Bars – Page 4 – First Look, Then Cook

Fudgy Brownies

Published on October 13, 2010October 14, 2010 by Dawn5 Comments

Fudgy brownies – they had to come eventually. These brownies now have a special place in my life. It was Friday night, I had picked the girls up from school – and I was just about to figure out what I was going to make for dinner. I still had work to do, so I kept procrastinating by going to the computer to just reply to one more email…when the phone rang.

I didn’t recognize the voice at all, nor did I recognize the phone number. It was a very good friend of mine from high school – it was probably almost 20 years since we last saw each other. She was such a big part of my life in high school, but then you go to college – and it is hard to keep in touch with everyone. She was one of the people I just lost touch with. I owe this all to Facebook – that’s where she found my number, because yes, we are friends. She was visiting the pacific northwest, and happened to mention it on Facebook – and another one of our friends reminded her that I lived here. She ended up coming over for dinner that night, and what a fabulous evening we had catching up…

Needless to say, I decided to forgo making dinner – and ordered a pizza instead – but I did make a batch of these brownies. The recipe was from Cooking Light – and I wasn’t expecting anything – but I have to say, they were pretty darn good. At 150 calories a piece, you cannot go wrong here. They were moist, dense, and very chocolatey. Facebook, these brownies are for you – for bringing old friends together!!

Ingredients

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

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

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.

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 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out almost clean.

Makes 16 squares.

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Truffle Brownies

Published on August 18, 2010August 19, 2010 by Dawn8 Comments

There is not much I can say about these brownies from Bon Appetit except…if you like chocolate, stop what you are doing and go to the kitchen right now and make these. I swear, they are amazing. Almost as amazing as this next story.

I am going to do something a little differen today and talk about something completely unrelated to what I made. I won’t do this very often, but this was too special not to share…kind of like these brownies.

Last April I had the opportunity to eat at Per Se – I had been looking forward to that meal for over a year. Unfortunately there were a couple of mishaps – and although the food was still exquisite, I left thinking that I would not return. We had a better experience at Daniel the year prior.

I guess our issues made it to the manager of the restaurant, and a couple weeks later he emailed me to invite us to return to the Salon (the bar area, not the dining room) as their guest. We are not in NYC very often – but knew we would be returning in the summer – so we made a reservation with him to return. We really had no idea what to expect, but I figured we would be eating some delicious food.

A couple weeks before we were set to return, I received a phone call from a women at Per Se. The manager was no longer with Per Se, but had left some detailed notes about our situation – and she was calling to confirm. I was very impressed.

When we showed up, they sat us at this beautiful table overlooking Central Park. There were two champagne glasses on the table. That was just the beginning…they poured us endless glasses of champagne, brought us 11 courses of food, each course paired beautifully with wine – and at the end of this incredible meal – gave us a tour of the kitchen. It was the most memorable dining experience of my life – I am still reveling in the entire evening. Any place that would treat their customers like that, is a place worth visiting. We were overwhelmed with their generosity – and now I can’t wait to return someday.

Back to the brownies…

Ingredients

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped, divided
11 tablespoons (1 stick plus 3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup walnuts, toasted, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Preparation

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Line 9x9x2-inch metal baking pan with foil, leaving overhang. Spray foil with nonstick vegetable oil spray. Combine 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate and butter in medium metal bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water and stir until chocolate and butter are melted and smooth. Remove bowl from over water and cool chocolate mixture until lukewarm, 5 to 10 minutes.

Whisk sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and salt in large bowl to blend. Whisk in chocolate mixture. Stir in flour, then chopped toasted walnuts. Transfer batter to prepared baking pan. Bake brownies until tester inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 26 to 28 minutes. Transfer pan to cooling rack and let brownies cool completely.

Bring cream to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat. Add remaining 6 ounces chocolate to hot cream and let stand 5 minutes to soften, then whisk until melted and smooth. Pour chocolate ganache over brownie sheet in pan and spread to cover completely. Let stand at cool room temperature until topping is set, about 4 hours. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and store at room temperature.

Using foil as aid, lift brownie sheet from pan. Fold down foil edges. Using large sharp knife, cut brownie sheet into 25 squares, wiping knife with hot moist cloth after each cut. Arrange brownies on platter and serve.

