Sweet Potato Brownies... Sweet#10

Sweet Potato Brownies...  a healthier version. This was one of my husband's favorite desserts from all the cookies in the "sweet series" I've been posting.... and this recipe happened to be the only non-cookie dessert of the bunch. Sure, he liked all the cookies I made, some more than others... but somehow he had a soft spot for these brownies. 

He loved the flavors, the nuts, the fudgy texture... maybe it was because I added some orange peel to the batter and used a good chocolate instead of the regular chocolate chips I normally use. But whatever the reason, my husband  now wants me to buy sweet potato... just to make these brownies:). So here is the last of the "sweets".... hope you've enjoyed the mini series. But, now ... on to other "healthier" recipes:). Hope you enjoy...

Note: I added some of the measurements in cups... as I measured on my scale... as well as changes I made to the original recipe. Feel free to check the original recipe.

You will need: adapted from Dan Lepard

100 grams ( I used 6 TBS) unsalted butter

125 grams dark chocolate, chopped* 

200 grams baked sweet potato puree(1 cup minus 3 TBS)

125 grams brown sugar (1/2 cup+2TBS+2tsp packed)

1 ex-large egg

1 TBS vanilla extract

100 grams plain flour (3/4 cup)

¼ tsp baking powder

pinch of salt 

75 grams chopped chocolate*

100 grams chopped pecans(about 1 cup half pieces of pecans before chopped)

1 TBS orange zest, optional

* I ended up using a dark Callebaut chocolate

Directions:

1. Cook sweet potato(es)... either baked, steamed, or pressure cooked until soft. I ended up using my pressure cooker... peeled and cut sweet potato into chunks, placed them in the steamer basket and pressure cooked them for about 9 minutes or until fork tender. If you have some leftover cooked sweet potato puree from a previous meal( unsalted and unflavored), you could use that instead.

2. Place sweet potato chunks in food processor and process till smooth. Measure out 200 grams(or a scant cup...which is about a cup minus 3 TBS). Set aside.

• Line an 8 inch square pan( or similar) with nonstick parchment paper.
• Pre-heat the oven to 350 deg. F

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan, then add 125g of the chocolate and stir until chocolate is melted.

2. In a bowl, beat the sweet potato puree with the brown sugar until almost smooth. 

3. Mix in the melted butter /chocolate mixture. 

4. Add the egg, orange zest, and vanilla, beat until thick.

5. Stir in the flour and baking powder until evenly combined. 

6. Fold in the pecans and 75 grams of chopped chocolate.

7. Spread brownie batter in parchment lined baking pan and smooth the top.

8. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, until barely cooked but still a bit soft under the crust. I baked mine for 25 minutes. Leave to cool completely in the pan before cutting.

Pecan Blondies( with maple syrup sauce)...#6 in a series of desserts.

Pecan Blondies(with maple syrup sauce)... I love brownies. I like them chewy and chocolate-y, with or without nuts, and with all sorts of flavors...mint, orange, raspberry, etc. But somehow, I tend to forget about its cousin the blondie. The blondies are equally delicious... they can be chewy, nutty, and have all sorts of flavors. While the blondies don't have a chocolate flavor(especially if you don't use any chocolate chips), they do make up for the chocolate flavor in that they have a delightful caramel-y taste. If you really want some chocolate flavor, the blondies can adapt....simply by adding some chocolate chips/chunks to the batter:).

I've been holding on to an older Taste of Home magazine that I've had for some time... the issue featured all sorts of brownies. But it was the grand prize winner that caught my attention... a pecan blondie a la mode with a maple syrup sauce. It looked so good that I had wanted to try it... but eventually other recipes had priority, and the magazine sort of got forgotten. But since I had the perfect opportunity to make them for the youth retreat, I dusted the magazine and finally got the chance to make the blondies. And they were so delicious! Nutty. Caramel-y. A cookie... in bar form... and simple to whip up.

I can easily see how it won the grand prize. So here is #6 in a series of desserts. Hope you enjoy...

Note: I skipped the sauce and ice cream... but posted the maple syrup sauce below, for those of you who would like to try the a la mode version. And you don't have to add chocolate chips... that was simply my addition. Oh, and I divided the pecans so that I could sprinkle some on top... but you can simply add all the pecans to the batter, if you wish.

Tip: The brownies can be chewy or cake-y depending on how long they are baked. So check the blondie at the 22-25 minute mark( or so) for a chewy blondie and 30 minutes for a cake-like brownie...

