frosted halloween oreo brownies

 

 

I have pretty much banned myself from Target.  I end up buying so many little things that I don't need that end up adding up to quite a bit of money.  I keep a running list of what I need and I try to go every other month.  Every visit I tell myself not to go down the baking isle but, sure enough my cart steers itself in that direction every visit.  This trip the baking isle was littered with Halloween seasonal items.  I limited myself to three items and well one container of fall sprinkles but, sprinkles don't count because they are small.  On this trip I got the Halloween oreos, cinnamon marshmallows and pumpkin spice kisses.  I have just realized that Target is not good for my waist or wallet.  Baking inspiration does not hit me daily like some bloggers/bakers.  Ideas slowly come to me but, after a few weeks I have an idea for each of my goodies.

First up oreo brownies with an oreo frosting.  I don't have a go to brownie recipe yet.  I know we like a chocolaty, dense, chewy brownie that is just a bit under cooked.  I cracked open my Joy of Cooking cookbook and used the brownie recipe from there.  These were very rich but, very addicting.  I kept slicing a tiny piece off on each visit to the kitchen.  This coming from a person who used to not really like cookies and cream flavor, frosting or brownies.  I chopped up my oreos into quarters and the cookies held up well but, adding more oroeos and keeping them whole would push these brownies into the down right sinful category.

frosted halloween oreo brownies

brownies: joy of cooking

frosting: sweetflours

brownies

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate

4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter
4 large eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
10 halloween oreos; chopped

oreo frosting
4 ounces unsalted butter; room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese; room temperature
2 cups confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons milk
5 oreos; finely crushed


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Use a 9"x 13" pan for chewy brownies.

Melt the butter and chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water or in the microwave. Stir to blend, then let cool completely; if the mixture is too warm, the brownies will be heavy and dry.

Beat the eggs and sugar together until frothy. Add salt and vanilla.

Stir the chocolate and butter into the eggs and sugar by hand. When the chocolate is almost completely incorporated, add the flour. Add oreos when the flour is almost completely blended in. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes.  Cool completely.

Combine butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer.  When combined turn mixer to low and fluffy add in the confectioners sugar.  Mix throughly.  Add in vanilla and milk until combined.  Add in finely chopped oreos and mix until smooth, fluffy and incorporated.

Frosted cooled brownies and cut into squares.
 

fudgy brownies

The plan was to make warm chocolate souffles this week.  I was planning on making these yesterday but, then I looked at my calendar and noticed that I had parent teacher conference, a dentist appointment for Campbell and then soccer practice.  There was no time for chocolate souffles no matter how good they sounded.  I still wanted chocolate and I knew I had time for a batch of brownies.  I am always skeptical of cooking light desserts.  I don't know why I think if a recipe does not contain obscene amounts of butter and sugar that it is going to be bad.  I have made numerous cooking light desserts and they are usually really good but, I still approach them with doubt.  I used really good ingredients in these brownies and they came out fudgy just like the title claims.  Using dark chocolate makes these rich and decadent and it is really hard to believe they are light.  They actually taste even better the next day.

fudgy brownies

source: cooking light

4.5  ounces  all-purpose flour (1 cup)
1/2  cup  unsweetened cocoa
1/4  teaspoon  salt
1/3  cup  butter
2  ounces  dark chocolate, chopped
1  cup  granulated sugar
1/4  cup  1% low-fat milk
1  teaspoon  vanilla extract
2  large egg yolks
1  large egg
Cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, cocoa, and salt in a medium bowl; stir with a whisk.
3. Place butter and chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl, and microwave at HIGH for 45 seconds, stirring every 15 seconds. Stir until smooth, and set aside. Cool slightly. Add 1 cup sugar, milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, egg yolks, and egg; stir with a whisk to combine. Add butter mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until combined. Pour batter into an 8-inch square metal baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 18-20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out almost clean (you want a few crumbs).

