Brownie Cookie Sandwich with Salted Caramel

For the past several years I have made it an annual tradition to bake holiday treats and distribute them to my close friends and family. At first I started off small, but by now the box has grown to include more goodies. Of course I always try to improve upon the previous year and use the month or so leading up to the holidays to test recipes for potential new additions to the box.

Last year, I tried a few recipes but ultimately was not satisfied with any of them so I left the box the same as the year before. It contained cranberry bliss bars, berry crumb bars, chocolate crinkle cookies, and almond biscotti. I felt as though I was missing some sort of treat in the "caramel" category but couldn't settle on anything to fulfill it.

So for the past few weeks I have been once again testing nutty/caramel recipes, trying to find something new to include in this year's box. In order to get more opinions, I have gotten in the habit of bringing my baked goods to work and seeing my coworkers' reactions. The first item I tried to make was a pecan pie thumbprint cookie. Although it tasted good, I was not satisfied with the filling-to-dough ratio so for the next batch I reworked it into more of a mini pecan tartlette. This time the filling was much more prominent and I felt the caramel and nut combination stood out.

Then I came across a recipe saved on my browser that I had found months ago but had not yet tested. It was for a cookie that resembled the taste of a brownie, with dulce de leche sandwiched in the middle. You know those two-bite brownies sold in the paper bags at most grocery stores...well believe it or not but these cookies taste exactly like them! The cookie was flaky on the outside and chewy on the inside, simply the perfect bite. Rather than use dulce de leche, I just substituted the salted caramel sauce that I had already made for the previous treats but the result was fantastic.

As soon as I took a bite I knew this cookie was exactly what I was looking for, especially with the slightly salty caramel to offset the rich chocolate, and it fit the bill for the holiday box. Unfortunately, since I already have the chocolate crinkle cookies and two chocolate cookies is too much, I think it will have to replace them. So once again I am faced with a dilemma whether to try and find yet another new recipe, probably something with nuts, or to just swap out the chocolate cookies and leave the box with only four types of treats. I still have a few weeks to decide and test some more recipes.

Brownie Cookie Sandwich with Salted Caramel
Note: This recipe makes about 30 sandwich cookies, 60 cookies overall.

• 300 grams bittersweet chocolate
• ½ cup (8 tbsp) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• ¾ cups flour
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 tsp vanilla

1. Using a double broiler, combine the butter and chocolate and melt over low heat until completely smooth and thickened. Set aside.
2. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder and set aside.
3. Combine the eggs, sugars, and cocoa powder and mix on medium-high speed until the mixture has doubled in volume and becomes very thick, about 4-5 minutes.
4. Reduce the speed to medium and the melted chocolate. Continue to mix until well combined. Mix in the vanilla.
5. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture. Mix just until the flour is incorporated.
6. Drop spoonfuls of the batter onto a parchment-lined baking tray. The cookies don't spread too much so they can be spaced closely together and flattened if you want them bigger.
7. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. The tops of the cookies should look cracked but inside they will be slightly soft and under-baked.

For the salted caramel:
Note: This makes more than enough caramel for the cookies so there will be plenty of extra. Another option is to use dulce de leche as the original recipe suggests.

• 1 cup sugar
• 6 tbsp butter (salted or unsalted), cut into pieces
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ½-1 tsp fine sea salt

1. Heat the sugar in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly with a rubber spatula. The sugar will start to form clumps and eventually melt into a thick amber-colored liquid.
2. Once the sugar is completely melted, immediately add the butter. Be careful because the caramel will start to bubble rapidly.
3. Stir the butter into the caramel until it is completely melted, about 2-3 minutes.
4. Very slowly, drizzle the cream into the pan while whisking. Once again, watch out for the bubbling and splatter.
5. Allow the mixture to boil for one minute then remove from the heat and stir in ½-1 teaspoon of salt, depending on how pronounced you want the taste.   
6. Cool the caramel before straining into a container. Can be stored for two weeks in the refrigerator tightly sealed.

To assemble the cookies: Place half the cookies flat side up. Warm the caramel if directly from the fridge so it is more spreadable (but let it cool and thicken a little as well). Add a teaspoon or so of caramel to one cookie half and top with another. 

Avocado Brownies

A week ago while we were sitting and eating my breakfast one of my brothers asked me to make black bean brownies again. Unfortunately we didn't have any black beans in the pantry and I didn't feel like going to the store just for one item. However the request inspired me to research more "healthy" brownie recipes and I found one for avocado brownies. I was intrigued because the recipe seemed relatively easy and I already had all of the ingredients.

