A Variation on an Old Fave

I think it's pretty much a given at this point that I love brownies. I specifically love Nick Malgeri's Supernatural brownies, as witnessed here and here. Well I couldn't help myself, I had to try to come up with yet another way to mess with them. This time... mint.

I wanted to incorporate a nice mint flavor that wouldn't be too overpowering so I went to and old favorite of mine, Andes Mints.


Once you make the brownie batter (you will find the recipe by following the links above), pour half into your prepared 9 x 13 pan and then line up the mints over the batter.


Two boxes of mints was the perfect amount. I didn't even get to sneak one while I was doing all that unwrapping (56 mints in all). Then pour the rest of the batter over the top of the mints and smooth out. You can't even see the mints after you do this and will end up being a nice little surprise when they are done.

Bake for 45 minutes at 350. The brownie aroma is intoxicating!

They came out just as I had hoped, delicious and slightly minty but not overpowering. Some of the mints completely melt and disappear into the batter, so do not. YUM!

Forgive me Nick

No, not my Nick. Nick Malgeri. His Supernatural Brownies are the best. But yet, I keep playing with them, messing with them, and otherwise embellishing them. It's a compulsion I have. I got a bee in my bonnet to make Cheesecake Brownies. And as often happens, I am never satisfied with one recipe. So I combined a few. I started of course with Supernatural Brownies. I have no need to go anywhere else for my brownie base. It would be foolish to mess with perfection. So let's start there.

You know the drill. Grease your 9 x 13 pan. Preheat your oven to 350.

Start out by making the cheesecake mixture. I used one 8 oz. block of cream cheese (softened), 1/4 cup of granulated sugar, one egg and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Mix together with a mixer and set aside.




For the brownies you will need 8 oz. of semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate and two sticks of butter. Melt them together and set aside.




This time I did the recipe by hand instead of the Kitchen Aid. So whisk four eggs, then add 1 cup of granulated sugar, 1 cup of packed dark brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 2 teaspoons of vanilla.



Fold in one cup of flour and you are done! That's it. Simple ingredients that turn into deliciousness. Pour the brownie batter into prepared pan and then take the cheesecake batter and drop dollopfuls into the brownie batter. You can try and smooth it, but it's not real easy because the cheesecake batter is rather thick. I tried, but I think swirling it with a wooden skewer would probably work better.

Bake for 45 minutes and enjoy!







These are SO good. And quite honestly, I think two packages of cream cheese would be even better. What's odd is that a lot of the recipes I looked at only called for 4 oz. of cream cheese. I guess a lot of people feel that less is more, but I am of the more is more school of thought!

The Queen of PB and Chocolate Strikes Again!!

Here I go again. It's a peanut butter and chocolate compulsion. It's an obsession. A fixation I tell you!!! I just can't help myself.

I think the best brownie recipe I have ever found (and believe me, I've tried many!) is Nick Malgeri's Supernatural Brownies. Why mess with them? Am I so arrogant to actually think I can improve upon this great recipe from one of the best chocolate chefs out there? Well no, of course not.... but I kind of did. I couldn't do it without Nick's fabulous recipe to begin with though!

You will need a 9 x 13 pan for this recipe, greased or greased and lined with parchment. Then preheat your oven to 350.

Take two sticks of unsalted butter and melt them with 8 oz. of bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate cut into small pieces. You can do this in a double boiler, you can do this in a microwave. Then set it aside for a few. Mmmm melted chocolate.




In a mixing bowl, take four eggs and whisk for a moment.




Then add a cup of granulated sugar, a packed cup of brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 2 teaspoons of vanilla and mix well. To this, add the chocolate mixture and mix with a spoon until incorporated.





Fold in 1 cup of flour.




We're talking brownie deliciousness right here. I would usually add nuts to these, but I just had to do it. I had to up the ante. I decided to add those fabulous mini buckeyes that I found not too long ago and have been using in my Buckeye Cookies.