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Martha’s Double Chocolate Brownies

Published on June 1, 2010 by Dawn12 Comments

Here we go again, another brownie recipe. I had to do it though…one of my co-workers is addicted to brownies – and it was his birthday. How could I not use this opportunity to try another recipe? Instead of using oil, this recipe calls for butter, and I wanted to see the difference. Oil definitely makes a moister chewier brownie, but these brownies were pretty terrific. They had a wonderful chocolate flavor and were very moist – the one difference is how long they stayed moist. With this recipe, the brownies stayed moist for days – but after a couple of days these brownies started to taste stale.

So, if you need to make brownies ahead of time, go with this recipe from Cook’s Illustrated. But, if you are looking for a quick delicious recipe that you are going to serve that day – I highly recommend this one from Martha’s Cookie Book. You just can’t beat the simplicity.

Ingredients

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a buttered 8-inch square baking pan with parchment, allowing a 2-inch overhang. Butter lining (not overhang).

Put butter, chocolate, and cocoa powder in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water; stir until butter and chocolate have melted. Let cool slightly.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Put sugar, eggs, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and mix on medium speed until pale, about 4 minutes. Add chocolate mixture; mix until combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture; mix, scraping down sides of bowl, until well combined.

Pour batter into prepared pan; spread evenly with a spatula. Bake until a cake tester inserted into brownies (avoid center and edges) comes out with a few crumbs but is not wet, about 35 minutes. Let cool slightly in pan, about 15 minutes. Lift out; let cool completely on a wire rack before cutting into squares. Brownies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Makes 9 large brownies, or 16 small.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Martha’s Double Chocolate Brownies

Marshmallow Brownies

Published on May 19, 2010 by Dawn38 Comments

I thought I was done with brownies, but for some reason they keep knocking at my door – literally. The other night we were upstairs reading to the girls, when there was a knock at the door. It was my neighbor and her 2 boys delivering some brownies. I thought it was so sweet of them to do that, but thought, how could these possible be better than these other brownies that I have made recently? I have had quite a good run of brownies.

I had no idea…none. These brownies were fantastic – utterly amazing, and I ate two that night. The bottom was nice and moist, and that layer of marshmallow – oh my goodness – with the chocolate glaze on top – WOW!! I had to have the recipe – and I had to make them myself.

My neighbor was nice enough to send me the recipe – and as the last of her brownies were finished my daughter asked when we were going to make more. I made a batch and brought them to our other neighbors, and they didn’t last long at all – in fact, we each ate a few they were so good. These brownies will definitely go down as some of the best brownies I have ever had…

This recipe comes from her cousin’s cookbook – seems like a great resource, thanks very much!!

Ingredients

Brownies:

1 C butter, melted
2 C sugar
1/4 C cocoa
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 C flour
3/4 C chopped nuts (if desired)
2 1/2 C mini marshmallows

Frosting:

1/4 C butter, melted
2 TB milk
1/3 C cocoa
1 1/4 C powdered sugar

Mix together melted butter, sugar, coca, eggs, vanilla and salt. Add flour and mix just until combined. Fold in nuts, if desired. Bake in a greased 9×13 pan at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. IMmediately top with marshmallows and bake an additional 2 minutes. Use a knife dipped in water to spread marshmallows evenly. Cool completely. To make frosting, whisk ingredients together until smooth. Spread frosting over marshmallow layer.

Makes about 24 brownies.

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British Flapjacks

Published on May 11, 2010May 11, 2010 by Dawn3 Comments

Who knew that granola bars started in Great Britain? I for one certainly didn’t. Also, I thought flapjacks were pancakes? These are definitely not pancakes – but yes, they are made with syrup! Golden syrup to be specific – and this was a new ingredient for me. I love when I cook with a new ingredient, and the final product blows you away.

I read about these British Flapjacks in Bon Appetit a few months ago. Molly Wizenberg wrote about this tasty treat that she just loves. The recipe seemed ridiculously simple that I was sure I would make it within a matter of weeks. Months went by though, and it continued to sit in my pantry, in the pile of recipes to try. The problem was that every time I had the urge to bake – I was missing the key ingredient – the golden syrup. I finally wrote it on my shopping list – and found it at Whole Foods. If you don’t have a Whole Foods near you, try a specialty food store, they are sure to have some. Golden syrup is Great Britain’s version of Karo syrup – with a deeper and richer flavor. It is delicious.

