Easy Brownie recipe and it's gluten-free!

Although I've started eliminating wheat products from our diet, it is still a work in progress. I don't want to dismay my family with changes all at once. Yesterday, I made brownies without the benefit of wheat flour and they came out very well. Unless you knew about the omission of wheat flour, it would be hard to detect. Thought I'd share it with you as it works for any diet.

Gluten-Free Brownies
1/2 cup almond flour
1/3 cup brown rice flour
1 cup bittersweet chocolate or chocolate chips
6 tablespoon butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
2 large eggs
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an approximately 8x8" baking pan with parchment paper.

Combine the almond and rice flour and set aside.

Melt the chocolate and butter together and let cool down a bit. Stir in the sugar, vanilla, and orange zest. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time until fully incorporated. Stir in the flour mixture until just mixed. Add the walnuts

Spread the batter into the prepared pan and even it out. Bake approximately 25 minutes (but check at 15 minutes as oven do differ!) or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean with a few moist crumbs. Cool on a rack before cutting. The use of the parchment paper should enable you to lift the cooled brownies out of the pan for easier cutting.

These are rich and go a long way. I served mine with a scoop of peppermint ice cream.

Rice and almond flour can be found on-line or at health food stores. If you have a good blender, you can actually grind your own but make sure you get it fine enough to avoid extra 'crunch' in your final product!

Brownies a l'orange . . .

After mint, orange is my favorite flavor in something chocolate. And, what better way to enjoy this combination than with a fudgy brownie. Continuing with the 'B' alphabet of holiday baking . . .

Brownies a l'Orange . . .
2 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
1/2 cup or 1 stick butter
2 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon orange extract
1/2 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
1 cup toasted and chopped walnuts

Grease or vegetable oil spray a 8-inch square baking pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt together the chocolate and butter. Let cool. In a large mixing bowl combine the eggs and sugar and whisk together until thoroughly mixed. Mix in the butter, chocolate, extracts, salt, and orange zest. Stir in the flour and nuts. Spread into the prepared pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes. Cut into preferred sized portions and finish cooling in the pan. Recipe doubles nicely.

Ideas . . .
For a festive look, an orange glaze and some colorful sprinkles would be pretty.
While the brownies are still warm from the oven, scatter chocolate chips, let soften, spread as for icing and sprinkle with finely chopped nuts.

Applesauce Brownies - Sneaking the Good Stuff in the Treats!

When my children were little and the budget was tight, I used to grind up carrots, onions, garlic, and saute them in a bit of olive oil and pass it off as either ground meat in the pasta sauce or use it on homemade pizza. Sigh . . . One evening, my older son, an avowed hater of all things fresh and natural, discovered the tiniest crumb of tell tale carrot orange on his pizza and  ended that era of my kitchen creation.

So far, they haven't discovered the 'secret' ingredient in this recipe. Of course, I do take into consideration that they are now 26, 24, 22, and 18 . . . but you can't be too careful!

Applesauce Cinnamon Brownies
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground clove
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup nuts, your choice

Melt chocolate and butter together. Set aside to cool.

Mix together the applesauce, eggs, sugar, vanilla, spices, and orange zest. Stir in the remaining dry ingredients.  Blend in the chocolate/butter mixtures. Add the nuts. Spread into a vegetable-oil sprayed 9-inch baking pan. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes depending on your oven. Cool before cutting into serving size squares.

Ideas . . .
Use 1/2 cup white or chocolate chips instead of the nuts.
Drizzle an orange or chocolate glaze over the warm brownies.

Brownie Temptation times Thirty!

Wish I'd come across this site before I finished my baking. It makes me want to drag all the baking stuff out and go at it again! The link actually gives recipes for 30 different kinds of brownies. I'm thinking it would be fun to have a brownie party for a Christmas party some year. Two of the listed recipes caught my attention - one with a mint layer covered by a chocolate icing and a similar one only using an orange layer.

http://www.bhg.com/recipes/desserts/cookies/chocolate-brownie-recipes/?sssdmh=dm17.569503&esrc=nw12d2011_06_11&email=4011674711

Pineapple Brownies

I was sorting through the pantry and discovered a can of crushed pineapple which had been residing there, forgotten by me. This immediately reminded me of a favorite flavor combination - chocolate and pineapple. Further reflection brought to mind the combination of brownies with the addition of pineapple. Then I found the recipe and here it is! Remember to press the liquid out of the crushed pineapple or your brownies would end up more cake-like . . . which isn't bad, either!

Pineapple Brownies
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
3 ounces baking chocolate, melted and cooled
½ cup chopped walnuts

Stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.

Cream together the butter and sugar thoroughly. Add the eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest, beating well. Stir in crushed pineapple. Fold in the baking chocolate and walnuts. Spread into a 11x13-inch baking pan or one of comparable size or two smaller ones. Bake for approximately 30-40 minutes or until top is firm. Cool before cutting.

Ideas . . .
Save the juice you drain from the crushed pineapple and make a thin glaze for the brownies.

Line the bottom of your baking pan with parchment for cleaner removal of the brownie portions.

Not enough chocolate?