I added about a cup and a half, maybe two cups of them. If you can't find them in your area (check Mr. Bulky's if you have one in your area. I have found them there as well the store mentioned in the cookie blog), fear not!! You can use Reese's Premier Baking Pieces.



Bake the brownie goodness at 350 for about 40-45 minutes. I prefer my brownies on the medium rare side and 45 minutes was just about perfect. They will get this nice shiny top to them.





Let cool for as long as you can stand it and then, devour!






Supernatural Brownies
(courtesy of Nick Malgeri)

16 Tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter
8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
4 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour

One 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan, buttered and lined with buttered parchment or foil. Set a rack at the middle level of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.

Bring a saucepan of water to a boil and turn off heat. Combine butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set over pan of water. Stir occasionally until melted.

Whisk eggs together in a large bowl, then whisk in salt, sugars, and vanilla. Stir in chocolate and butter mixture, then fold in flour.

Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for about 45 minutes, until top has formed a shiny crust and batter is moderately firm. Cool in pan on a rack. Cut, enjoy!

Just call me the Queen of Peanut Butter and Chocolate

I'm always searching for new ways to make something with peanut butter and chocolate. I'm a total chocoholic. If ever there came a day when a doctor said to me, "Kathy everything is great, but you can never eat chocolate again." Shoot me. Kill me. Put me out of my misery, I don't want to live!!!

Nick on the other hand is a peanut butteraholic. So it's only natural that I'd like to make things that contain our two favorite ingredients. You've seen my Buckeye Cookies here. As well as Ritz Sandwich Cookies for Christmas and Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes. Today I bring you Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownie Cups (the actual recipe is at the end, as always). This is a Nestle recipe and it starts out by putting 1/4 cup of butter (I always always use unsalted), 3/4 cup of granulated sugar and 1 Tablespoon water in a bowl and microwaving it until the butter is melted. Stir and then add 3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips and stir until the chocolate is melted.



From there, add an egg and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and stir until well mixed. This is all done in a bowl with a spoon. No mixer is needed. Add 1 cup of AP flour and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda. Stir well.




When completely mixed, add 1 cup peanut butter/chocolate swirled chips. I used just peanut butter chips to enhance the peanut butter aspect of it and because that's what I had in the house at the time. Stir well and then place a heaping Tablespoon of dough into a each cup of a prepared muffin pan (prepared... buttered or sprayed with non stick spray). It should make twelve, so just add more to the cups if you have extra. There's no baking powder in these so they don't rise an awful lot.




Bake at 350 for 13-15 minutes. Mine needed a little longer, but not much. When your toothpick, placed in the middle comes out clean, they are done. Do NOT over bake! Brownies are best, in my opinion anyway, when they are slightly underdone or as I like to say, medium rare. When they are done, put them on a rack to cool and watch in awe as the centers start to collapse. If that doesn't happen, give them a little push with the back of a spoon. Then take 3/4 cup peanut butter and microwave on high for 1 minute. Put a dollop of peanut butter in the center of each brownie.




YUM!

Brownie Peanut Butter Cups

3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 tablespoon water
3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate morsels
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 2/3 cups (10-oz. pkg.) milk chocolate and peanut butter swirled morsels, divided
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

Preheat oven to 350º F. Grease 12 muffin cups.

Combine sugar, butter and water in medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH (100%) power for 1 minute or until butter is melted. Add semi-sweet morsels; stir until melted. Add egg and vanilla extract and stir well. Add flour and baking soda and stir until blended. Allow to cool to room temperature. Stir in 1 cup Swirled morsels. Spoon a heaping tablespoon batter into each prepared muffin cup.

Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until top is set and wooden pick inserted center comes out still slightly wet. Place muffin pan on wire rack. Centers of brownies will fall upon cooling. If some do not, with back of teaspoon, tap center to make a hole.

Place peanut butter in small, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH (100%) power for 45 seconds; stir. While brownies are still hot, spoon a scant tablespoon peanut butter into center of each brownie. Top with remaining Swirled morsels. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Run a knife around edge and carefully remove from pan.