These flapjacks were amazing. They start out very crunchy, but I stored them in a glass container, and they turned really nice and chewy – they are perfect with a dish of vanilla ice-cream, or just by themselves. The best part – there are endless ingredients you can add – nuts, raisins, dried cherries, sunflower seeds, the sky is the limit! Go out and get your golden syrup today so you can make these – you will not be sorry.

Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/4 cup golden syrup*
2 1/3 cups quick-cooking oats (not instant or old-fashioned)
Pinch of salt

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 8 x 8 x 2-inch metal baking pan. Combine first 3 ingredients in heavy medium saucepan. Stir constantly over medium-low heat until butter melts, sugar dissolves, and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat. Add oats and salt; stir until coated. Transfer mixture to prepared pan and spread out in even layer.

Bake until top is golden (edges will be darker), about 25 minutes. Cool in pan on rack 5 minutes. Cut into 4 squares; cut each into 4 triangles (mixture will still be soft). Cool completely in pan before serving.

* A type of syrup popular in Great Britain; available at some supermarkets, specialty foods stores, and British import shops.

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Black and Tan Brownies

Published on April 20, 2010 by Dawn5 Comments

Wow, it is hard to believe that I have made it to 100 posts! I feel like I have barely scratched the surface. Thanks everyone for reading – it just gives me incentive to post more – which I definitely plan on doing. I also want to thank my husband for putting up with me when he is starving – and I have to tell him – nope, we can’t eat yet – I have to take a picture! I’m very glad he is so supportive.

What unusual brownies – that’s all I have to say. You have to make them to believe them. I saw this recipe in Cooking Light– and still had some Guinness left in the refrigerator from the stew I made for St. Patrick’s day. The recipe just looked so interesting, I had to give them a try. The bottom layer is basically a Blondie – a nice caramel flavored Blondie – that is nice and moist and chewy. The top layer was not nearly as chocolatey as I imagined, and definitely had a beer flavor. People either LOVED them – or thought the beer flavor was a little to bitter. My older daughter was not a big fan, but my younger one scarfed one down. I brought them into work – and people either had a couple – or took a bite and that was enough. I have to say though, aside from the flavor, they were soft and chewy and just deliciously moist. You may have to try them just to see what I am talking about!

Ingredients

Tan Brownies:

6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4.5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Cooking spray

Black Brownies:

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup Guinness Stout
4.5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation

Place one rack in lower third of oven; place another rack in center of oven. Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare Tan Brownies, place 6 tablespoons butter and brown sugar in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in 2 eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Weigh or lightly spoon 4.5 ounces (about 1 cup) flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine 4.5 ounces flour, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt, stirring well. Add flour mixture and pecans to sugar mixture, beating just until combined. Spoon into a 13 x 9–inch baking pan coated with cooking spray, spreading evenly with a knife or rubber spatula. Bake at 350° in lower third of oven for 15 minutes.

To prepare Black Brownies, melt chocolate and 4 tablespoons butter in a large microwave-safe bowl on HIGH for 1 minute or until melted, stirring after every 20 seconds until smooth. Add granulated sugar, stirring until well combined. Add 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and Guinness, stirring with a whisk until well combined. Weigh or lightly spoon 4.5 ounces (about 1 cup) flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine 4.5 ounces flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt, stirring well. Add flour mixture to chocolate mixture, stirring to combine. Pour mixture evenly over Tan Brownies.

Bake on the center rack at 350° for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out almost clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack; cut into squares.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Black and Tan Brownies

Chewy Brownies

Published on April 10, 2010 by Dawn27 Comments

Ok – I made it to the chewy brownies – and I am so happy I did. Over the years I have occasionally made boxed brownies when absolutely necessary – like when we went to the Washington coast for a weekend, and I wanted to make brownies at the house we were staying at, but didn’t want to bring all the ingredients. Or in college when it was just too expensive to buy all the ingredients for just one pan of brownies. I have to say, whenever I have done that, the brownies are delicious, and they are usually very chewy. Could it be that you are adding oil to the mix, and not butter?

