Post
 Posted By: cookee 
Feb 15  # 1 of 5
how do you make a good brownie that is soft warm inside and firm slight crispy outside?

any good recipes?

thanks!
Post
 Posted By: Mama Mangia 
Feb 15  # 2 of 5
I've got so many recipes - if there is something special you want - just ask!

Most brownie recipes call for melting the chocolate with the fat and adding this mixture to beaten eggs and sugar. Let the chocolate mixture cool completely before adding it to the eggs and sugar as it makes for a lighter brownie.

Brownies are cooked when the edges look hard, the top has cracked slightly, and the surface has a glassy appearance. The center should not jiggle when you shake the pan. The toothpick method works on cakey brownies, but not fudgy ones!

For fudgy brownies, mix all ingredients with a wooden spoon just until everything is combined.

Using an electric mixer and mixing the ingredients too much will result in a cake-like brownie.






Fudgy Brownies

Using both bittersweet and unsweetened chocolate gives these brownies deep, sophisticated chocolate flavor. The consistency is fudgy but not gooey or underdone.

Yields sixteen 2-inch squares.

5 oz. (10 Tbs.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
5 oz. bittersweet chocolate
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
Pinch salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
3 oz. (2/3 cup) all-purpose flour

Position an oven rack on the middle rung. Heat the oven to 350°F. Butter an 8-inch square pan, line the pan bottom with parchment (or waxed paper), and then butter the parchment.

In a double boiler over simmering water, melt the butter and both chocolates. Remove the pan from the heat; cool slightly. Whisk in the sugar and then the vanilla and salt. The mixture will be somewhat grainy; this is okay. Whisk in the eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, stirring each time until blended. Add the flour, beating until thickened and smooth, 30 to 60 seconds. Pour into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with moist crumbs (not wet batter) clinging to it, 35 to 45 min.

Set the pan on a rack until cool enough to handle. Run a paring knife around the inside edge of the pan and then invert the pan onto a flat surface and peel off the parchment. Flip the baked brownie back onto the rack to cool completely. Cut into squares with a sharp knife.

Notes
This recipe can be doubled easily; use a 13x9-inch pan and increase the baking time slightly.

The recipe gives a range of baking times -- use the shorter time for metal pans, the longer for Pyrex pans.





HERSHEY'S Syrup Snacking Brownies


1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
1-1/2 cups (16-oz. can) HERSHEY'S Syrup
4 eggs
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup HERSHEY'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips


1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 13x9x2-inch baking pan.

2. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl. Add syrup, eggs and flour; beat well. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared pan.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars. About 36 brownies.




Best Ever Chocolate Brownies

1 cup unsalted butter
3 oz. best quality semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup best quality cocoa powder
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese, softened
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp fine salt
Ganache, recipe follows


Preheat the oven to 325 F. Butter an 8 by 8-inch square pan and set aside.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter and bring it to just below a boil. Place the chopped chocolate in a large bowl. Pour in the hot butter and let stand for 30 seconds. Stir until completely melted. Sift in the sugar and cocoa powder. Beat in the mascarpone, eggs, and vanilla, mixing until smooth. Gently fold the flour and salt into the batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread evenly. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 to 15 minutes.

Spread the warm ganache over the brownies. Allow the ganache to set completely before cutting into squares.


Ganache:

6 oz. best quality semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
6 tbsp. heavy cream
3 tbsp. unsalted butter

Place the chocolate in a large mixing bowl and set aside. Bring the cream and butter to just below boiling point in a small saucepan over medium heat. Pour the hot mixture over the chocolate and let stand for 30 seconds. Stir the mixture until smooth.
The ganache should be used for spreading while warm.


BROWNIES

4 oz unsweetened baking chocolate
2/3 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup chopped nuts (opt)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13"x9"x2" pan. Melt chocolate and shortening in large saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat. Mix in sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in remaining ingredients. Spread in pan. Bake 30 minutes or until brownies start to pull away from pan. Do not over bake. Cool slightly before cutting. These may be frosted.



Cream Cheese Brownies
These are fussy to layer before baking, but are worth the extra time it takes. Very attractive.


CHEESE LAYER
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 large egg
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chopped maraschino cherries, well-drained

BROWNIE LAYER
2 large eggs
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/8 tsp salt

1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 cup butter or hard margarine

ICING
1-1/3 cups icing (confectioners') sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
3 Tbsp butter or hard margarine, softened
1-1/2 Tbsp hot water or prepared coffee


CHEESE LAYER: Beat cream cheese and egg well. Blend sugar and flour in gradually, beating until blended. Stir in cherries. Set aside.

BROWNIE LAYER: Beat eggs until frothy. Add next 4 ingredients. Mix.

Melt cocoa and butter in saucepan. Stir well. Add to egg mixture. Mix. Spread 2/3 of this mixture in greased 9x9-inch (22 x 22 cm) pan. Carefully put dabs of cream cheese filling here and there over top. Cover as completely as you can with remaining 1/3 brownie mixture by dropping half teaspoonfuls over top in rows. This will be patchy-looking but, when iced, they will look fine.

Bake in 350 F oven for 30 to 35 minutes. Should show signs of pulling away from edge of pan. Cool.

ICING: Put all 4 ingredients into small bowl. Beat. If too stiff to spread easily, add a few drops more liquid. If too runny, add more icing sugar. Spread over brownies. Cuts into 25 squares.
Post
 Posted By: cookee 
Feb 22  # 3 of 5
you are great. You get 3 brownie points from me!

i tried the hershey but doesnt seem very successful. Too dry. is it because of the marshmallows i added?
Post
 Posted By: cookee 
Feb 22  # 4 of 5
you are great. You get 3 brownie points from me!

i tried the hershey but doesnt seem very successful. Too dry. is it because of the marshmallows i added?
Post
 Posted By: Mama Mangia 
Feb 22  # 5 of 5
I don't think it was the marshmallows - I think you may have overbaked them.

Step 1:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Step 2:
Grease an 8-by-8-by-2-inch baking pan. Set aside.

Step 3:
Melt butter and chocolate together in a medium-sized saucepan over low heat. Or place them in a microwave-safe container and heat - 2 minutes at a time at 50 percent power - until melted (check after every 2 minutes). Remove from heat.

Step 4:
Stir in eggs, sugar and vanilla with a wooden spoon. Beat lightly until just combined.

Step 5:
Stir in flour and nuts.

Step 6:
Spread batter in baking pan. Bake 30 minutes.

Step 7:
Cool brownies on a wire rack. Cut into bars.
Tips & Warnings

* Don't overbake the brownies. You don't want them to be dry and crumbly when they cool.




If you want to add marshmallows to your brownies -
Rocky Road Brownies

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
3/4 cup plain flour
2 rounded Tbsps. cocoa
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 1/2 cups walnuts (chopped)

Cream sugar and butter then add eggs. Sift together flour, cocoa, salt, and baking powder. Stir the dry mixture into the creamed then fold in 1 cup of the nuts. Bake in an 8 X 8 X 2 inch dark pan at 350 for 22 to 25 mins. Cover the hot cake with the other half of the nuts then a layer of marshmallows then spread the following Icing on the still warm cake.

Icing

1/2 cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar (sifted)
3 Tbsps. cocoa
4 Tbsps. milk
2 tsp. vanilla

Mix all ingredients well and try to spread over the brownies without disturbing the marshmallows, or nuts. Let cool completely before cutting inside the pan.


Hope this helps (and gives me another "brownie point" - LOL!)