You will need: adapted from Taste of Home

3/4 cup butter, softened

2 cups packed brown sugar

4 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract*

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 cups chopped pecans, divided

1/3 cup mini chocolate chips, optional

* I usually add a bit more... love vanilla

Directions

1. In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.

2. Beat in eggs and vanilla.

3. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt

4. Add the flour mixture to the creamed butter. Stir in 1 cup pecans.

5. Spread the thick batter unto a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. You may need to use the back of a spoon to level the batter out. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup pecans and chocolate chips(if using)...over the entire batter.

6. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Do check it at the 25 minute mark for a chewy blondie... a few more minutes in the oven will make the blondies more cake-like. Cool on a wire rack.

In case you would like to make an a la mode brownie, here is the recipe for the sauce.

MAPLE CREAM SAUCE: I skipped this

1 cup maple syrup

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup evaporated milk

Vanilla ice cream and chopped pecans

Directions:

1. Combine syrup and butter in a saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in milk. Cut brownies into squares.

2. Place brownie square on dessert plates and top with a scoop of ice cream. Drizzle some of the sauce; sprinkle with pecans.

King Arthur Flour Brownies...An Awesome Recipe!

King Arthur Flour Brownies...An Awesome Recipe! Have you ever had brownies that are about 1 inch thick and are chewy, fudgy, chocolatey, and a bit cake-like with a nice shiny, crackly top all at the same time? Well, I recently made a BIG batch of brownies...a 13x9 pan! The whole batch had about 2 cups of sugar and 2 cups of butter! You know they had to be good:).

My husband has been asking me to make him some brownies...I haven't made brownies for a while now. And whenever I do make brownies, I most always make my World's Chocolatiest Brownies...because my husband thinks they are simply the best. But you see, I have been wanting to make King Arthur Flour's fudgy brownie... a brownie that is KAF guaranteed(meaning they will come out as described). They looked so ... well, like brownies should look,...fudgy with a shiny, crackly crust. I HAD to make them, even if the recipe had well over 2 cups of sugar and 2 sticks of butter. I told myself that it was o.k.... since the recipe did make a BIG pan. I guess I could have halved the recipe. But I didn't. And decided to make the whole batch. I guess I wanted to see what they were like, if it would be a great recipe to have on hand when I need to make a big batch.

I know you can freeze brownies, so I wasn't worried about the big batch the recipe yielded....and my husband wouldn't mind:). It would be a special treat to have a small bite with coffee every once in a while. I mean brownies and coffee...that's a pretty good combination.

For this post, I also wanted to show you how to turn regular brownies into elegant desserts. I was inspired by King Arthur's brownie bites post... so, I guess that is part of the reason why I decided to make the whole batch. Well, with just a few simple decorations, you can turn the brownies into something extra special. Use a raspberry, caramel, chocolate sauce or some sweetened whipped cream to decorate. Make some chocolate curls using a vegetable peeler. I love to make them into mini brownies as well.

These brownies would be extra cute for tea parties. Just cut them in round bite-size pieces and decorate as desired. I love to add various flavorings to my brownies....orange peel/extract has got to be one of my favorites. But I also like to add other flavorings, such as Irish Cream, rum, raspberry and mint.

These brownies delivered....they were incredibly good! If you like chocolate, you will probably like these brownies. Oh, if you like nuts, feel free to substitute some of the chocolate chips with some nuts. Hope you enjoy...

You will need: adapted from King Arthur Flour

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

2 1/4 cups sugar

4 large eggs

1 1/4 cups Double-Dutch Dark Cocoa or Dutch-process cocoa( I used Hershey's DARK)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon espresso powder

1 tablespoon vanilla extract*

1 1/2 cups unbleached All-Purpose Flour

2 cups chocolate chips

* I used orange zest

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.

1. Lightly grease a 9" x 13" pan

2. In a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl, or in a saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter, then add the sugar and stir to combine. Return the mixture to the heat (or microwave) briefly, just until it's hot (about 110°F to 120°F), but not bubbling; it'll become shiny looking as you stir it. Heating this mixture a second time will dissolve more of the sugar, which will yield a shiny top crust on your brownies.

3. While the sugar heats a second time, crack the 4 eggs into a bowl, and beat them with the cocoa, salt, baking powder, espresso powder, and vanilla till smooth.

