Perfect Brownies

  Fudgy, cakey everyone has their own idea of what a brownie should be.  My idea of a perfect brownie is a little of both.  The perfect brownie must be rich with chocolate, this recipe uses unsweetened and bittersweet chocolates as well as cocoa, after all, it really needs to pack a chocolate punch.  Butter and eggs to give it a moistness, not quite fudge like but not cake like either and espresso powder to add a little sophistication.  What you end up with is fudgy cakey perfection!

We've had a bit of a set back in the weather pattern in Maine these last couple days.  Cold, rainy and gray. 

 I didn't think I'd be lighting the fire in June but here I go again.  

 I was going to do another rhubarb recipe today but because of the sudden cold change in the weather, I've decided chocolate was in order.  This Perfect Brownie recipe will have me feeling warm and right again, before the sun finally makes it's appearance.

Ingredients

From Standard Baking Co. Pastries

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons dutch processed cocoa

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

2 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso powder

3/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 1/3 cups (2 2/3 sticks) butter

7 squares (7 ounces) of unsweetened chocolate

1/3 cup bittersweet (dark, not semi-sweet) chocolate chips

5 large eggs, room temperature

3 cups granulated sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350° F  grease a 9X13 pan with butter

Makes 15 squares

1.  In a medium bowl sift flour, cocoa, baking powder, espresso powder and sea salt.

2.  In a medium, heavy bottomed saucepan, on low heat, melt the unsweetened chocolate, bittersweet chocolate and the butter, stir to combine set aside.

3.  In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs.  Add the sugar and vanilla stirring with a whisk just to combine.  Do not over mix.

4.  Stir the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and combine with a spatula, now add the flour mixture and fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined, again, do not over mix.

5.  Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, spread with a spatula and place in the middle of the preheated oven to bake for 35-40 minutes.  After 20 minutes, rotate pan and bake until brownies are set.  When tested, toothpick will have moist crumbs.

6.  Remove from the oven and place on a wire cooling rack to cool completely, before cutting.  Enjoy!

 

Mom's Birthday Chocolate Cheese Cake

My Mom's birthday is today so I wanted to make her something special and it absolutely had to be chocolate.  My Mom is gaga for chocolate.  This creamy, rich chocolatey cheesecake is my gift to her. I gussied this cake up for her by piping chocolate ganache rosettes, then added some fresh local raspberries and placed a few fresh mint leaves from my garden on top.  No, I did'nt cut into it, the Birthday Girl gets the first piece!  Happy Birthday Mom, your the best!

Ingredients

 

For the crust...

 

6 oz. chocolate wafer cookies, divided

1 oz. granulated sugar

1 1/2 oz. of very soft butter

 

8" spring form pan, buttered and lined with a parchment circle.

Preheat oven to 375°.

 

1.   In a food processor, process chocolate wafers until finely ground.  (Reserve 2 oz. of crumbs and set aside.)  Add sugar and butter and pulse until butter is fully incorporated.

 

2.  Pour crumb mixture into a prepared spring form pan and press lightly all around the bottom of the pan. 

3.   Bake 8-10 minutes and remove to a wire rack to cool.

Reduce oven temperature to 325°.

For the Filling...

  

2 lbs. full fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature

10 oz. granulated sugar

1 1/2 oz. cocoa, sifted

5 large eggs, room temperature

1 tablespoon pure vanilla

4 oz. heavy cream

5 1/2 oz. dark chocolate chips

1.   In a large mixing bowl, mix cream cheese until creamy.  Add sugar and cocoa powder, mix until incorporated, scrape down bowl and mix until smooth.

2.   Whisk eggs together in a separate bowl along with the vanilla.  Stream the eggs into the cream cheese mixture in stages until all is incorporated scraping bowl occasionally. 

3.   Heat heavy cream and chocolate in the microwave on high for about 40 seconds and stir until chocolate has melted.  Add to batter and mix together until smooth and creamy and all the chocolate has been incorporated.

 

4.   Pour batter onto baked crust and smooth the top with a spatula.  Wrap tin foil around the spring form pan and place it in a large roasting pan.  Fill the roasting pan, about half way up the side of the spring form pan with boiling water (be sure tin foil is up above the water line) Bake for about 1 hour or until set.

5.   Remove from oven and carefully lift the cake pan from the water remove tin foil and place on a wire rack to cool.  Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight in the spring form pan. 

6.   Remove cake from the refrigerator and unwrap.  Run a sharp knife around the edge of the pan to loosen.  Remove the ring of the pan carefully.

7.   Using a cardboard disk or a flat plate, wrap a piece of plastic wrap around either and invert cake onto disk or plate.  Flip the cake over and carefully remove the bottom of the pan and peel the parchment paper off the crust.  

   Place your cake plate over crust side of cake and carefully flip over, unwrap plastic wrap from around cardboard disk or plate, which ever your using and remove.  Carefully peel away plastic wrap from the top of the cake.   Center the cake on your plate and voila!

8.   With the remaining 2 oz. of chocolate wafer crumbs, apply crumbs with an offset spatula around the edge of the cake to give it a nice finished look.

 You may decorate further, piping chocolate ganache or chocolate butter cream rosettes and or add fresh berries to the top.  What ever you like and Enjoy!