It just so happens that in Cook’s Illustrated last month, they had an article about the best chewy brownies – they say it is all in the type of fat you use. Well – I can’t refute them – I made their version, and they were amazing. Instead of using all butter, this recipe called for half butter and half vegetable oil. I actually didn’t use all of the oil it called for, and mine were plenty good, I wasn’t missing a thing. Also, I didn’t have any bittersweet chocolate in the house, so I used semisweet – so mine were more on the milk chocolate end, but still ridiculously good.

The best story that came out of these brownies? I served them for my daughter’s book club, and the next day I packed her on of the left-overs in her lunch. She happened to be eating lunch with one of the girls from the book club, and she asked if those were the same brownies that they had the night before. When my daughter said yes, her friend said, “You are lucky, those were the best brownies ever!”

Ingredients

1/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso (optional)
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons boiling water
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon table salt
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees with the oven rack on the lowest position. Using a 9×13 baking pan, cut two pieces of foil, and fold the edges over so they fit perfectly in the pan. Place on piece of foil lengthwise, and one width-wise. This will allow you to lift the brownies easily out of the pan after they are cooked. Once the foil has been fitted into the pan, spray with non-stick cooking spray.

Whisk cocoa, espresso powder (if using), and boiling water together in a large bowl until smooth. Add unsweetened chocolate and whisk until chocolate is melted. Whisk in melted butter and oil. (Mixture may look curdled.) Add eggs, yolks, and vanilla and continue to whisk until smooth and homogeneous. Whisk in sugar until fully incorporated. Add flour and salt and mix with rubber spatula until combined. Fold in bittersweet chocolate pieces.

Scrape batter into prepared pan and bake until toothpick inserted halfway between edge and center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs attached, about 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer pan to a rack and cool for 1 1/2 hours.

Using foil overhang, lift the brownies from the pan. Return brownies to a wire rack and let them cool completely, about 1 hour. Cut into 2-inch squares and serve.

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Chocolate-Orange Brownies

Published on March 30, 2010April 5, 2010 by DawnLeave a comment

Some people like them nice and chewy, some people like them rich and dense, some people like them more cake-like – yes, I am talking about brownies. I already made a rich and dense version that was spectacular – so I figured it was time to make one more cake-like. I definitely accomplished my goal.

I saw this recipe in Bon Appetit – and although I am not a huge fan or adding orange flavor to my chocolate – I figured I had to try these out. I was so pleasantly surprised – boy were this fantastic. I brought them over to my friend’s house – and she likened them to the bottom of a Trophy Cupcake – our favorite place to buy cupcakes. They had a wonderful chocolate flavor with a hint of orange – but the texture was just perfect. Eat one with a cold glass of milk, and you have a treat beyond belief. The best part of these brownies – you can wrap them up, and they stay good for days. For a cake-like brownie, that is definitely something worth being proud of. Something else about this recipe? It is super simple – it took me less than 15 minutes to get them into the oven. What could be better?

Ingredients

Non-stick vegetable oil spray
1/2 cup boiling water
6 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/4 cups (packed) dark brown sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, cooled
1 tablespoon finely grated orange peel
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x9x2-inch metal baking pan with non-stick spray. Whisk 1/2 cup boiling water and cocoa powder in a small bowl to blend. Whisk sugar, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl to blend. Whisk eggs in large bowl. Add butter, orange peel, and vanilla; whisk to blend. Whisk cocoa mixture into egg mixture. Add flour mixture; stir just to blend. Transfer to prepared pan.

Bake brownies until tester inserted into center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 30 minutes. Let cool completely in pan on rack. Cut into 16 squares and serve. Adapted from Homepage Cafe.

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Layered Brownies with White-Chocolate Caramel

Published on March 4, 2010March 4, 2010 by Dawn9 Comments

Good things come to those who wait…boy does that saying irk me. I am not a very patient person – especially when it comes to food. I am always trying things along the way, seeing how the flavor changes during the cooking process – always looking forward to the finished product. These brownies really tested my patience. I saw this recipe in Bon Appetit (which has been slightly adapted below to make it just a little simpler) and it sat in my pantry for months. I really had to be in the right frame of mind to bake these. You bake the brownie layer – and fortunately while the brownie layer is cooling, you make the caramel (which by the way is the best caramel I have ever made – I gave my girls a big spoonful each because I didn’t want them to miss out, while I scraped up the leftovers from the saucepan). Then comes the painful part – 8 hours of chilling. Once the caramel is set, you layer the chocolate ganache on – and then another 4 hours of waiting. I made the mistake of starting this process on a Sunday – and since I had to go to work on Monday and again on Tuesday – I couldn’t enjoy these brownies until Tuesday night. 2 days is a long time to wait for brownies – but let me tell you – they were worth EVERY SECOND. These brownies were incredible – everyone that bit into them squealed in delight – they were extremely rich, decadent and utterly fantastic. Good things definitely come to those who wait – I know it is true, I just hate to admit it…

