christmukkah cookies for all!

every year i bake cookies for all the men that work in my building. this year i even invested in really pretty cookie packaging from my new favorite spot in brooklyn - paper source.

i wanted to have a variety of cookies, but also wanted cookies that could all be done for all eight recipients in 2 nights (at most). i wanted to make sure i got everyone fresh cookies-- it makes all the difference. i also had to find a good vegan recipe. two of the lucky cookie recipients are vegans- and they both happen to be the nicest guys in the building.

my friend pam recently made these delicious cookies that she mentioned were vegan. they were so rich with chocolate and spicy too. i knew they were the right choice. i gave the extras to my boyfriend and some visitors i had in from baltimore. i mentioned the cookies were vegan and my cookie fans were shocked!

spicy mexican hot chocolate cookies for vegans (and non vegans too)

ingredients:
cookies:
1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
3 tablespoons almond milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 2/3 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cayenne

topping:
coarse sugar
cinnamon

instructions:
*oven to 350 F.

*mix the topping ingredients together on a flat plate. set aside.

*mix together oil, sugar, syrup, and milk. mix in vanilla.

*sift in remaining ingredients, stirring as you add them. once all ingredients are added mix until you’ve got a pliable dough.

*roll dough into walnut sized balls. pat into the sugar topping to flatten slightly (not too flat). transfer to baking sheet, sugar side up, at least 2 inches apart (they do spread).

*bake for 10 to 12 minutes





so- the vegans were taken care of, now what about the other nice guys in my building? i decided to use one sugar cookie dough recipe (which i doubled) to make three different types of cookies. thumbprints with jam, nutella sandwiches with sugar on top, and lemon iced cookies (lemon icing recipe further down). they were all sooooooo delicious. i also had a lot of help from my awesome chef's assistant / boyfriend.

the best simple sugar cookie dough:

ingredients:

2 1/2 cups flour, plus more for the work surface

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1 cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp maple syrup

instructions:

*oven to 350° F.
*in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
*using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until smooth. add the egg and beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes. beat in the vanilla.
*reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until just incorporated (the dough will be stiff). shape into a disk. wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.
*on a floured surface, roll the dough to ¼ inch thick. using cookie cutters, cut into shapes. place on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them 1½ inches apart.
*bake 10 to 12 min



lemon icing:
juice of half a lemon
lemon zest
1 cup of confectioner sugar
few spoonfuls of water

wisk till smooth.
when cookies are cool, dip in icing.
let dry a bit. dip one more time.
sprinkle with sanding sugar.
put in fridge for 30 minutes.
serve cookies at room temp.

these are the cookies ready to go! happy holidays everyone.




xo

BAKE OFF!

i have been baking quite a bit in the last month! the holidays have been busy and it seems i have been neglecting the blog. so many recipes to share, so many sweet tales to tell.

to start off, please meet the new love of my baking life:


so. in. love. hanukkah harry is a good man!

about a month ago my lovely co-workers and i decided to have a bake off. there are a lot of skilled bakers in my office, so it was getting pretty competitive. lots of shit talking, lots of planning, but all in good fun. we even put out an email to the whole office to recruit judges. the bake off dessert had to have an autumn theme. this is what i made:



PUMPKIN CUPCAKES. BUTTERSCOTCH CHIPS. VANILLA CREAM CHEESE FROSTING. YUM!

I used this recipe for the pumpkin cupcakes, but also added a pinch of cloves, a pinch of black pepper, and a teaspoon of maple syrup. I also added butterscotch chips, folding them in before spooning out the batter into the liners.

i made vanilla cream cheese frosting. it's easy and delicious to make this from scratch. the key is to have your cream cheese and butter very soft at room temp. also, sifting the sugar helps keep the icing light and smooth. with an icing this simple, these factors will make a large impact. i also like to add the contents of one vanilla bean.