While I was making the brownies my mother was very doubtful about how they would taste given the unusual ingredient list. I assured her that she was under no obligation to try them but in the end she decided to have a small piece. She was actually quite impressed with their taste, especially because they weren't too sweet and my mother prefers desserts that way.

My brother came over once I let him know the brownies were ready and he enjoyed them as well. After the fall out from the black bean brownies, I was hesitant to tell my other brother about the avocado and decided to just let him enjoy the brownies. Not only did he like them, but his friends came over the next day and ate them as well, no one the wiser about the mystery ingredient. To this day I still haven't told him...I decided that since he liked them and already ate them there's really no reason to go and disappoint him now.

Avocado Brownies

• 4 oz (112 g) bittersweet chocolate
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 avocado
• ¼ cup almond butter
• ½ cup honey
• 3 eggs
• ¼ cup cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 1 tbsp almond flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• Optional: ½ cup chopped nuts or chocolate chips

1. Puree the avocado flesh in a food processor until absolutely no lumps remain.
2. Melt the bittersweet chocolate together with the coconut oil in a small saucepan over low heat.
3. Beat the melted chocolate mixture along with the pureed avocado and the rest of the ingredients on medium speed for about 2-3 minutes, or until well mixed.
4. Stir in any add-ins such as chopped nuts or chocolate chips.
5. Pour the batter into a well-greased or parchment lined 9" x 9" pan. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
6. Allow to cool before slicing and serving.

Coconut Brownies

About a month ago I made some black bean brownies as an experiment at home after a coworker had brought some in to work one day. While one of my brothers was horrified that I had tricked him with the brownies, the other was quite intrigued and asked if I could make some sort of dessert using coconut flour.

Shortly after I showed up to work and discovered that another nurse had brought some brownies that were made using coconut oil and flour. I immediately asked her for the recipe and excitedly brought it home. Last week my brother bought me some coconut flour and I finally had the chance to try out the recipe.

Although I tend to prefer fudgy brownies over more cakey ones, such as these, the brownies still tasted good. Both of my brothers enjoyed them and made suggestions of additions I could make next time, such as carob or chocolate chips or some nuts. I decided to leave additions out this time so that they could just taste the natural flavor of the brownie itself, which is quite coconut and almondy due to the coconut oil and almond butter. My one substitution was that I used half maple syrup and half honey because I didn't have the full amount of maple syrup called for in the recipe.

Because the recipe made a large amount I decided to bring some in to work the next morning to share with my colleagues. The brownies were well received and it felt nice to be able to spread a little extra cheer before the weekend. One of the nurses who is actually gluten-free fell in love with them and had three pieces! She raved about the brownies and begged me for the recipe, which I promised her would be posted on my blog.

Coconut Brownies

• 1 cup coconut oil
• 1 cup maple syrup (or 1 cup honey)
• 5 oz (140 g) bittersweet chocolate
• ¼ cup cocoa powder 
• ¼ cup coconut flour
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1½ cups almond butter

1. In a small saucepan, combine the coconut oil, maple syrup/honey, and chocolate. Heat until the coconut oil and chocolate has completely melted.
2. Remove from the heat an stir the cocoa powder into the mixture. Set aside to cool.
3. In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, vanilla, and baking soda.
4. Add the almond butter and mix well. Mix in the coconut flour.
5. Add the chocolate mixture and mix until a uniform batter comes together.
6. Pour the batter into a 9"x13" well-greased or parchment-lined pan.
7. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly before slicing and serving.

Black Bean Brownies

A week ago one of my former classmates, and now colleague, brought a batch of homemade brownies to work. Although I wouldn't call her a health nut, she definitely likes to eat a lot of healthy products and advertised these brownies as such. When I asked her why she explained that they were gluten-free black bean brownies, meaning they had no flour in them and were packed with protein. I was curious so I tried a piece and was amazed that they tasted very good.

I decided to make an experiment and see how my family would react to them, given their unusual ingredients. I hadn't baked brownies in quite a long time and both my mother and brother are chocoholics so I knew they would be initially well-received. I baked the brownies, making sure no one was around to see the ingredients going into them, and then offered them freshly baked to my brother.