Ingredients

Brownies:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate (54% to 60% cacao), chopped
1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon natural unsweetened cocoa powder
2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

White-chocolate caramel:

3 tablespoons water, divided
3/4 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
4 1/2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
4 ounces high-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), finely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced, room temperature

Bittersweet-chocolate ganache:

2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate (54% to 60% cacao), chopped

Preparation

For brownies:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 8x8x2-inch metal baking pan with foil. Butter foil. Combine 1/2 cup butter and bittersweet chocolate in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Whisk cocoa powder, flour, and salt in small bowl. Whisk sugar, eggs, and vanilla in medium bowl to blend. Pour butter mixture into sugar mixture; whisk until blended. Add cocoa mixture; whisk until blended. Transfer brownie batter to prepared baking pan; smooth top (layer will be thin).

Bake brownie until tester inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 18 to 20 minutes. Allow brownie to cool slightly, then gently press down on edges to form flat, even layer. Cool completely in pan on rack.

For white-chocolate caramel:
Spoon 1 tablespoon water into small bowl; sprinkle gelatin over and stir to blend. Let stand until gelatin softens, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine remaining 2 tablespoons water, sugar, and pinch of salt in heavy small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil until syrup is deep amber, occasionally swirling pan and brushing down sides with wet pastry brush, about 8 minutes. Slowly add cream (mixture will bubble vigorously). Reduce heat to low. Stir to dissolve any caramel bits. Remove from heat; let cool 5 minutes. Add gelatin mixture; stir until gelatin dissolves. Add white chocolate; whisk until melted and smooth. Whisk in butter. Pour caramel atop cooled brownie; spread evenly to cover completely. Chill uncovered until caramel firms slightly, at least 8 hours or overnight.

For bittersweet-chocolate ganache:
Bring cream to simmer in small saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; whisk until melted and smooth. Cool until mixture is slightly thickened but still pourable, about 15 minutes. Pour ganache atop caramel on brownie; spread just to edges. Chill uncovered until ganache is firm enough to cut, about 4 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled.

Using foil as aid, lift brownie out of pan; place on work surface. Fold foil sides down. Using sharp knife, trim off about 1/4 inch of brownie on all sides. Cut brownie into eight 3 1/2-inch-long, 13/4-inch-wide bars.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Layered Brownies with White-Chocolate Caramel

Gingerbread Bars

Published on October 21, 2009 by Dawn12 Comments

I love gingerbread; my favorite is when it comes right out of the oven with a carmelized top, and just melts in your mouth. The combination of all those fall spices – cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves is just beautiful. I was going to make my usual standby gingerbread recipe, when I came accross this one printed in Bon Appetit. It is a cross between a brownie and cake – but more on the brownie side. I used a 13×9 pan because I didn’t have a 15×10, and they worked out just fine – just don’t sprinkle as much flour/sugar on top. They stored very well in an airtight container in the pantry for a few days.

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
7 1/2 tablespoons sugar, divided
2 large eggs
1/4 cup light (unsulfured) molasses

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 15x10x1-inch baking sheet. Place 2 cups flour in medium bowl; transfer 2 tablespoons flour to small bowl and reserve. Add spices, baking soda, and salt to flour in medium bowl; whisk to blend. Using electric mixer, beat butter, brown sugar, and 6 tablespoons sugar in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, then molasses. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture and beat to blend. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Sift reserved 2 tablespoons flour evenly over batter, then sprinkle evenly with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar.

Bake gingerbread until golden brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 22 minutes; cool completely in pan on rack. Cut gingerbread crosswise into 4 strips, then cut each strip into 6 pieces, forming 24 bars, each about 31/2×13/4 inches. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead.Store airtight at room temperature.

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