red velvet brownies

I saw these brownies in the December issue of Southern Living and I wanted to make them for Christmas but, I just never had the opportunity.  I clipped out the recipe and I held on to it knowing it would be a perfect Valentine's Day treat.  We did not really celebrate Valentine's Day when it was just the two of us but, now that we have the kids it gives new meaning to the holiday.  We can get fun and corny with it and exchange little tokens of love.   I have been explaining to Carter that red, pink, hearts, cupids, flowers, love etc. are all associated with Valentine's Day.  These brownies are the perfect way to kick off the celebration and let the kids help in the kitchen.  They are a spin on the oh so popular red velvet Valentine's day cake.  They were such a treat tonight for the kids and apparently they are a treat that keeps on giving back because I am finding red velvet crumbs all over the house.  Red velvet is fun to eat, pretty to look at but, not so fun to get out of the carpet.  Maybe it is payback from the brownies for being so easy to make.  The brownies mix up in one bowl.  They are thick and moist with a cake like texture. The cream cheese frosting compliments the base perfectly and I think white chocolate curls on top would take these to a new level of decadence.  These are so simple there is no reason not to make a Valentine's batch for your sweetie(s).

red velvet brownies

source: southern living

• 1  (4-oz.) bittersweet chocolate baking bar, chopped
• 3/4  cup  butter
• 2  cups  sugar
• 4  large eggs
• 1 1/2  cups  all-purpose flour
• 1  (1-oz.) bottle red liquid food coloring
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  baking powder
• 1  teaspoon  vanilla extract
• 1/8  teaspoon  salt

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottom and sides of a 9-inch square pan with aluminum foil, allowing 2 to 3 inches to extend over sides; lightly grease foil.
2. Microwave chocolate and butter in a large microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring at 30-second intervals. Whisk in sugar. Add eggs, 1 at a time, whisking just until blended after each addition. Gently stir in flour and next 4 ingredients. Pour mixture into prepared pan.
3. Bake at 350° for 44 to 48 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool completely on a wire rack (about 2 hours).
4. Lift brownies from pan, using foil sides as handles; gently remove foil. Spread cream cheese frosting on top of brownies, and cut into 16 squares. Garnish with white chocolate curls or sprinkles, if desired.
 

cream cheese frosting

source: southern living

• 1  (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
• 3  tablespoons  butter, softened
• 1 1/2  cups  powdered sugar
• 1  teaspoon  vanilla extract

Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and salt, beating until blended. Stir in vanilla.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bunny Brownies

We still have Halloween candy left.  I am just not tempted by candy.  It will sit here for ages.  I decided not to let the extra Easter candy go to waste this year.  We are leaving for a ski trip this week so, I wanted to make a simple treat that we could enjoy this week before we leave.  Chocolate and peanut butter being a favorite combination of mine I knew adding these Reese's bunnies to a chewy brownie would be a perfect combination.  We ate them hot and gooey right out of the oven.  I felt bad cutting all of those bunnies heads off but, after one bite I knew the decapitation was a sound decision.  They were delicious.  

 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bunny Brownies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups chopped Reese's Easter Bunnies
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup Cocoa
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Remove wrappers from candies. Cut each candy into 1/2-inch pieces; set aside.

2. Melt butter in saucepan over low heat. Add sugar and cocoa; stir to blend. Remove from heat. Stir in eggs. Stir together flour, salt and baking soda; stir into chocolate mixture. Stir in vanilla.  Let mixture cool a bit and mix in candy pieces. Spread in prepared pan.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan and begin to crack slightly; do not overbake. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars. About 36 brownies.

heart of darkness brownies

We were invited to an Academy Award party on Sunday night and I was tasked with bringing dessert.  I thought these individual brownies would be a decedent treat.  I almost didn't make them when I started to get all of the ingredients on the counter.  There is absolutely nothing light about these.  They are perfect to bring to an event and enjoy that day rather then sitting on your counter for a few days calling out to for you to eat more ... eat more.  These brownies are sweet, rich, moist, and delicious.  They truly live up to the title of the book.