VANILLA CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
1 package of full fat cream cheese (8 oz)
1 stick unsalted butter
2-3 cups powdered sugar (i lean closer to 2 cups as the cupcakes were pretty sweet)
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 vanilla bean (the seeds only, not the pod)

A TIP: save the vanilla bean pods- put them in a jar with some white sugar and shake it up. in a day or so you have homemade vanilla sugar. vanilla sugar makes a cup of pg tips with milk even more delicious!

the cupcakes were a big hit! although i didn't win first prize, i was a close second. i did hold the title for 2 years, so it's only fair someone else get the glory for a short while... i let them know, i am ready for a rematch!

cake balls, brooklyn's best and vintage tins!

one of my favorite west coast ladies got married this summer. i sadly could not attend the wedding. as a little post wedding treat, i sent a care package. other than the horrible experience of waiting in line at the post office (a fate worse than death), it was so much fun to assemble this package. it included homemade banana cake balls, mast bros chocolate, a baked brownie, brooklyn gum, 1" story pin, goucher college sticker (it's where we met after all), john waters postcard and cards from atomic books--- i put it all in a vintage 50's tin from holland. i love vintage tins, and to find one in such beautiful condition was divine!



cake balls are something i rediscovered recently. they are always a BIG hit at the office. making cake balls can be a bit messy, but they are pretty easy to make otherwise. i recently starting thinking about all the flavor combos that could be made... and one that i needed to try was banana cake with cream cheese frosting and dark chocolate. i followed bakarella's 'instructions' while incorporating different flavor cake. i also put a single sugar pearl on each cake ball, which i thought was a romantic touch.



so much deliciousness being sent with love from east to west <3

you will be missed... delicious friend

blue marble has mastered the art of simple, delicious, high quality ice cream. sadly, the blue marble on atlantic avenue (just a short walk from my apartment) will be closing in less than a week. this blue marble is insanely popular and very loved. it seems ice cream doesn't make the rent. so no more last minute blue marble stops on my way home after a bad day. no more blue marble runs with my boyfriend at 10:30pm for a mini marble. sigh.

blue marble still exists at two lovely brooklyn locations- but the original on atlantic is what started it all!

i will miss you blue marble on atlantic avenue! your ginger ice cream lives on in my heart... and my belly.



if you live nearby, you should stop by 420 atlantic avenue and show your support before they close on 10/24. if you've never tried blue marble---- GET READY :)

over the moon for french macaroons

french macaroons. beautiful and delicious. the type of treat that has you channeling your inner french princess. i recently set out to make these for the first time. my sous chef for the day was mandark. although macaroons are a simple recipe, everything has to be precise, so i was a bit intimidated. i think they turned out pretty good for a first attempt! the colors we decided on were lavender and baby blue. we turned to martha for the recipe.

for the filling we melted down a bar of vosges creole bar. i felt like we had to go for some high class chocolate filler to make macaroons even marie antoinette would enjoy.

i want to make macaroons again soon... half the fun is deciding the color and flavor combos that are possible with this lovely little cookie :)

rhubarb + strawberry coffee cake

during a recent trip to the catskils, i discovered a new farmers market. it was full of amazing fruits, veg, cheese and baked goods... including one of the BEST coffee cakes i have ever had. full stop. it was baked in a basic tin, with an unassuming label in plain type: 'strawberry rhubarb'... but boy oh boy, when i bit into that moist coffee cake it had the perfect balance of sugar, cinnamon, fruit and crunch. i wanted to buy more to bring home, but there were none left the next day. so i decided when i got home i would attempt my own.

adapted from martha 'lady jesus' stewart

for the crumble topping:

4 tblspns unsalted melted butter- plus more for dish
3/4 cup cake flour- plus more for dish
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 tspn salt
1/4 tspn cinnamon

for the cake:

1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 tspn baking powder
1/4 tspn salt
1 stick unsalted butter, room temp
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tspn vanilla extract
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 cups of strawberries and rhubarb that have been diced

*oven to 350° F.
*butter a 9-inch round baking dish, dust with flour, tap out excess.
*stir together butter, flour, sugars, salt, and cinnamon. set topping aside.

*mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.

