Tuesday 3 June 2008

I'm back... with French chocolate brownies to show for it


After what has to have been the best month of my life - M & I got married (twice, no less) and then had a heavenly honeymoon in Bhutan - I'm back to London and to the baking group, Tuesdays with Dorie, that was started by the wonderful Laurie. Usually, the rules are that TWD bakers must participate at least 2 out of every 4 weeks, but Laurie very graciously granted me a month's absence for my wedding with no questions asked. So, now I'm back, and more into this group than ever, if that's even possible!

Since I've only been back for 2 days, I'm glad that this week's challenge, French chocolate brownies, was much less involved than some of our other challenges. Still, simple doesn't mean compromising on taste.

I know some of you probably think that my brownie looks a little lonely on its plate in the photo. But as I was thinking what to top my brownie with, I finally decided that a great brownie needs no embellishment. Sure, brownies can sometimes be made better with ice cream whether as the base to a brownie sundae or as the fold-ins into a vanilla ice cream (brownie chunk ice cream), but the true test of a good brownie is one that holds its own and that you want to gobble down even with nothing extra on the side.

This, is one such brownie. Along the spectrum of cakey to fudgey, I think this brownie falls nicely in between. I found the brownie to have an incredibly tender crumb that was wonderfully moist at the same time. I was afraid that the rum-soaked raisins would overpower the chocolaty taste that I love in my brownies, but the rum flavour was extremely subtle and gave the brownie a more intriguing after taste.

Thanks to Di of Di's Kitchen Notebook for a great choice! Its my turn to pick a recipe in 2 weeks and I can't wait!

French Chocolate Brownies
Adapted from Baking From My Home to Yours

Ingredients
1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cinnamon (optional)
1/3 cup raisins, dark or golden
1 1/2 tbsp water
1 1/2 tbsp dark rum
6 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 1/2 sticks (12 tbsp; 6 oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into 12 pieces
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup sugar



Getting ready: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 300°F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with foil, butter the foil, place the pan on a baking sheet, and set aside.

Whisk together the flour, salt and cinnamon, if you're using it.



Put the raisins in a small saucepan with the water, bring to a boil over medium heat and cook until the water almost evaporates. Add the rum, let it warm for about 30 seconds, turn off the heat, stand back and ignite the rum. Allow the flames to die down, and set the raisins aside until needed.


Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Slowly and gently melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally. Remove the bowl from the saucepan and add the butter, stirring so that it melts. It's important that the chocolate and butter not get very hot. However, if the butter is not melting, you can put the bowl back over the still-hot water for a minute. If you've got a couple of little bits of unmelted butter, leave them—it's better to have a few bits than to overheat the whole. Set the chocolate aside for the moment.


Working with a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until they are thick and pale, about 2 minutes. Lower the mixer speed and pour in the chocolate-butter, mixing only until it is incorporated—you'll have a thick, creamy batter. Add the dry ingredients and mix at low speed for about 30 seconds—the dry ingredients won't be completely incorporated and that's fine. Finish folding in the dry ingredients by hand with a rubber spatula, then fold in the raisins along with any liquid remaining in the pan.


Scrape the batter into the pan and bake 50 to 60 minutes, or until the top is dry and crackled and a knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and allow the brownies to cool to warm or room temperature.


Carefully lift the brownies out of the pan, using the foil edges as handles, and transfer to a cutting board. With a long-bladed knife, cut the brownies into 16 squares, each roughly 2 inches on a side, taking care not to cut through the foil.


Makes 16 brownies

41 comments:

steph- whisk/spoon said...

congratulations and welcome back! looks like you are back into the swing of baking--these look delish!

noskos said...

Congratulations and welcome back to TWD! Your brownie looks very tasty!

Christine said...

Congratulations and welcome back to TWD! Your brownie looks chocolaty good!

Unknown said...

Congratulations - glad you are back and baking! These brownies do stand alone nicely, don't they?

Engineer Baker said...

Congrats and welcome back to the group! I'm glad you liked these.

Bumblebutton said...

Congrats! Nice that you liked these, and that you could pull them together with a short window!

Michelle said...

Congratulations and welcome back! :) Great recipe to ease you back in - your brownies look wonderful and you're right, good brownies don't need props :)

Marie Rayner said...

Welcome back and great looking brownie! I loved the rum flavoured raisins in this one. I can't wait to see what you pick for two weeks time!

Jules Someone said...

Mazel tov and welcome back! The brownies look yummy!

Amy said...

You are right, these brownies do not need a thing! And congratulations!

April said...

Congrats, your brownie looks yummy!

Mary Ann said...

Congrats and great job on your 1st recipe back!

Karina said...

Congratulations! Your brownie looks perfect all on its own!

Linda said...

Congrats...and it sounds like you had a fabulous time on your honeymoon! Nice way to get back into the swing of things...your brownie looks delicious!

Mari said...

Congratulations on your marriage! Your lone brownie looks perfect!

Annemarie said...

I absolutely LOVE the simplicity of your pic. It looks like it needs to be in a mag!

CB said...

Congratulations and Welcome Back!
Clara @ I♥food4thought

April said...

Congrats! Your brownies look delicious!

Mumsy said...

Congratulations on your marriage! Your brownies look great!

PheMom said...

Congrats on your wedding! Your brownies look beautiful!

Anonymous said...

They should stand on their own, and yours are proud about it!

Rebecca of "Ezra Pound Cake" said...

Welcome back, and congratulations! Looks deeelish.

Rebecca
http://www.ezrapoundcake.com

Jayne said...

I agree with you - a good brownie doesn't need anything with it. Congratulations on getting married (twice!)!! And welcome back!

Jaime said...

congrats MRS! :)

your lone brownie looks great - i agree that these need no embellishment

Melissa said...

Wow...sounds like a great month! Congrats!

Heather B said...

Congrats on your wedding! And your brownies! They look delicious!

Carol Peterman/TableFare said...

I too was surprised how good the raisins were in the brownies. Congratulations on your wedding. I have a friend doing a two year stint as a pastry chef at a resort in Buthan. Her photos are amazing, I bet your trip was fantastic!

Anonymous said...

Your lone brownie looks fantastic. Congratulations on your good month!

Mary said...

congratulations on your wedding! I wish you so much happiness. You'll have to post some wedding photos in between the beautiful food shots.

Dolores said...

I'm with you... a truly great brownie needs no further embellishment. Congratulations on your wedding, and my best wishes for a lifetime of love and happiness to both of you.

ostwestwind said...

Congratulations to your wedding, I whish you all the best for the rest of your life! Your brownies look very tasty.

Garrett said...

Welcome back, sounds like you had a great time! I absolutely agree, that delicious brownies can stand on their own - sounds like yours came out great.

Shari@Whisk: a food blog said...

Congratulations on your marriage! I thought these were delicious brownies!
Shari@Whisk: a food blog

Casa Costello said...

Congratulations! Nice to have you back and raring to go! Hx

Chris said...

Congrats and welcome back! Tasty looking brownies!

Lisa T. said...

I agree - a great brownie stands alone and yours looks delish! Congrats on your recent nuptials.

Andrea said...

The romantic in me thinks the only thing your brownie may need is another brownie to promise to love, honor and cherish it...

Caroline said...

Thank you everyone for your well wishes! Its so nice to know that the TWD community is such a caring one.

Semidipapavero said...

They looks tasty and soft..Mmmmm I'm hungry! Elga
http://semidipapavero.splinder.com

Jacque said...

I agree, a good brownie can stand on it's own.

Yours looks delish!

Congratulations!

Lori said...

Congratulations! How exciting!

The brownie looks great!