I see our cousins across the Pond are now settling in with their brand new Prime Minister. Good luck, mates! We, of course, have 16 months before any dust can begin to settle over here and it's looking to be a long season. Already the nastiness is getting thick on the ground and one has to step carefully to avoid the steaming piles.
But fear not, Coffee Mates! There is guaranteed relief for the Campaign Dyspepsia which is predicted to sweep the country in epidemic waves. Even the toxic-tongued pundits can't compete with the soothing healing power of truly decadent brownies. Trust me.
But fear not, Coffee Mates! There is guaranteed relief for the Campaign Dyspepsia which is predicted to sweep the country in epidemic waves. Even the toxic-tongued pundits can't compete with the soothing healing power of truly decadent brownies. Trust me.
THE BROWNIE ANTIDOTE
1/2 cup butter, melted -- 1 cup white sugar
2 eggs -- 1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup all purpose flour -- 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder -- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tablespoon coffee liqueur
2 eggs -- 1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup all purpose flour -- 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder -- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tablespoon coffee liqueur
In large bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. (You can do half white sugar and half brown sugar if you wish. Very nice change of flavor pace.) Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Add vanilla and coffee liqueur. (You can skip the liqueur if you prefer and just add a tablespoon of strong coffee.) Combine flour, salt, baking powder and cocoa and add to egg mixture, beating until smooth.
Optionally, you can add chopped nuts or chocolate chips or minced dried fruit (NOT candied fruit!). A really scrumptious addition is about 1 cup of frozen, whole raspberries. Make sure they're still frozen when you fold them in. Trust me -- the result is orgasmic.
Grease an 8" x 8" baking pan and spread batter evenly. It should be thick but still pourable. If it's too thick, add some hot coffee, just a tablespoon at a time, until the consistency is right. If it's too runny, add flour, a tablespoon at a time. Place in 350 degree fairy-height (175 degrees centipede) oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool before cutting.
You can spread some kind of topping on it if you wish -- either a frosting or a sprinkle of chocolate chips or whatever snaps your garter -- but I find these brownies to be so rich and moist and endowed with utterly voluptuous sensuosity that more of anything would just be greedy. As it is, we have the five major food groups represented here: chocolate, caffeine, alcohol, sugar and fat.
Well, okay -- a glob of ice cream couldn't hurt. Even whipped cream. Just be prepared to defend your share because chocoholics have no shame. But you knew that.
Optionally, you can add chopped nuts or chocolate chips or minced dried fruit (NOT candied fruit!). A really scrumptious addition is about 1 cup of frozen, whole raspberries. Make sure they're still frozen when you fold them in. Trust me -- the result is orgasmic.
Grease an 8" x 8" baking pan and spread batter evenly. It should be thick but still pourable. If it's too thick, add some hot coffee, just a tablespoon at a time, until the consistency is right. If it's too runny, add flour, a tablespoon at a time. Place in 350 degree fairy-height (175 degrees centipede) oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool before cutting.
You can spread some kind of topping on it if you wish -- either a frosting or a sprinkle of chocolate chips or whatever snaps your garter -- but I find these brownies to be so rich and moist and endowed with utterly voluptuous sensuosity that more of anything would just be greedy. As it is, we have the five major food groups represented here: chocolate, caffeine, alcohol, sugar and fat.
Well, okay -- a glob of ice cream couldn't hurt. Even whipped cream. Just be prepared to defend your share because chocoholics have no shame. But you knew that.
3 comments:
I love the idea of raspberries in brownies, Dee! When I get back to a proper kitchen with a proper cooker I shall dig out my secret brownie recipe (doesn't everyone have a secret brownie recipe) which is very similar to yours except for rather more chocolate (in the form of melted cooking chocolate -- 80% cocoa solids) and add raspberries.
Oh, and I'm with you -- a good brownie needs no topping at all. Unless you have spare chocolate about the place... :-)
(After reading his note, I can't believe he doesn't have a proper kitchen.) Yes, just my sort of brownie. Yes too, more chocolate always. :) I'm addicted to this one before cooking it.
I have a goodly supply of chocolate-covered coffee beans. These are fat balls, like marbles, ranging from dark choccy to white choccy, with a speckled combo in between. It works out to about 80% choccy against 20% coffee bean. When offering optional additions, I forgot to mention that I coarsely chopped about a cupful of those and folded them into the batter. More choccy. More bliss. (contented sigh)
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