*in another bowl cream butter and granulated sugar until pale and fluffy. beat in eggs and vanilla.
*working in alternating batches, add flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour. stir until just combined.
*fold in fruit. pour into dish. sprinkle with crumb topping.

bake about 1 hour. sprinkle with powdered sugar.





give half to your boyfriend and bring half into work. endless praise. enjoy with whipped cream or if you're feeling really glutenous- cinnamon ice cream.

souper trooper

every once is a while you need a break from sweets... right? or rather... something to eat in between desserts.

when i was in still in college, my good friend marge showed me this soup recipe she learned while living in italy. pappa al pomodoro! it's easy, cheap and delicious- the three most important meal factors to any poor college student. i had not made this soup in a while, but once i had the thought of it in my mind, i was on a mission.

everything you need is in this picture:



1. stock
2. onion
3. garlic
4. basil
5. can of whole peeled tomatoes
6. stale bread
also olive oil, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes (my preference), parmesan cheese

this soup gets better over time. if it gets dried out just add a little more stock as you warm it up. i also LOVE this soup b/c it gives me something to do with my fancy baguettes from balthazar once they go stale.

this is what is should look like as it's all brewing:




even my little brother had three bowls in one sitting.

athletes like cupcakes

recently my good friend pete was visiting from london. pete is an amazing sound genius and he tours with lots of awesome bands. last year i met up with pete and his girlfriend (my good friend) gil in melbourne. pete was on tour with spiritualized and we saw them perform at mt. buller. it was beautiful. other than one scary encounter with a big spider, the weekend was magic.

so... pete was just recently in nyc with athlete. i have seen the athlete perform before, and it's always a good show. to top it off, the guys in the band are beyond lovely. we had only exchanged a few words last time i met them, but for this trip pete let me know they would all have some free time in BROOKLYN. athlete were performing at the bell house (great venue) and there was going to be time for dinner beforehand. i suggested we go to get fresh-- they have an amazing prix fix. dessert was not included in the prix fix, so i decided to make dessert myself. ALSO-- pete brought me lardy bread all the way from the UK, so i felt he really earned a cupcake :)

these cupcakes are always a hit!

'better than magnolia' (so says athlete) blueberry cupcakes with maple icing

cupcakes
3 1/4 cups cake flour sifted
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 tblspn baking powder
1/2 tspn coarse kosher salt
1/4 tspn baking soda
6 tblspn (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup canola oil
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup whole milk
1 tspn vanilla extract
1 tspn grated lemon peel
1 tblspn maple syrup
1 pinch cinnamon
1 1/4 cups fresh blueberries, frozen for 4 hours


*oven to 350°F.
*sift flour and next 4 ingredients into large bowl
*whisk melted butter and oil in medium bowl.
*add eggs; whisk to blend.
*whisk in buttermilk, milk, vanilla extract, and peel.
*add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients; whisk just to blend.
*stir in frozen blueberries.

*bake cupcakes 20-25 minutes

frosting
2 1/4 cups powdered sugar
10 tblspns (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
maple syrup (to taste) (14 - 1/2 cup)
1/2 tspn salt
1 1/4 tspns vanilla extract
4 tspns (or more) whole milk

cream sugar and butter. add salt. add vanilla, add syrup. still in milk slowly till you reach desired consistency. chill for 30 minutes.

1 cup chilled fresh blueberries covered in sugar (for decoration)





the boys really liked the cupcakes, and dinner was delicious. the band played well and the crowd was so joyous. to top it off they recorded a little video for my friend willa, who is a big athlete fan, and was out of town!

a brunch fit for a queen mother

mothers day! not your everyday brunch... it calls for something more special than your generic pancakes or eggs (as good as that is). brunches like this are an excuse to make something far more gluttonous than your typical sunday fare.

pain au chocolat bread pudding , fruit, healthy canapes and french press coffee were the items on my menu.

