Happy New Year, my friends. I am ever so grateful that you visit my humble blog so often and share your kind words and friendship with me. I am truly inspired by the diverse talents and incredible treats that I experience on each and every one of your blogs. And so here we [...]]]>

Happy New Year, my friends. I am ever so grateful that you visit my humble blog so often and share your kind words and friendship with me. I am truly inspired by the diverse talents and incredible treats that I experience on each and every one of your blogs. And so here we are on the first day of 2012, embarking on a new year of friendship, smiling faces, baked goodies, photography, and blogging. Thank you for being here. May I offer you a brownie?

I baked these brownies on a whim last night. Our New Year’s Eve after-dinner menu was already set: a bottle of bubbly pink moscato, a bowl of kettle corn, and a Marx brothers flick. But something was missing. And apparently, it was chocolate. My mind latched onto the idea of a plate of fresh brownies to complement the salty-sweet kettle corn. I had a couple of hours to kill before dinnertime, but not a bar of chocolate or a bag of chocolate chips in the house (oh, the horror!). So I turned to my can of cocoa powder to satisfy the craving. I’ve made these cocoa brownies before, and though serious chocolate snobs would scoff at the use of cocoa powder, they get the job done and still beat the boxed brownies by a mile.

I added a bit of peanut butter flavor by swapping some of the flour for peanut flour, and I reduced the sugar to bring out that dark chocolate flavor that I love. These turned out excellent, a fudgy peanut butter-y dark chocolate treat!

Photo credit: The Boyfriend

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter-y Cocoa Brownies
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
Yield: One 8″ x 8″ pan of brownies

10 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-processed)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 eggs, cold
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup peanut flour

Place the oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°. Grease an 8″ x 8″ pan with butter and set aside.

In a medium heatproof bowl, combine the butter, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Set the bowl into a pan or skillet of barely simmering water, so that it is floating on the surface of the water. Stir occasionally until the butter has melted and the mixture is smooth (it will still be grainy). Remove the bowl from the heat and set aside for a few minutes until the mixture is just warm, not hot.

Stir in the vanilla extract. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. When the batter becomes thick and shiny, add both types of flour and stir until you can’t see the flour anymore. Once the flour is incorporated, beat the batter vigorously for 40 strokes with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.

Spread the batter evenly in the pan (it won’t rise or spread out much on its own). Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until the center has set and is no longer jiggly. Allow the brownies to cool in the pan, on a cooling rack.

Whew. Things are finally back to normal around here. I wasn’t too keen on participating in Project Food Blog at first, but as I read the list of challenges I was inspired. The creative part of my brain took over and I began to imagine how I could take each challenge and create [...]]]>

Whew. Things are finally back to normal around here. I wasn’t too keen on participating in Project Food Blog at first, but as I read the list of challenges I was inspired. The creative part of my brain took over and I began to imagine how I could take each challenge and create something new and unique. With the support of each of you who voted for me, I was able to present five different challenges. It was a whirlwind five weeks. It was stressful at times, but somehow each challenge got completed on schedule.

It was a joy to peruse the new entries every Monday and discover new blogs. Every single contestant has their own special flair and it has been such a treat to sift through the entries each week. I’d like to take the time to share some of my favorite new blogs along with a few that I’ve been reading for a while now.

This award was given to me by Beth at Of Muses and Meringues. Beth has quite a lovely blog herself. Her reflections on baking, writing, and travel always bring a smile to my face. Plus, I’m super impressed that she has published three children’s books!

I would like to pass the award on to the following bloggers with a heartfelt thank you for inspiring me.

Anecdotes and Apple Cores – Monet is a brilliant writer and she’s always baking something wonderful. She has an incredible amount of passion and creativity and it shows in each and every post.

Baking Without A Box – I was drawn to the name of Amanda’s blog immediately! She’s always tempting me with ice cream and has the cutest kitchen assistants.

Callieflower Kitchen – Every time I visit Callie’s blog I want to take a bite of the cupcake at the top. She’s got a great writing style, and that moustache mug is something else.

Delta Kitchen – From home-baked bread to pumpkin curry, I always discover something new and tasty on Andreas’s blog. Plus, he always gets my math jokes.

Fro and a Fork – I am hooked on Kashia’s hilarious commentary. She thinks she’s not a baker, but her cupcakes look outstanding to me.

Hot Polka Dot – Lindsey’s down-to-earth writing style and eye-catching photographs always make me smile. She’s definitely an artist.

Minimalista – Hannah’s inspiring photos and perfectly presented baked goods are always a treat.

Namely Marly – Marly’s blog is a collection of vegan goodies and gorgeous photography, coupled with thoughtful posts and research about names.

Oven Love – Natalie is a super talented blogger and baker. Just check out that rainbow cake!

Ravenous Rowie – After visiting the British Columbia Gulf Islands this summer I really want to live there, but instead I live there vicariously through Rowie’s blog.

The Witchy Kitchen – Stella’s healthful twist on traditional treats inspires me to eat more consciously. She’s a true kitchen witch with a flair for photography.

Vegan Thyme – Kelly’s blog is one of my old favorites: a treasure trove of vegan goodies coupled with plenty of gardening and outside-the-kitchen commentary.

If you would like to pass along the award, simply share 12 blogs that you find lovely. Make sure to notify the recipients!

As you peruse some new blogs, I suggest snacking on a batch of pumpkin swirl brownies. I’ve been meaning to make the famous Baked brownies for some time now. But the recipe calls for 11 ounces of dark chocolate, and it’s rare that I have even a bag of chocolate chips in the pantry. In fact, I usually only buy chocolate with specific recipes in mind, otherwise it gets consumed pretty quickly. I finally broke down and bought the chocolate for these brownies, and you should do the same. They’re totally worth it.