I waited until he had finished half of his large piece before letting him in on the secret. Needless to say he was appalled and almost offended that I had "tricked" him into eating this unconventional brownie. I explained that I wasn't trying to be sneaky but I wanted his unbiased opinion of the taste before I told him about the beans. He couldn't believe that it had black beans in it nor could he imagine why anyone would ever create such a recipe. He proceeded to ramble on about how it was a horrible idea to put beans into a dessert, all the while finishing his brownie piece.

Later that evening I gave my mom a piece to sample but she had a different reaction. The recipe also used coconut oil rather than canola or vegetable oil and my mom could taste it right away. Not being a fan of coconut, other than coconut milk, she immediately was put off by the taste and I didn't even have a chance to tell her about the beans. She said that it reminded her a lot of a Nanaimo bar, a chocolate treat made with coconut flakes.

I still wanted more opinions so I packed some up and gave them to my cousins to sample. Of course I didn't tell them about the ingredients, just that I baked brownies and wanted them to have a taste. My cousin texted me later that evening and said they were good and that I should blog about them. It will be interesting to see her reaction once this post goes up and my secret will be out. I wonder if she will be as offended as my brother or find it cool that something so unusual can taste so good.

Black Bean Brownies
Note: I saw one version online that baked the brownies in a mini-muffin pan for 12-15 minutes. According to my brother, traditional brownies should always be baked in a pan and then sliced so I stuck to his preferences however the brownies were quite gooey so it may be more convenient to bake them in the muffin pan and not have to worry about slicing.

• 1 15 oz can black beans, well-rinsed and drained (about 1¾ cups)
• 2 large eggs
• 3 tbsp coconut oil (may use vegetable or canola oil instead)
• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ cup + 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup chocolate chips
• Optional: ½ cup chopped walnuts  

1. In the bowl of a food processor, puree the beans on high speed until they turn into a paste and are free of any solid pieces.
2. Add the eggs, coconut oil, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt and continue to puree until a homogenous mixture forms. The consistency should be like that of a regular brownie batter, spreadable but not too liquidy or thick.
3. Mix in the chocolate chips using a wooden spoon or spatula.
4. Spread the batter evenly into an 8"x8" well-greased or parchment-lined pan. Sprinkle the chopped nuts (if using) on top.
5. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25-30 minutes. (I baked it for 25 minutes but the center was still quite gooey so I would recommend an extra five minutes just to make sure it sets).
6. Remove from the oven and allow the brownies to cool for at least half an hour in the pan before slicing and serving, otherwise they will be too difficult to cut.

Nutella Espresso Mousse Brownies

I can't believe it's been a month since I posted any new dessert recipes. I guess after all of my holiday baking I took somewhat of a break from desserts and focused more on cooking, as well as bringing back some favorites from the past. Last night, however, I had the perfect excuse to bake something new as my family came over to see pictures from my parents' recent trip to Australia.

These brownies turned out to be a huge hit amongst my family members and were received with much more enthusiasm than I had anticipated. That's not to say that I didn't think they would taste bad; I was just surprised at how much everyone loved them and how many questions I received about them.

The original recipe called for making the brownies in an 8" x 8" pan but my pan was occupied at the time. However I used my super math skills and calculated that using a round cake pan with a 9" diameter would yield the same result without me having to adjust the quantities. True, the baking time was slightly less but that just made the whole thing faster and by using a springform pan I was able to just pop the entire thing out and slice it like a cake instead of into squares, as is typical of a brownie.

The truth of the matter was that the recipe was super easy and kind of reminded me of a cheater's version of a double layered chocolate mousse cake. The espresso flavor was quite pronounced in the mousse but I think it complimented the nutella well. My only complaint would be that I felt the brownie layer was too dense compared to the airy mousse and it felt like two separate desserts in my mouth. My mom, a lover of dense, fudgy brownies did not feel the same. I would have paired the mousse with a lighter, more cakey brownie and I might try that in the future.

Nutella Espresso Mousse Brownies
Note: I used a 9" springform pan and therefore my "brownies" turned out to be more of a cake. The directions posted below reflect the original brownies, meant for an 8" x 8" pan. If using a 9" round cake pan, keep the quantities the same and decrease the baking time by 5 minutes. 