FIRST canapes: wasabi egg salad on cucumber

for the egg salad:
5 hard boiled eggs (chopped)
3 spoonfuls of wasabi mayo (trader joes brand)
red onion chopped
chives chopped
salt, pepper, cayenne pepper

serve on sliced cucumber. garnish with cayenne pepper and chive



SECOND pain au chocolat bread pudding and strawberries on the side

PAC pudding (get the le crusset ready):

5 stale pains au chocolat (cut in 1" slices)
2 cups whole milk
2 cups double cream
3 tblsp sugar
1 large egg
4 large egg yolks
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 bar quality dark chocolate (my choice - vosages creole bar)

oven to 350.
butter your dish.
cut up the bread to 1" pieces and arrange in dish.
sprinkle roughly chopped chocolate bar over dish.
put milk and cream bring to near boiling point.
whisk egg, yolks and sugar into large bowl.
pour milk into egg mixture whisking continuously.
add vanilla.
pour over bread and leave to soak for ten minutes.
cook for about 45 minutes.

this brunch was a big hit. good quality coffee to accompany brunch is highly recommended.

taking you downtown to brownie town

my friend mellio likes nothing more than desserts with raspberries and chocolate. she started telling me months before her birthday that making her anything else was just not an option. also not an option--- trying to live to see 30 without baking for her birthday ;) she's a funny lady. she's a puerto rican chick who loves the film yentyl and insisted ricky martin was NOT gay, just hispanic ('danielle, you just don't know what hispanic men are like, ooohkay!') until one month ago.
melissa and i go way way back to the days of midwood high school. how could i say NO to mah gurl?

i looked over so many recipes before i decided something rich and simple would do the trick. raspberry chocolate brownies it is then!

raspberry chocolate brownies

* 4 eggs

* 1 1/2cup sugar
* 2 teaspoon vanilla

* 1 cup butter

* 1 ½ cup ghirardelli ground chocolate
* 1 1/3 cup flour

* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

* 1/2 teaspoon salt

* 4 teaspoons of milk
* semi sweet chocolate chips
* raspberry jam

*confectioners sugar, with milk and cocoa for icing glaze.

1. oven at 350 degrees F.

2. cream butter with sugar and vanilla; add eggs. beat till well mixed.
3. mix ground chocolate with flour, baking powder, and salt.

4. stir into egg mixture; milk, and chocolate chips last, stir in raspberry jam.
5. 8 x 8 well greased pan
6. Bake 40-45 minutes
7. let cool
8. put in 'cups'
9. drizzle glaze and raspberries
10. one chocolate truffle for the birthday girls portion



enjoy. digest. enjoy again.

paging dr pepper!

my boyfriend loves his sweets. there is one thing in particular that he is very well known for loving (other than me)- and that is dr pepper soda. i knew i wanted to make him something with dr pepper- and a dr pepper cake seemed like a great option. i have had chocolate coca-cola cake before, and boy, did i love it. for these cupcakes i used a coca-cola chocolate cake recipe and added dr pepper instead. the batter seemed a bit runny when i first filled the cups, but the end product was rich and moist. i am happy i decided to make a simple vanilla frosting to go with it, because the flavor of the cake itself shouldn't compete with anything too rich. these cupcakes were a huge hit at sheep station. in fact, they went over so well with the bar staff that i got a few free drinks out of it! most importantly, boyfriend loved them too :)


i call these sweeney-pie's cocoa pepper cola cakes :)

CAKE:

1 1/2 cup dr. pepper soda
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
1 stick salted butter (good quality)
4 tablespoons cocoa powder (i used some i got as a gift from belgium- any high quality cocoa works)
2 cups sugar
2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk

oven to 350° F

combine the dr. pepper, oil, butter and cocoa powder in a saucepan over medium heat. when it comes to a simmer, mix well and turn stove off.

mix dry ingredients together - then add to mixture in saucepan and mix well, by hand. don’t over mix.

in a separate small bowl lightly beat the eggs and buttermilk together, and add them to the cocoa cola mixture and mix lightly- not too much.

pour into cupcake cups and bake at 350° for approx. 20-23 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

cool on rack. put in fridge till cool.



FROSTIN:

2 sticks of unsalted butter - very soft
1 cup milk
1 1/4 cup confectioner sugar
4 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon of buttermilk


beat butter 3 minutes, slowly add sugar

in saucepan, simmer milk, buttermilk and flour till it forms a warm paste. stir constantly- it will burn otherwise.

add warm mixture to butter/sugar. mix well.

put in fridge for 30 minutes.