These brownies are soft and gooey in the middle, slightly crispy around the edges. The pumpkin swirl adds extra moisture and the perfect touch of autumn spice.

Pumpkin Swirl Brownies
Adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking
Yield: 24 brownies

For the pumpkin swirl:
1 cup pumpkin puree
3 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 tablespoon brown sugar

For the brownies:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
11 ounces dark chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used 72%)
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
5 eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease a 9 x 13 inch pan with butter and set aside.

Whisk together all of the ingredients for the pumpkin swirl and set aside.

In another bowl, stir together the flour, salt, and cocoa powder.

Put the chocolate, butter, and instant espresso powder in yet another bowl (make sure this one is heatproof). Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and heat, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate and butter are completely melted. Turn off the heat and add the sugars. Whisk until completely combined, then remove the bowl from the pan and allow to cool to lukewarm.

Add 3 of the eggs to the chocolate mixture, whisking until combined. Add the remaining 2 eggs and whisk until thoroughly combined. Stir in the vanilla extract, just until combined.

Add the flour mixture to the chocolate mixture and fold the flour in with a rubber spatula. Fold until just barely combined and a small amount of flour may still be visible.

Pour about 2/3 of the brownie batter into the pan and spread to cover the bottom of the pan. Dollop the pumpkin mixture over the chocolate, then pour the rest of the brownie batter over the pumpkin. Using a rubber spatula or knife, swirl the pumpkin and chocolate batter together.

Bake for 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. The brownies are done when a toothpick inserted in the center has a few moist crumbs sticking to it. Place the pan on a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before slicing.

I made you some brownies. I wish I could share them with each and every one of you, over a tall glass of milk. It would be the perfect end to a late summer weekend. Would you settle for some photos and a recipe?

Perhaps you’d be willing to barter a few extra [...]]]>

I made you some brownies. I wish I could share them with each and every one of you, over a tall glass of milk. It would be the perfect end to a late summer weekend. Would you settle for some photos and a recipe?

Perhaps you’d be willing to barter a few extra minutes of your time for one of these brownies. Today is the first day of voting for Project Food Blog, and I’d love it if you could stop by and show your support for Simple Math Bakery. Get to know me by reading my post for the first challenge, then click on my profile picture in the right sidebar to vote. Voting is open from September 20th (6 AM Pacific Time) through September 23rd (6 PM Pacific Time). I’d be ever so grateful!

These brownies have a larger mission than bribing you to vote for me. They begin a journey of 7,027 miles (11,308 kilometers) to bring chocolate-induced joy to my friend Susannah. Susannah is currently living her dream as an underwater photographer on an archaeological excavation in Turkey. I am in awe of her work, and the least I can do is provide fuel (in the form of chocolate) to keep her going.

Since I’m a dark chocolate junkie, I reduced the sugar in this recipe. I also added a little bit of maple syrup to enhance the flavor. If you like your brownies sweet, just add a bit more sugar.

Dark Chocolate Brownies
Adapted from The King Arthur Flour Bakers’ Companion: The All-Purpose Baking Cookbook
Yield: one 9 x 13 pan full of brownies

6 ounces dark 70% chocolate
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
12 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sucanat or granulated sugar (use 2 cups for sweeter brownies)
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 375°. Grease a 9 x 13 pan and set aside.

In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the chocolate and butter. Stir in the cocoa powder. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

With an electric mixer, beat the eggs, vanilla, salt, sucanat, and maple syrup until it becomes light and fluffy (about 4 minutes).

Stir the flour into the chocolate mixture. Fold the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture, and stir well. Spread the batter into the greased pan.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs. Place pan on a cooling rack and allow to cool before slicing.

Every time I try a new brownie recipe, the resulting brownies taste like the best brownies I’ve ever made. This could mean one of two things: either my baking skills are improving, or I just love any type of brownies I can get my hands on.

So when I found this recipe for [...]]]>

Every time I try a new brownie recipe, the resulting brownies taste like the best brownies I’ve ever made. This could mean one of two things: either my baking skills are improving, or I just love any type of brownies I can get my hands on.

So when I found this recipe for olive oil brownies, I was intrigued. No butter? That makes these brownies healthier than their butter-laden counterparts. Right? And yes, these are the best brownies I’ve ever made.

The flavor of the month for February is chocolate! There’s no better way to get a chocolate fix than with a pan of rich, fudgy brownies!

The olive oil imparts a slightly different flavor to these brownies, but not a recognizable flavor. They are incredibly moist. We polished these off in less than 24 hours. We could have eaten them all in one sitting, but then we wouldn’t have had any left for breakfast the next morning. Hey, olive oil is healthy, right?

Olive Oil Brownies
Adapted from Adventures of an Italian Food Lover via The Traveler’s Lunchbox
Yield: 16 brownies

4 ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon almond meal (optional)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 eggs, room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°. Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, melt the chocolate over low heat, stirring frequently. Or melt it in the microwave, if you prefer. Whisk in the olive oil until well blended. Set aside to cool.

Combine the flour, almond meal, and salt in a small bowl. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until pale and thickened, about five minutes. Fold in the cooled chocolate mixture and the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and stir just until combined. Pour into the prepared pan.

Bake for 20-25 minutes. The brownies will be done when the top is dry and crackly, and a toothpick inserted in the center will emerge with moist crumbs. Place the pan on a cooling rack to cool completely before slicing.