For the brownie layer:

• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tbsp instant espresso powder
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ⅓ cup cocoa powder
• ½ cup flour
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp baking powder

For the mousse layer:

• 2 tsp instant espresso powder
• 1 tbsp hot water
• ¼ cup nutella
• 1 cup heavy cream

1. Sift together the cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk the instant espresso powder in the melted butter until dissolved. 
3. Add the sugar and beat until fully incorporated. 
4. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla. 
5. Stir the dry ingredients into the mixture just until incorporated then pour into a well-greased or parchment lined 8" x 8" pan. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 28-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool.
6. To make the mousse: dissolve the instant espresso in the hot water and then whisk with the nutella. 
7. Beat the heavy cream on medium speed until stiff peaks form. Take a spoonful of the whipped cream and whisk into the nutella espresso mixture to loosen it. Add the mixture to the rest of the whipped cream and gently fold in with a spatula until no streaks remain.
8. Pour the mousse over the cooled brownie layer and smooth the top. Refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours to allow the mousse to set then remove from the pan and cut into squares.

Dark Chocolate and Roasted Cherry Brownies

My family loves cherries...especially my mom. Whenever they are on sale at the grocery store she usually stocks up and buys three or four bags, knowing that they will get snapped up in a hurry as soon as she brings them home. Back in Tashkent, where my family is from, my mom claims she used to eat sour cherries all the time and they were one of her favorite foods. Around here we don't commonly see sour cherries being sold and my mom really misses them, though sometimes we buy them in a jar. Still, it's not the same as eating them fresh and on the few occasions that I've tried them I have to agree that they taste delicious.

The other day I came across a recipe for brownies with roasted cherries and it sounded like a great combination, especially for my chocolate and cherry loving family. I decided to make the recipe for a family get together over tea, something we commonly do to celebrate special occasions or just catch up. This time we were gathering to welcome home my uncle, cousin, and brother who just spent the week in Montreal, Quebec City, and Ottawa. In addition to the brownies I also made my fig and goat cheese galette because we had an abundance of figs after a recent Costco shopping trip.

The brownies turned out to be a big hit with my family and my mom in particular. I had substituted the actual brownie recipe for a different one that promised "fudgy" brownies and then mixed it with the roasted cherries. I liked the flavor combination of the dark chocolate and the cherries and the brownies did in fact turn out "fudgy" as promised. Best of all, the brownies had such a wonderful smell when I pulled them out of the oven it was hard to resist taking one before going over to my aunt's house later that evening.

Dark Chocolate and Roasted Cherry Brownies

• 2 cups cherries, pitted and halved
• 1 1/2 cups + 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 11 oz (300 g) dark chocolate
• 1 cup (8 tbsp) unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 5 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla

1. Combine the cherries with the 2 tablespoons of sugar and mix well in a bowl. Spread the cherries on a baking tray in one even layer and roast for 10 minutes at 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
2. Meanwhile, melt the dark chocolate and butter together over a double broiler then mix in the sugars.
3. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt.
4. Add the first three eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Add the remaining eggs and whisk again until combined. Add the vanilla and lightly stir until combined but don't overbeat.
5. Add the flour mixture to the batter and gently fold it in using a spatula until almost no flour is visible. Fold in the cherries as well just until they are mixed throughout.
6. Pour the batter into a greased or parchment paper-lined 9" x 13" pan and smooth out the top. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Note: It is easiest to cut the brownies once they have cooled.

Caramel Fudge Brownies

This weekend my aunt, uncle, and cousins finally moved into their new house now that all of the major renovations were complete. Unfortunately, I had to study for upcoming exams and could not help out but that didn't stop me from taking some time to stop by and bring a yummy treat to celebrate and welcome them to their new home.

I honestly was not intending to blog about this recipe because I didn't think it was so extraordinary. However my family loudly objected and could not stop talking about the deliciousness of the brownies. My cousin, a big lover of caramel, was extremely pleased with the layer of caramel sandwiched inside the brownie. Together with the nuts the brownie was kind of reminiscent of a turtle candy. Personally, I like chewy brownies a little more (and I already have a recipe waiting to be tested) but everyone at the table was crazy about these brownies. Therefore I decided to honor their requests and post the recipe. I'm curious to see how this recipe would turn out if I combined the caramel portion with the brownie batter of my chewy brownie recipe. I guess I'll have to bake another batch to find out...but I don't think anyone will mind having to be a dessert tester for me.