4. Add the hot butter/sugar mixture, stirring until smooth.

5. Add the flour and chips, again stirring until smooth.
Note: If you want the chips to remain intact in the baked brownies, rather than melting in, let the batter cool in the bowl for about 20 minutes before stirring in the chips.

6. Spoon the batter into a lightly greased 9" x 13" pan. I used parchment paper on the bottom.

7. Bake the brownies for about 30 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, or with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Mine did excellent at the 30 minute mark, even though the toothpick still had some moist crumbs/filling. It continues to cook as it cools. The brownies should feel set on the edges, and the center should look very moist, but not uncooked. Remove them from the oven and cool on a rack before cutting and serving.

You can cut them traditionally in big squares or opt to cut them mini and place them in mini muffin liners.

OR...

Make elegant desserts by cutting them in round shapes using a biscuit cutter. Decorate as desired....with whipped cream,shaved chocolate curls(using a vegetable peeler), raspberry sauce, ice cream and caramel sauce...or whatever you prefer, like chocolate covered espresso beans.

Banana Chocolate Chip Bar

Banana Chocolate Chip Bar.... I came across this bar recipe while looking on Tastespotting one day. The pictures were mouth watering, and I knew I had to try it. I really loved the idea of a Banana Chocolate Bar... I love banana bread, and sometimes I want something different. This was the perfect recipe to try out. Bars are wonderful....they are easy to make and versatile. You can serve it with a scoop of your favorite ice cream, take it to a potluck, grab a few for a picnic, have it as an afternoon snack, or share it with a friend.

I tried not to change too many things with the recipe, except that I used some ground oatmeal instead of the almond flour. I am sure the almond flour would have been great...except that I didn't have any on hand. Using oatmeal was just fine. Actually, we really liked it! Oh, I also added some orange peel:)...but that is totally optional. Since I had quite a bit of bananas sitting in my freezer, I doubled the recipe. I used a large cookie sheet (11x17). Not knowing if that size would be ok, I kept looking through the oven door. I was wondering if it would spill over as it baked! At one point, I panicked:)...I thought I would have a mess, but it was just right!

You can probably cut down on some of the sugar in the recipe, substitute some whole wheat, and omit the chocolate(but that would be a shame, 'cause bananas and chocolate go ever so well together:)!) Hope you too will enjoy this recipe...

You will need: adapted from eatingwelllivingthin blog. Makes 16 bars.

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup ground oatmeal (or almond flour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter
1 1/4 cups sugar( I think I will cut down on the sugar, next time)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup mashed very ripe bananas
1 cup chocolate chips

2-3 tsps grated orange zest(optional)
1/2-1 tsp almond extract (optional, but really goes well)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

1. Grind oatmeal in blender until fine. Don't worry too much if you can't get it extra fine...it will be ok. You should have a 1/2 cup ground oatmeal.

2. Coat a 9×13 inch baking pan with vegetable cooking spray( I don't use... but like to use parchment paper...so I won't have any surprises).
3. In a medium bowl combine the flour, ground oatmeal, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl cream together the butter and the sugar until fluffy.
5. Beat in the egg, vanilla, orange zest.

6. Add the mashed banana until well mixed.
7. Beat in the flour mixture just until incorporated.

8. Fold in the chocolate chips.

9. Pour batter into prepared pan. Batter is a bit thick, so spread it out evenly.

10. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden and moist crumbs adhere to a toothpick inserted in the middle.

Do not over-bake.

World's Chocolatiest Brownies

World's Chocolatiest Brownies.... I needed to bake something for our church annual youth group camp. So, I decide to bake some brownies. These brownies are from my collection of tried and true recipes. It actually has a long story that goes with it. I actually got this recipe from a cookbook in our local library when I was in High School. When I was tired of studying or waiting to be picked up, I would look at cookbooks to pass the time( I get lost in cookbooks!). I always copied down recipes...some I tried, some I kept to try later. Well, this recipe I kept and never tried until I got married! So , I am glad I kept it! This recipe has got to be my favorite recipe for brownies.They are very fudgy/chewy and not cake-like. I made a few additions to it but kept the basic recipe the same. I have tried other recipes for brownies ...but this wins the gold medal (in our house) for being the best. Chocolatiest Brownies ever....it is not for the timid! Hope you enjoy...

Note:~The original recipe has you dip the brownies into melted chocolate and sprinkle with nuts. I never do . But I am sure you can! So I will post this information as well if you would like to do that.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter
• 2 TBS water
• 2 cups chocolate chips
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp salt (I usually just put a pinch)
• 1/4 tsp baking soda

*variation

you can also add some raspberry extract, orange peel/extract, Irish cream, instant coffee, Kahlua, nuts, etc.