Me, I enjoy a plain brownie, no nuts, not frosting, just the chewy, moist chocolate decadence of a chocolate brownie. However, when the day is hectic and you need something extra to get you through, I believe getting our caffeine from chocolate is the way to go! :-) What better way to medicate ourselves than adding chocolate to our chocolate?

Double Your Chocolate Cookies

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips, divided
½ cup butter
3 eggs
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup nuts

Melt one cup chocolate chips and butter in small pan. Remove from heat. Pour into bowl. Add eggs; stir well. Add flour, sugar, soda and vanilla. Stir well. Stir in on cup chips and nuts. Spread onto greased 13x9-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-22 minutes. Cool completely.

Ideas . . .

Cutting back on chocolate? Use a different flavor chip for the mix in ones like white chocolate, peanut butter, or butterscotch.

Really, really need the chocolate charge? When the brownies come out of the oven, scatter yet more chocolate chips over the hot surface, let them soften, and spread them out to cool down into a glaze. You would also sprinkle on some colorful decorations before it hardens.

An Interesting Approach to Brownies . . .

Found an interesting recipe for brownies. Using the secret ingredient (okay, it's applesauce - you dragged it out of me!), would cut some of the fat content as it replaces a bit of the butter. Besides, chocolate is good for you so what's a few pounds when it comes to our health, right?

Chocolate Applesauce Brownies

1 cup firmly packed borwn sugar
1/2 cup softened butter (not melted!)
2 large eggs
1 cup applesauce
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts, your choice

Vegetable oil spray a 9-inch square baking pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, combine the sugar, butter and eggs, mixing well. Stir in the rest of the ingredients, folding in the nuts last. Pour into prepared baking pan.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, depending on your oven. Cool completely before cutting into serving pieces.

Ideas . . .
After the brownies exit the oven, a glaze of orange icing makes it interesting. Brush it over a warm not hot pan of brownies and then let cool down for cutting.

1/4 cup of ground raisins makes the brownies taste like a fruit and nut chocolate bar.

Want to be fancy, make or buy a package of fudge frosting and frost the cold brownies before serving. After frosting, let the brownies sit in the refrigerator about 15 minutes to make it easier to cut through the frosting.

Orange Scented Brownies

I like one-pan batches of cookies because you mix the batter, pour it into the pan, and don’t have to go back and forth to the oven to pull out sheet after sheet of cookies. Mind you, I don’t mind doing that given the end result! On lazy days, however, a pan of brownies is work enough and leaves me time to quilt while it bakes and scents the house with chocolate. These freeze well if you should, by any chance, be able to save any of them for later!

Orange Scented Brownies
5 ounces baking chocolate
2 sticks butter
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon brandy
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup roughly chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch baking pan with vegetable spray.

Melt chocolate and butter together in microwave. Watch carefully to avoid burning. Let it cool for ten minutes. Place sugar in large bowl and mix in eggs, vanilla, brandy, and orange zest by hand until combined. Do not over beat. Add melted chocolate/butter mixture. Add flour until just blended and stir in nuts.

Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake for about 20 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs not wet batter. Cool brownies an hour before cutting.

Makes about a dozen and a half bars.

Getting Ready for Christmas Baking . . .

No matter how much time you seem to have in September, you will suddenly find your minutes counted and Christmas facing you in less than three weeks. Your dreams of "sugar plums" are reduced to a package of cookies from a grocery store shelf. With a little planning, you can fill the family cookie jar for the holidays and still have plenty to share. All these cookies freeze very well so if you want to get a head start . . .

Day One:
Butterscotch Cookies

2 ½ cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ cup finely chopped pecans
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 ¾ cups butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine the first four ingredients in a bowl and set aside. In a pan over low heat, melt the butter, letting it simmer but avoid burning. Add the brown sugar and beat it until well mixed. Let cool before adding egg, beating vigorously until smooth. Add vanilla and flour mixture until well combined.
Form dough into two logs, about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap them in wax paper and refrigerate about 30 minutes, then shape them into smoother, more even rolls. Freeze for two hours.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove rolls from freezer and slice into ¼ inch thick cookies. Place about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for approximately ten minutes or until just golden. Cool and store in airtight container for one week or freeze for up to 2 months.
While your Butterscotch Cookies are freezing . . .

German Lebkuchen

3 large eggs
2 ¼ cups dark brown sugar
¼ pound mixed, chopped, candied fruit
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves.
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon allspice
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
Confectioners' sugar, Juice and grated rind of one lemon.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease an 8 x 10-inch baking pan, dust it lightly with flour. In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs, one at a time to the brown sugar, beating well after eaach addition. Stir in the candied fruit, spices. Into another bowl combine the flour and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture, combining well. Spread the cookie batter into the prepared pand and bake it for 15 minutes or until deep, golden brown.

While it is baking, add lemon rind, juice and enough confectioners' sugar to make a thick icing. Spread over the warm cookies. When icing has set, cut into serving size squares.

Day Two:

Mexican Fiesta Cookies

1 cup butter
½ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup cocoa powder
1 heaping tablespoon instant coffee
1 cup finely chopped nuts
½ cup chopped, drained, maraschino cherries.
1 cup confectioners' sugar for coating.

