chocolate chips and sugar in a food processor and pulse 8-10 times to combine, then turn on and keep running until the chocolate is the same consistency as the sugar (about 30 seconds).

Add the butter, eggs, and vanilla to the food processor. Mix for a minute, scraping down sides as necessary. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt and mix to combine.

Add the walnuts and white chocolate chips and pulse until barely incorporated (3-5 pulses).

Transfer the batter to the prepared baking dish. Bake until tester inserted in center comes out with moist but not wet crumbs, 45-55 minutes. Cool in the pan, then chill until firm, about 4 hours. Cut into small squares (they’re intensely chocolatey, a small amount is enough) and serve.

Checkerboard Cookies

Canadian Living

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
3 eggs
2 Tbsp vanilla
4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp table salt

Melt chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave, then let cool to room temperature.

In large bowl, beat butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in 2 of the eggs, 1 at a time, then beat in vanilla. In separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt; stir into butter mixture in 3 additions, using hands if too stiff to stir.

Remove half of the dough for vanilla dough. Stir chocolate into remaining dough in bowl, using hands to blend thoroughly.

Divide vanilla dough in half, and shape into flat squares. Place dough, one square at a time, between 2 sheets of waxed paper; roll into two 7-inch squares. Chill for about 30 minutes or until firm. Using ruler and sharp knife, cut each square into nine 3/4-inch wide strips. Repeat with chocolate dough.

Place about 1-foot long piece of plastic wrap on work surface. Alternating vanilla and chocolate strips, place 3 strips of dough directly on plastic wrap, close but not touching. Whisk remaining egg; brush over sides and tops of strips. Gently press strips together to adhere. Repeat, forming second and third layers and alternating placement of strips, to create checkerboard effect. Gather plastic wrap up to cover log; refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or for up to 4 days. Repeat for second log, reversing colour pattern.

Heat oven to 350.

With sharp knife, trim ends and cut each log into 1/4-inch thick slices. Arrange 1-inch apart on parchment paper-lined rimless baking sheet. Bake in centre of oven, rotating trays halfway through, for about 12 minutes or until set and very light golden. Let cool on pan on rack for 3 minutes. Transfer to racks to let cool completely.

Tiramisu

Altered very slightly from a recipe by Tyler Florence

7 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup sweet marsala, plus 2 tablespoons
8 ounces mascarpone, softened to room temperature
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup brewed espresso coffee
1 ounce dark chocolate
1/4 cup brandy
1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract
48 ladyfingers
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Cream together egg yolks and sugar in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Add 1/3 cup of the marsala and continue to whisk until mixture is thick and doubled in volume. (This is basically a zabaglione.) Remove from heat. Stir in the mascarpone until completely blended.
In a chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream to soft peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture, to lighten.

In a small saucepan, combine espresso, chocolate, brandy, vanilla, and remaining 2 tablespoons marsala. Heat gently, and stir to dissolve the chocolate. Then, chill the mixture to cool it down, about 15 minutes. Quickly dip each ladyfinger in the chilled coffee mixture and arrange in a single layer on a 9 by 13-inch glass baking pan. Do not soak the cookies or they will become too moist. Spread 1/2 the mascarpone cream evenly with a spatula on top of the dipped ladyfingers. Repeat with a second layer of dipped ladyfingers and remaining mascarpone cream. Sprinkle top with cocoa powder. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to two or three days before serving.