4 Brownies, 4 Days: Day #4

I did it!  I managed to blog about all four brownie recipes in four days.  That's quite the accomplishment.  Go me.  I should bake brownies in celebration.

After Jill's baby shower, I made sure to take home one of each kind of brownie that I baked so that I could try all of them.  I saved this recipe for the last post because it was the last brownie I tasted out of the four. 

For some odd reason, I have incredible self control when it comes to sweets (it's possible I still have chocolate from last Christmas in my cupboard).  This particular brownie was still in my fridge a week after the shower.  Poor, lonely brownie.  Had I known how good it would be, I wouldn't have let it sit there that long.  Yum.

  

Raspberry Cream Cheese Brownies

Ingredients:

Cream Cheese Filling -

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg yolk

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Brownies -

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup raspberry jam, divided

1-1/4 cups sugar

3 eggs

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter an 8" x 8" baking pan.  Line pan with parchment paper and butter the parchment paper.

2.  Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla extract for about one minute or until combined.  Set aside.

3.  Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.

4.  In a separate bowl, melt the butter and chocolate together.  Stir until smooth.  Whisk in 1/4 cup raspberry jam.  Allow to cool for 5 minutes.

5.  Add sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract to the chocolate mixture.  Stir until combined.

6.  Whisk in the flour mixture just until combined.

7.  Heat the remaining 1/4 cup raspberry jam in the microwave for about 30 seconds.  Stir until smooth.

8.  Spread half of the brownie batter into the pan.  Carefully spread cream cheese mixture over the brownie batter.  Drop spoonfuls of the jam over the cream cheese.  Use a knife to swirl the jam through the cream cheese filling.  Spread the remaining brownie batter over the filling.

9.  Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few dry crumbs attached.  Cool brownies on a wire rack.

Source:  Sweet Pea's Kitchen 

4 Brownies, 4 Days: Day #3

Remember how I said that me and peanut butter are tight?  Well, Jill and Nutella are the same way.  So, of course, I had to make her these yummy brownies.

Nutella Pretzel Brownies

Ingredients:

Crust - 

1-1/2 cups pretzels

1/3 cup brown sugar

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Brownies -

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup flour

1/3 cup Nutella hazelnut spread

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Extra Nutella for frosting the brownies

Extra pretzels for garnish

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray an 8" x 8" baking dish with cooking spray or line with parchment paper.

2.  Place pretzels in food processor and pulse until broken into small pieces.  Add brown sugar and pulse to combine.  Add butter and pulse until combined again.

3.  Press the pretzel mixture into the pan.  Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the edges are golden and crust is firm.

4.  In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and then remove from the heat.  Whisk in the sugar.

5.  Add the eggs.  Whisk until combined after adding each egg.  Stir in the vanilla.

6.  Whisk in the dry ingredients.  Pour batter over crust.

7.  Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with only a few crumbs clinging to it.  Allow brownies to cool.

8.  Frost brownies with extra Nutella and sprinkle with crushed pretzels.

Source: Bakingdom

4 Brownies, 4 Days: Day #2

Me and peanut butter, we're tight.  I eat peanut butter a lot, and I am appalled that Jill's boyfriend doesn't like it.  Appalled, I tell you.  He also doesn't like pumpkin, but that's a whole different issue...and I shouldn't get into it in this post...

Let's just hope my niece doesn't take after her daddy in terms of disliking classic American foods.

   

Peanut Butter Cheesecake Swirl Brownies

Ingredients:

Brownies -

14 tablespoons unsalted butter

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1 cup cocoa powder

2 cups sugar

6 eggs

6 ounces cream cheese, softened

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup flour

Peanut Butter Cheesecake Swirl -

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

2/3 cup creamy peanut butter

6 tablespoons sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9" x 13" pan with parchment paper or foil and spray with cooking spray.

2.  Combine butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water.  Heat and stir until the mixture is smooth.  Remove the bowl from the heat.

3.  Whisk in the cocoa powder, sugar, eggs, and cream cheese until blended.  Stir in the vanilla and salt.  Whisk in flour until just combined.  Pour into the baking pan and smooth the top.

4.  Combine the cream cheese, peanut butter, and sugar for the peanut butter cheesecake swirl using an electric mixer.  Beat on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes or until smooth.  Mix in the egg and vanilla until combined.

5.  Drop spoonfuls of the peanut butter cheesecake mixture over the brownie batter.  Use a knife to swirl the peanut butter cheesecake mixture into the brownie batter.

6.  Bake 30-35 minutes or until center is set.  Cool on a wire rack.  Refrigerate once brownies are cool.

Source:  Annie's Eats

4 Brownies, 4 Days: Day #1

As you may or may not know, my little sister is expecting a baby in just over a week.  Our good friends threw her a baby shower recently, and they asked me to make the desserts.  Jill's favorite dessert is brownies, so I made brownies...4 different kinds of brownies, actually.  I went all out.

Here we are in front of the dessert table.  Isn't she the cutest pregnant lady ever?! 

And here is the adorable dessert table, complete with "So Sweet" banner.

I know I have not been very good at posting recipes lately, so I am going to try my hardest to post these four brownie recipes in four days.  Think I can do it?  No?  Oh, well...ok.  We'll see.

I'm going to start with the coffee cream brownies.  They were my favorite.  Then again, anything with the word coffee in it is my favorite.  I'm obsessed with coffee; I'm not addicted to it.  I could totally go a day without coffee.  I just don't want to. 

Coffee Cream Brownies

Ingredients:

Brownies -

1/2 cup butter, cubed

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Coffee Cream Filling -

1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon instant coffee granules

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

Chocolate Ganache Glaze -

1 cup (6 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter an 8" x 8" metal baking pan.  Line pan with parchment paper for easy brownie removal.  Butter the parchment paper.

2.  Melt butter and chocolate.  Stir until smooth, and set aside to cool.

3.  In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract.  Stir in the chocolate mixture.  Add the flour and baking soda.  Stir just until combined.

4.  Spread batter in prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool brownies.

5.  In a small bowl, stir the coffee granules into the cream until dissolved.  

6.  In a stand mixer, cream the butter and powdered sugar until fluffy.  Beat in coffee mixture.  Add a little extra whipping cream if necessary to achieve a spreadable texture.  Spread over brownies.

7.  Eat the leftover coffee cream filling from the bowl.

8.  In a small saucepan, combine chocolate and whipping cream over low heat. Stir until chocolate is melted and mixture has thickened.  Cool slightly before spreading over the coffee cream filling.  Let chocolate ganache set (in refrigerator, if necessary) before slicing brownies.  

Source:  Sweet Pea's Kitchen

Food for a Crowd

Anybody need to feed a crowd?  This BBQ Beer Chicken not only makes a ton, but it will also impress the aforementioned crowd.  It's the perfect summer recipe because you can just stick it in the Crock-Pot and enjoy the company of friends and family while it cooks away...and it doesn't hurt that it's very yummy...and that it's made with beer.  

BBQ Beer Chicken

Ingredients:

3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon paprika

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup beer

4 cups (32 ounces) barbecue sauce

Directions:

1.  Combine everything except chicken in slow cooker.  Stir.

2.  Add the chicken to the slow cooker, covering chicken with sauce.

3.  Put lid on slow cooker and cook chicken on low for about 6 hours.

4.  Shred the chicken and return it to the sauce.  Toss together and let sit for 15 minutes.

5.  Serve on hamburger buns.

Source:  Fat Girl Trapped in a Skinny Body