Beat butter until light; gradually add sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and beat to blend well.

Sift together flour, cocoa, coffee powder. Gradually add to creamed mixture. Blend in nuts and cherries; chill until easy to handle dough.

Shape dough into one-inch balls and place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove cookies to cooling racks and, while still warm, roll in confectioners' sugar.
While your Fiesta cookies are firming up in the refrigerator, get started on . . .

Christmas Brownies

Two cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup butter
5 eggs
3 cups brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
¾ cup all-purpose flour
1 cup Dutch Process cocoa
1 cups walnut or pecans, finely ground

Melt chocolate and butter in saucepan over very low heat. Cool slightly. Beat eggs, sugar and vanilla in large mixer bowl on high speed for five minutes. Blend in chocolate mixture on low speed. Add remaining ingredients and combine.

Spread in greased 13 x 9-inch pan or two smaller ones. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool before cutting into serving size squares. (a dab of icing and a whole nut, candied cherry or candy will make them even more festive.

Day Three:

At this point, you will have four batches of cookies stored away . . . children depending! Now is the time to round up the children and your cookie cutters.

Easy Roll-Out Sugar Cookies

1 cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 teaspoons baking powder
4 ½ cups all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add baking powder and flour, mixing well. The dough will be stiff so you may have to blend the last bit by hand. Do not chill dough. Roll out a portion of dough to about 1/8-inch thick. Cut out desired shapes and bake on ungreased sheets for 5-8 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from baking sheets immediately and cool before decorating.

Cookie Icing

2 cups confectioners' sugar
4 tablespoons milk
4 tablespoons light corn syrup
Mix sugar and milk thoroughly. Add corn syrup and incorporate well. Icing may be divided up and tinted according to your creativity. Colored sugar, sprinkles, bits of crushed candy cane, candied fruit or nuts can brighten up your cookies.

My Favorite Brownie Recipe!

In the spirit of a blessed Sunday, I hereby bequeath to you all my favorite brownie recipe. Yes, there are a lot of them out there and, perhaps, even better ones but this is my standby recipe and it shows up on every Christmas cookie plate without fail. Okay, there have been times when helpful family have overdone the quality control and I had to bake another batch . . .

My Best Brownie Recipe!

12 ounces unsweetened chocolate
2 cups (four sticks) butter (Margarine just won't work)
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups granulated sugar
8 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped nuts (your choice but I prefer pecans)
2 tablespoons Kalua (coffee liquor)
   or a tablespoon of instant coffee mixed in a bit of water.
1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest
1/4 cup finely ground nuts (optional but it makes the brownie more moist and flavorful)

Vegetable spray a large baking pan, about 13x9-inches. I like using two 9-inch square pans. Use what you have on hand.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Melt the butter and chocolate together and let cool while you get on with the rest of the ingredients.

In a large mixing bowl, put in the sugar. By hand, thoroughly mix in the butter/chocolate mixture. Hand mixing keeps the brownie dense and chewy. Add the vanilla, eggs, Kalua, orange zest, and 1/4 cup of finely ground nuts and mix well, still by hand, not a mixer.

Mix in the flour. After there is no trace of the flour visable, add the nuts and spread into your chosen baking pans.

Depending on the size pan you chose, bake for about 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with only moist crumbs not uncooked batter!

Cool thoroughly before cutting in desired size bars or pieces.

This makes a big batch but they freeze well.  Bake them on a cool day and then enjoy them when it's too hot to turn on the oven.

Ideas . . .
For a really decadent brownie, you can add in 1/2 to one cup of chocolate chips, white chips, peanut butter chips, etc.

Substitute peppermint extract for the vanilla and coffee and leave out the nuts.

Bake the regular recipe and leave out the nuts entirely.

Frost with a thick, chocolate buttercream frosting when the brownies are cold, refrigerate until the frosting is hardened a bit, and then cut.

Use for a dessert with vanilla ice cream and fresh strawberries.

Throwing some creativity into the mixing bowl . . .

Most everyone either has a favorite chocolate brownie recipe or a must-have brownie mix that is a staple in their cupboard. Nothing like the aroma of baking browinies to bring people into the kitchen to see what is happening.

I've found there is a lot you can do to brownies to make them even more special, your own take on a common subject, so to speak! Here are a few ideas I've used with some success for changing a regular brownie into a nice change of pace.

Add some freshly grated orange rind and a generous teaspoon of cinnamon to give it a South of the Border flair.

Add some instant coffee to the batter or a good splash of coffee brandy or some sort.

Increase your chocolate tolerance and add chocolate chips to the mix.

When the brownies exit the oven put down a layer of flavored chips (chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, peanut butter, etc) over the hot brownies (One flavor, only!), let it set a minute and then gently spread it out and finish cooling the brownies and you have an instant glaze.

Finely chopped, dried pineapple goes great with chocolate. Just add this extra ingredient to the batter before baking.

One of my daughters like chocolate and mint as a combination and you can often find mint chocolate chips or even just plain mint chips to add.

I have even added a teaspoon of chili flakes to the brownie batter and came up with a chocolate brownie with a tang no one can figure out.