FROST CUPCAKES. EAT, ENJOY!

from queen victoria to the queen of graphic design

i spent about two weeks in london, and it reminded me of a few culinary facts:

*london DOES have great coffee (broadway market!)
*some curries are worth hiking up a mountain for (or so stated the menu write up for the best curry i ever had)
*sharon's in stamford hill is worth a bus trip on the 149
*victoria sponge cake- when made right- is AMAZING!

so when i realized i had a very special birthday at the end of my first week back, i set out to make my first victoria sponge cake. shocking that an anglophile such as myself hasn't made one before- i know! i turned to the queen of british cooking, one of my idols, nigella. the cake was for one of my favorite people at work, and in general- willa. not only is she the queen of graphic design, but she's the queen of many hearts at our office. she is also always very complimentary of everything i cook / bake.

the victoria sponge is a pretty basic cake- so i think investing in quality ingredients is important more so than usual. they now sell kerrygold butter at trader joe's which makes me very happy. this cakes takes lots of butter, so this new development made my day. i decided on trader joe's blackberry preserves, because it's my absolute favorite jam they make. i wanted to use clotted cream, but couldn't find any... anywhere! i made fresh whipped cream at the last minute which was nice.

this cake can all be done using one big bowl, and a hand mixer. yes. mix in all the following ingredients- save the milk for last and mix that in slowly.

1 cup unsalted butter (very soft)
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 large eggs
1 1/3 cups cake flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
3-4 tablespoons milk (mix in with the hand mixer on low)

put in two 8" round pans that are buttered. bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.



after the cakes have cooled for a good while, put them on two plates, and put whipped cream on one side, and jam on the other. sandwich together. i used a good amount of jam, so it ran over. i just used a knife to smooth it all out, and covered with powdered sugar. make sure this cake goes in the fridge if you are not serving right away.

this cake was delicious! even my cream-phobic friend rachel was lovvvvving it.

also- a special thanks to my #1 bunny rabbit for serving as sous chef :)

girl bakes in brooklyn takes over london. mmm! LUSH.

on march 2nd, my little brother turned 25. he is studying in london, and i had been trying to figure out a good time to visit. his birthday seemed like a great idea. not only was there a birthday to celebrate, but there were two new babies to see, and friends (that, hell, are like family) to visit. it feels like a second home to me, and every time i visit, i fall in love with something new. 100% of the time i fall in love with a new food or snack. i know london gets a bad rap for having shitty food-- but it's NOT true! if you think that, you haven't been, or you've put no effort into finding something good. eating at the markets alone (borough, broadway, etc) will have you in foodie ecstasy. the curries, the tea, the scones, the biscuits and the cheese are usually AHmazing.



for baby brother's birthday, we took over lock tavern. one of my fave pubs in london, and surely the best one in camden. good beer, cool space, good pub food, CUTE bar staff (for this lady)... i spent the day making good ol american cupcakes and brownies. it involved a trip to morrisons, icing brought in from new york, and a trip on bus 149 through stamford hill, and carrying them through hackney past an old man who called me a 'cunt' (TRUE STORY! such lovely old men live in the east end). in the end, they were very appreciated. everyone was nom nom noming them like mad.

the mustard of all mustards - via gent!

recently my parents went on a trip through brussels (lucky them) and they brought me back some of the most sought after mustard on earth. no really--- it's nigella lawsons' favorite- but- this little shop refuses to ship the yellow goodness to her or anyone else. you can only get it straight from the shop, and straight from the mustard barrel!




i decided this special mustard deserved to be paired with some worthy bread-- so i set out to almondine for a pretzel and cheese roll. truly amazing on its own, but i knew it would go great with any mustard.

i have to be honest-- this spicy yellow gold lived up to the hype. great mustard flavor, a bit of spice that subsides quickly after. the adorable jar it comes in isn't too bad either. i also made some AMAZING salad dressing with it. i don't consider myself a condiment snob, but i really do appreciate a sauce that is made with this much skill, love and tradition.

snow day cookies

there have been a lot of snowy days recently- and what warms a cold nyc apartment better than fresh baked cookies?? mmMMmm! i have made these cookies many times before. i love them because i almost always have everything i need to make them in my kitchen already, and it's easy to vary the spice or citrus for different flavors. this cookie has so many textures and flavors-- it's sure to please. i don't even measure my spices at this point, and sometimes i add different spice combos than listed below. on this very snowy day--- i wanted every layer of texture, flavor, spice, zest, chocolate, gooey chewy, cookie goodness to knock me into submission.