Caramel Fudge Brownies

• 1 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 12 oz (336 g) chocolate, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla 
• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups nuts, chopped (walnuts, pecans, almonds...anything you prefer)
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 12 oz (336 g) caramel soft chews
• 1/3 cup heavy cream

1. Using a double broiler, melt the chocolate and butter together.
2. Whisk in the sugar, eggs, and vanilla.
3. Stir in the flour and salt just until all of the dry ingredients are incorporated.
4. Pour half of the batter into a 9" x 13" pan sprayed liberally with cooking oil or lined with parchment or wax paper.
5. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
6. Meanwhile, combine the caramel soft chews and heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat and keep heating until the candies melt, stirring frequently to help break up the caramel.
7. At the same time, lightly toast the chopped nuts over low heat for about 3-5 minutes or until they are fragrant. Set aside to cool.
8. Once the caramel has melted, stir in half of the chopped nuts and then immediately spread the mixture evenly over the baked brownie layer in the pan. Work quickly because the caramel will start to set.
9. Spread the remaining brownie batter evenly over the caramel layer and then sprinkle with the remaining nuts and chocolate chips.
10. Return to the oven for another 18-20 minutes, or until the top of the brownie looks set and a toothpick inserted comes out clean (meaning free of chocolate but it's okay if some caramel sticks).
11. Cool in the pan before slicing and serving.

Two-Bite Peanut Butter Brownies

Seeing as today is Remembrance Day and a statutory holiday, my whole family spent the day at home relaxing. I decided that I would use the opportunity to bake and revisited the idea of peanut butter brownies. This was not my first attempt; previously I attempted making peanut butter swirl brownies. I don't know what went wrong last time but somehow the brownies turned out extremely greasy. Of course my brother and his friends didn't mind, and ate up the entire pan, but I personally couldn't handle more than one bite.

Even so, I decided that I would attempt to make this tasty little treat once more. This time the brownies turned out much better, although they were quite difficult to remove from the pan. I baked them in a mini muffin tin and I didn't feel like making two batches so I kind of overfilled them. I think this contributed to the difficulty in later removing them from the pan because the edges puffed out and created little muffin tops which were kind of sticky due to the peanut butter. Still, it was yummy and that's what I was going for.

Two-Bite Peanut Butter Brownies

For the brownies:

• 5 oz. (150 g) bittersweet chocolate
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt

For the peanut butter:

• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 8 oz. (1 block) cream cheese, softened
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp milk
• 1/4 tsp vanilla

1. In a double broiler, heat the butter and chocolate until evenly melted and combined. For set up of the double broiler see the chocolate covered strawberries post.
2. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder. Add the salt and mix together.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the sugar into the melted chocolate. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla.
4. Slowly whisk in the flour mixture and continue until all of the dry ingredients are well incorporated.
5. Spray the mini muffin tin with nonstick spray and then evenly divide the batter amongst the cups. I made 24, filling them quite full, but if you fill them only halfway (like you're supposed to) it actually makes close to 40.
6. Beat all of the peanut butter ingredients together until creamy. Spoon on top of the brownie mixture in each cup, covering so that you can't see any chocolate underneath.
7. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. The tops will start to crack, making it easy to slide a toothpick into the chocolate alone.
8. Cool before removing from the pan.

Note: You can also make this in a large 8 x 8 pan by pouring out the entire brownie batter and then evenly spreading the peanut butter over top. Bake for about 40-45 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Nutella Brownie Bites

I think that this has become one of my favorite brownie recipes. Not for the fact that it tastes great, which it does, or because it uses Nutella, and who doesn't love that, but because it uses only four ingredients and bakes in under ten minutes. I honestly can't think of a simpler brownie recipe and for that reason alone it ranks highly among the many brownies I've made.

Although the brownies tasted delicious, with a wonderful hazelnut flavor accented by the chopped nuts on top, when I served them everyone at the table said they had wished it had more of a gooey center. I supposed that naturally, people associate brownies as moist and gooey, or at least chewy. This brownie was more airy and cake like rather than fudgy. I think that in the future, I will bake it for 1-2 minutes less and see if that keeps some of the gooiness inside. Also, I'm curious as to how these would turn out if I baked the entire batter in a regular pan and then cut it into pieces. Because I loved this recipe so much, and I'm sure I will be making it again, I will definitely try experimenting with it and see what happens.

Nutella Brownie Bites
Note: A single batch makes 12 mini brownies.

• 1/2 cup Nutella
• 1 large egg
• 5 tbsp flour
• 1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts

1. In a medium bowl whisk together the nutella and egg until smooth and blended.
2. Add the flour and whisk until combined.
3. Spray a 12-cup mini muffin pan with nonstick spray or line with paper or foil wrappers. 
4. Spoon the batter into the cups, filling each cup about 3/4 full.
5. Sprinkle the chopped hazelnuts over top of each cup.
6. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes. Next time, I'm going to try 8 minutes and see how that turns out.