**you can easily double the recipe which I did this time around. I used an 11x 17 pan for double the recipe. I added 1 TBS orange peel/2 tsp orange extract and 5-6TBS Irish cream to this recipe.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 deg. F

1. In a medium bowl combine flour, salt and baking soda. Set aside.

2. In saucepan, over medium heat, bring sugar, butter and water to boil. Remove from heat.

3. Stir in 1 cup chips and vanilla or any flavoring you like or both! Stir till smooth. Cool 5 minutes.

4. Beat in eggs 1 at a time until well mixed.

5. Add flour mixture and combine.

6. Add 1 cup (I reserve a handful so I can sprinkle on top...you don't have to) chips and combine quickly so as not to completely melt the chips ( if they do ...it is OK they still come out great!).

7. Pour into a greased, parchment lined 8x8 square pan. Since I doubled it, I used an 11 x 17 pan.

8. Bake in a preheated oven set at 32 deg F. for 35 minutes. (if doubling it let bake for an addition 3-5 minutes). Cool completely. I usually freeze it for a few minutes (not completely, just cuts easier).

9. I like to cut them in smaller pieces as well...as they can be quite rich.

If you would like to dip them in chocolate the instructions are as follows:

Freeze brownies 30 -40 minutes cut into small squares.

Chop pecans finely to equal 1/2 cup. Set aside.

Melt 2 cups chocolate chips and 2 TBS shortening.

Dip brownies to cover completely. Sprinkle with nuts.

Chewy Granola Bars

Chewy Granola Bars:I think I finally found a recipe that I like for the chewiest granola bars ever! You don't have to bake these granola bars. I can easily have a healthier alternative to the store bought ones that are packed with high fructose corn syrup....so, I prefer making my own. Granted these are not sugar-free, but they are great because you can use honey and really any ingredients you like. You can omit the nuts if you have a nut allergy. You can add only dried fruits ... The fun part of about this recipe is that you can experiment with what you like. Hope you enjoy...

Ingredients: You can probably decrease the amount of sugar a bit, as they are quite sweet

• 2 1/2-3 cups oats
• 3/4 cup wheat germ/rice crispies or omit if you like (I omitted since I didn't have on hand)
• 1 cup sunflower seeds/almonds/walnuts/cashews/ or a mixture
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut (unsweetened if possible)
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 4 Tbsp butter
• 2 tsp vanilla extract (I also added almond flavoring...you can omit and add cinnamon)
• 1/2 tsp Kosher salt (I omit this)
• approximately 8 oz. dried fruit cranberries/raisins/apricots/cherries/or a mixture

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

1. Mix nuts and oats. Toast them in the oven for 5-10 minutes, stirring every few minutes so that they don’t get burned.... better if they are lightly toasted than biting into a granola that has burned nuts!

2. Meanwhile, prepare a glass baking dish (about 9 x 13 inches) for your granola by lining it with waxed paper lightly sprayed with a nonstick spray. I used plastic wrap and it works very well. You can use a smaller pan as well if you like them a bit thicker.

3. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.

4. Put the brown sugar, honey, butter, vanilla, and salt into a saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly until you see it getting thick and carmel color. The sugar should have dissolved at this point. It should be about 3 minutes after it has come to a rolling boil.

5. Add the carmel mixture (which should be quite sticky at this point) to the dry ingredients. Mix everything REALLY WELL because you want to make sure the “glue” gets all over everything.

6. Dump your granola mixture into your prepared baking dish. Spread out the mixture with a wooden spoon or spatula. You may need to oil you hands a bit if you want to spread it evenly without sticking.

7. Now fold over the sides of the waxed paper or add a sheet on top(or plastic wrap as in my case), and press hard all over the granola. You want to compact it together so that your bars won’t fall apart when you cut them.

8. Wait 2-3 hours or until the granola has totally cooled. (I don't have patience and I put it in the fridge for a bit so I can speed up the process and wrap/store them). Remove top waxed paper/plastic wrap and carefully turn the granola onto a large cutting board, peeling away the rest of the paper.

9. Firmly pressing down with a big knife (not sawing), cut your granola into whatever size bars you’d like. I wrapped ours individually in plastic wrap, so you can grab one for a snack on the go.