!!snow day cookies!!






*set oven to 350 degrees

*cream the following:
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

*add to cream mixture: 2 large eggs

*mix dry in a bowl:
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground clove
1/8 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon cardamom

*add these after incorporating dry ingredients bowl:
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1 cup chopped pecans
2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips (maybe more--- i LOVE chocolate)




tablespoon size scoops. 10-15 minutes depending on your oven.

consume. share. repeat.

muhn rolls for nahal

muhn (AKA poppy seed) cake is one of my favorite desserts. when i was last in germany (berlin) it was my quest to find the best muhn cake possible... funny enough, nothing came close to the muhn cake i used to get at spitalfields market in london, around 2002. these german cake ladies were unstoppable! my friends and i used to bring back large moist slices of poppy seed, apple and rhubarb and slowly eat them with cups of pg tips. delicious memories.

recently on a trip to sahadis, i spotted poppy seed filling! i was excited, because i had been talking about making poppy seed filled something for so long. most traditional recipes for the filling require quark, which is really hard to find outside of germany/austria/hungary... i am going to work on a homemade filling recipe soon, but this was a great way to get my muhn fix in the meantime. i should also mention that while i was in line waiting to buy the filling, michael shannon was sanding behind me singing christmas carols...




it was my friend nahal's last day of work friday. i thought it would be nice to make something for breakfast that a bunch of us could share. originally i was going to make cinnamon rolls and then i remembered the poppyseed filling. mmm! i used a basic cinnamon roll recipe and just used the poppyseed filling instead. it was quick, easy, delicious and it looked lovely when i was done!



the dough:
3/4 cup cottage cheese (4% milk fat)
1/3 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
4 tbs unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups flour; more for rolling
1 tbs. baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
sugar for sprinkling when done*

filling:
poppyseed goodness
melted butter

icing:
3/4 cup powder sugar
2 tbs milk (maybe more, depending on how thick you like it)
splash vanilla

combine the cottage cheese, buttermilk, sugar, melted butter, and vanilla. process until smooth. add the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. the dough will be soft and moist. put on a well floured surface. knead a few times. roll out into a rectangle. cover with melted butter. add poppyseed filling. slowly roll the dough to form a long roll. take a very sharp knife and cut out rolls. place in a well buttered dish/pan. sprinkle with sugar. bake at 400 for 20 minutes. after this has cooled, cover with icing.





nom nom nom! muhn rolls for nahal <3

hot chocolate boyfriend brownies!

a few months ago one of the legal interns brought in the most amazing brownies. of course i told her she had to send me the recipe. she finally did... going by her original recipe produces delicious results, but i decided to change it up a little bit. half of these went to my new boo, but some of them made it into the office, which was very appreciated. this recipe also produces some of the best brownie batter i have ever tasted--- i really didn't think you could beat box brownies--- but these do!

Ingredients



* 2 eggs

* 3/4 cup sugar
* 1 teaspoon vanilla

* 1/2 cup butter

* 3/4 cup ghirardelli ground chocolate
* 2/3 cup flour

* 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

* 1/4 teaspoon salt

* teaspoon vegetable oil
* 2 teaspoons of milk
* 1 tablespoon cinnamon
* semi sweet chocolate chips
* hot chocolate mix for dusting (cadbury is my pick)


directions



1. oven at 350 degrees F.

2. cream butter with sugar and vanilla; add eggs. beat till well mixed.
3. mix ground chocolate with flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

4. stir into egg mixture; add oil, milk, and chocolate chips last.
5. 8 x 8 well greased pan
6. Bake 40-45 minutes







the flavor reminds me of the hot chocolate in barcelona. straight up brownies are effing delicious, but sometimes it's nice open yourself up to something a little different...