Winter treat ... Chocolate, coffee and cheesecake brownies (recipe below).
Photo: Natalie Boog
While there is no day that isn't improved by eating a brownie, something about a cold day makes brownies taste even better.
The skies are grey, there's a chill in the air and until the trees break into bud, it's good to enjoy one of the kitchen's simple pleasures.
Purists, though, may be happy to know that the basic brownie recipe has actually changed little since Fannie Farmer first came up with the cookie slice in the US in 1906. Basically, it's a chocolate cake with a greatly reduced amount of flour.Still, two brownie camps have emerged: cakey or fudgy, with the difference being the amount of flour in the recipe.
American cookbook author Shirley Corriher, the foodie biochemist and author of the BakeWise and CookWisecookbooks, says there's yet another division, between those who like a shiny crust and those who don't.
The delicate, crisp crust results from not only blending beaten eggs into melted chocolate, but vigorously beating them, creating a meringuey effect when baked.
If you want more of a matte finish - and a less-brittle brownie - don't beat, just blend, according to Corriher.
As far as adapting a recipe to be cakier or fudgier, the simplest fix may be increasing the number of eggs in the recipe, thereby reducing the proportion of flour in the batter. The accompanying recipe offers the best of both worlds, the brownies veering toward a cakey texture on the day they're baked, but settling into fudginess if left overnight, especially if refrigerated. To make them even lighter and cakier, increase the number of eggs from four to five. For gooier brownies, use only three eggs.
A few more tips for the best brownies ever:
Refrigerating the brownie batter overnight, in the pan and covered tightly, improves the flavour. Use bittersweet chocolate instead of the unsweetened chocolate that's called for in many recipes.
For an even fudgier flavour, substitute brown sugar for white sugar, or go half-and-half.
It's often difficult to tell when brownies are done, but it's always better to underbake than overbake them. Once the edges feel slightly firm, even though the centre seems soft, the brownies are finished.
Brownies are easier to cut when chilled, or at least cooled completely.
Homewood brownies
Makes about 3 dozen.
Note: This recipe is from an old church cookbook, but closely resembles many recipes for less-cakey brownies. It's prepared entirely in a saucepan, so no mixer is needed - just a little muscle.
200g butter
150g unsweetened chocolate
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts, if desired
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
Melt butter and chocolate in a pan over low heat. Remove from heat and cool slightly. While chocolate is cooling, mix together the sifted flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
In another bowl, beat together the 4 eggs. Beating steadily and briskly, ideally with a whisk, add the eggs 1/4 cup at a time (or in four steps) to the cooled chocolate mixture, beating each time until well combined.
With a spoon or spatula, stir in sugar and vanilla, then add dry ingredients, mixing until well combined. Add walnuts, if desired.
Scrape batter into ungreased pan of approximately 22cm by 33cm. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Do not overbake. Cool completely on wire rack before slicing.
Here are three variations on the classic brownie recipe, courtesy of cuisine.com.au:
Chocolate, coffee and cheesecake brownies (pictured above)
Beetroot and chocolate brownies
Chocolate and cashew nut brownies
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/homestyle/top-tips-for-baking-brownies-20110817-1ixh6.html#ixzz1VGKNtkE5
While there is no day that isn't improved by eating a brownie, something about a cold day makes brownies taste even better.
The skies are grey, there's a chill in the air and until the trees break into bud, it's good to enjoy one of the kitchen's simple pleasures.
Purists, though, may be happy to know that the basic brownie recipe has actually changed little since Fannie Farmer first came up with the cookie slice in the US in 1906. Basically, it's a chocolate cake with a greatly reduced amount of flour.Still, two brownie camps have emerged: cakey or fudgy, with the difference being the amount of flour in the recipe.
American cookbook author Shirley Corriher, the foodie biochemist and author of the BakeWise and CookWisecookbooks, says there's yet another division, between those who like a shiny crust and those who don't.
The delicate, crisp crust results from not only blending beaten eggs into melted chocolate, but vigorously beating them, creating a meringuey effect when baked.
If you want more of a matte finish - and a less-brittle brownie - don't beat, just blend, according to Corriher.
As far as adapting a recipe to be cakier or fudgier, the simplest fix may be increasing the number of eggs in the recipe, thereby reducing the proportion of flour in the batter. The accompanying recipe offers the best of both worlds, the brownies veering toward a cakey texture on the day they're baked, but settling into fudginess if left overnight, especially if refrigerated. To make them even lighter and cakier, increase the number of eggs from four to five. For gooier brownies, use only three eggs.
A few more tips for the best brownies ever:
Refrigerating the brownie batter overnight, in the pan and covered tightly, improves the flavour. Use bittersweet chocolate instead of the unsweetened chocolate that's called for in many recipes.
For an even fudgier flavour, substitute brown sugar for white sugar, or go half-and-half.
It's often difficult to tell when brownies are done, but it's always better to underbake than overbake them. Once the edges feel slightly firm, even though the centre seems soft, the brownies are finished.
Brownies are easier to cut when chilled, or at least cooled completely.
Homewood brownies
Makes about 3 dozen.
Note: This recipe is from an old church cookbook, but closely resembles many recipes for less-cakey brownies. It's prepared entirely in a saucepan, so no mixer is needed - just a little muscle.
200g butter
150g unsweetened chocolate
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts, if desired
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
Melt butter and chocolate in a pan over low heat. Remove from heat and cool slightly. While chocolate is cooling, mix together the sifted flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
In another bowl, beat together the 4 eggs. Beating steadily and briskly, ideally with a whisk, add the eggs 1/4 cup at a time (or in four steps) to the cooled chocolate mixture, beating each time until well combined.
With a spoon or spatula, stir in sugar and vanilla, then add dry ingredients, mixing until well combined. Add walnuts, if desired.
Scrape batter into ungreased pan of approximately 22cm by 33cm. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Do not overbake. Cool completely on wire rack before slicing.
Here are three variations on the classic brownie recipe, courtesy of cuisine.com.au:
Chocolate, coffee and cheesecake brownies (pictured above)
Beetroot and chocolate brownies
Chocolate and cashew nut brownies
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/homestyle/top-tips-for-baking-brownies-20110817-1ixh6.html#ixzz1VGKNtkE5
and Barbara Kingsolver wrote about in 
. But here we're trying to do something different. Our main focus is to produce as much of our food as possible from our own suburban yard (Kingsolver fed her family while living on a rural farm). Locally grown food (what Smith and MacKinnon focused on) will supplement it of course, but it won't be our main food source. 