Heart of Darkness Brownies

adapted from Sticky Chewy Messy Gooey

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
6 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
5 full size (2.07 oz each) Snickers candy bars, cut into small chunks
3 cups mini marshmallows

For the caramel drizzle:
6 oz (about 25) unwrapped caramel candies
2 tbsp heavy cream
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
pinch of salt

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Spray two standard 12-cup muffin tins with nonstick cooking spray. Note I got 30 brownies filling the cups half full.  If you want to add a good amount of the marshmallow you need to fill only half way.

Melt the butter and unsweetened chocolate together in a small saucepan over medium-low heat and stir until smooth. Pour the chocolate mixture into a bowl and stir in the sugars, eggs, and vanilla. Sift the flour and salt into the chocolate mixture and stir until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and chunks of candy bar.

Fill each cupcake cup halfway with the batter. Bake until the surface of the brownies has a glossy, crackled surface, about 20-25 minutes depending on how full the muffin tins are. Remove the brownies from the oven and top each one with 1/4 cup of the mini marshmallows. Return the brownies to the oven and cook just until the marshmallows start to melt and puff up a bit, but not browned too much, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool just enough to handle, then remove from the cupcake cups, running a knife around the edge of each brownie to loosen it from the cup. Let cool completely on the wire rack.

While the brownies are cooling, make the caramel drizzle. Combine the caramels, cream, vanilla and salt in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 1 minute. Remove from the microwave and stir until smooth. If the caramels are not completely melted, continue heating in 30 second increments, stirring until smooth.

Drizzle the brownies with melted caramel and let cool completely for the caramel to harden. Do not chill. Serve immediately, or store up to 3 days in a covered container.

Makes 24-30 brownies

Rocky Road Brownies

Oddly enough I made rocky road brownies tonight and they truly seem fitting as tomorrow will be the end of my current rocky road.  My company was acquired by Oracle and at sunrise tomorrow all the US employees find out their fate.  This has been a rocky road for me because we found out Oracle was acquiring us over 9 months ago.  I never thought it would take this long to reach an outcome but, I guess when you have a company with 90K employees taking on a company with 30K employees things can be tricky.  Rocky road is over one way or another tomorrow and a new path will begin.

My hubby LOVES brownies.  He is truly a brownie snob.  They can not be cakey and dry.  They have to be slightly undercooked and have a very gooey fudgey center.  When he saw these brownies he was skeptical thinking they were just going to be a vehicle for the marshmallows, chips and nuts but, one bite in he exclaimed these are really good brownies.  Yeah!  C-Bean loves topping so immediately he ate the top and then finished off with the base.  He was slightly disappointed that my recipe required me to use some of the ammo for his marshmallow gun.  I like the addition of the salty peanut with the sweet chocolate.  I think all in all it was a win for all of us.  Cookie looked on with envy as we enjoyed as I spooned peas and carrots in her mouth.  I told her only 6 more months and you get brownies too. 

Rocky Road Brownies

Adapted from Martha Stewart

Ingredients

Makes 16

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus more for pan
• 1 bag (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1 cup miniature marshmallows
• 1/2 cup chopped peanuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch-square baking pan. Line bottom with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides; butter paper.
2. In a heatproof bowl set over (not in) a saucepan of simmering water, combine butter and 1 cup chocolate chips. Heat, stirring occasionally, just until melted, 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Remove mixture from heat; stir in sugars and salt, then eggs, and finally flour, stirring just until combined. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes.
4. Remove from oven, and sprinkle with remaining chocolate chips, then marshmallows and nuts. Bake until chocolate is shiny and marshmallows are puffed, about 5 minutes. Cool completely in pan. Using paper overhang, lift cake onto a work surface; cut into 16 squares.