The Best Brownies

I have always been a box mix brownie kind of girl. The box mixes are BOGO almost every week, they take all of 2 minutes to throw together, and I actually find them more delicious than homemade brownies. UNTIL NOW. Earlier this week I needed to make a bunch of brownies to take to a church event, so I decided to make several different kinds and for once and for all decide which brownie was the best. I tried a new recipe for a batch of homemade brownies, and I also made a Hershey's box mix and (my favorite) Ghirardelli box mix. I took a mixture of all three to the church event, and saved some of each for Caleb and I to do a blind taste test. 

The above photo shows how each brownie turned out. The Hershey's looks like it's going to be the richest as it's the darkest in color, the Ghirardelli looks like your standard brownie, and the homemade brownie is totally dominating the scene at twice as large as the box brownies. Here's how the taste test went down:

#1: Ghirardelli // we liked the chocolate chips, it was super chocolately, and pretty moist

#2: Hershey's // sticky, gooey, more milk chocolately, not as intense flavor, not as good as Ghirardelli, would not eat again

#3: homemade // richer, liked the chocolate chips, more of a brownie texture, moist, most intense flavor, hands down our favorite

We were both surprised that the homemade brownie was our favorite! We have declared this brownie recipe the best brownies we've ever eaten - they are that good. The winning recipe is originally from Taste of Home magazine, and the recipe is below, with my minor adjustments included.

Ultimate Fudgy Brownies
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup butter, cubed
1/4 cup water
20 oz bittersweet chocolate chips, divided (I used Ghirardelli)
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, letting ends extend up and over sides.

In a large saucepan, combine sugars, butter, and water; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add a generous 1 3/4 cups chocolate chips (this was a little more than a 10 oz bag). Stir until melted. Cool slightly.

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk eggs until foamy, about 3 minutes. Add vanilla extract; gradually whisk in the chocolate mixture. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining chocolate chips.

Pour into prepared pan. Bake on a lower oven rack 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs (do not overbake). Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

Lifting with parchment paper, remove brownies from pan. Cut into 16 squares.

source: recipe adapted from Taste of Home, September/October 2015

Espresso Cheesecake Brownies

Caleb's parents visited us last weekend, and when I was baking and cooking in preparation for their arrival, I couldn't decide what dessert to make. Both Caleb's mom and dad are big-time coffee lovers, so I landed on these espresso cheesecake brownies. It's no secret that my kitchen is stocked with OXO tools, so when OXO sent me a brownie tool set, I was so excited! Not only were they great brownie-making tools, they were all part of OXO's Bake a Difference. For each specially marked OXO product with the below tag, OXO will make a 25-cent donation to Cookies for Kids' Cancer. In 2013 OXO will donate up to $100,000 to Cookies for Kids' Cancer through these specially marked baking tools, bake sale matches, and other fundraising efforts. Cookies for Kids' Cancer is a non-profit foundation dedicated to raising funds for pediatric cancer research. Be sure to look for these specially marked baking tools when you're looking for your next OXO product!

Espresso Cheesecake Brownies
for the brownie layer:
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
5 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 5 pieces
4 oz bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla

for the cheesecake layer:
1 1/2 tsp espresso powder
1 Tbsp very hot tap water
8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1/4 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp flour

for the sour cream layer:
1 1/4 cups sour cream
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8x8-inch baking dish with foil. Lightly grease the fil. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to blend, and set aside. Combine the butter and chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. Microwave in short intervals (20-30 seconds), stirring in between, until the mixture is just fully melted and smooth. Add the sugar to the chocolate mixture and whisk to blend. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla extract. Blend in the flour mixture just until incorporated and no streaks remain. Spread the batter into the prepared pan in an even layer and set aside.

To make the cheesecake layer, combine the espresso powder and water in a small bowl and whisk until the powder is dissolved. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed until light, about 2 minutes. Gradually blend in the sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes more. Blend in the vanilla extract, and then the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the dissolved espresso mixture to the bowl and blend in. Beat in the sour cream and then the flour. Pour the cheesecake batter over the brownie layer and smooth into an even layer.

Bake about 30-40 minutes, just until the center of the cheesecake layer is set and doesn't shake much when lightly jiggled. Remove the pan to a wire cooling rack. once cooled to room temperature, cover and chill at least 2 hours in the refrigerator.

To make the topping, combine the sour cream and confectioners' sugar in a small saucepan. Warm over low heat, stirring occasionally, just until the sugar is dissolved. Spread the mixture over teh cheesecake portion of the brownies and smooth into an even layer. Chill once more, at least 1 hour before slicing and serving.

source: recipe from annie's eats

Disclosure: OXO provided me with the Bake a Difference Brownie Tool Set as part of their Blogger Outreach Program. All opinions are 100% my own. I truly love and use OXO products all the time.

Snickers Cheesecake Brownies

The past week has been crazy:  Caleb has been wrapping things up at work, I worked on finding a place to live, we've been trying to get rid of our place here, the house is a maze of boxes, and we're moving in three days!  Last week I had had enough of the craziness and just needed to bake something. This recipe has been stashed in my to-make file for three very specific reasons:  Snickers. Cheesecake.  Brownies.  

Snickers Cheesecake Brownies

for the brownies:
8 Tbsp unsalted butter
4 oz unsweetened chocolate
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour

Place butter and chocolate in a double boiler or a bowl over simmering water.  Stir frequently until mixture is melted.  Remove chocolate mixture from heat and stir in sugar, vanilla and salt.  Add the eggs one at a time, stirring until each is incorporated before adding the next.  Stir in flour and beat with a wooden spoon until mixture is glossy, about 1 minute.

Pour batter into a greased 8x8 baking dish and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, or until the brownie starts to pull away from the pan.  While brownies are baking prepare an ice bath.  Fill a pan with ice cubes and water 3/4 inch deep.  When the brownies are done baking, remove the pan from the oven and place it in the water bath.  Allow brownies to cool completely in water bath.

for the snickers cheesecake layer:
1 egg
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp confectioners' sugar
8 Snickers (fun size 4.62 oz), chopped

Add all ingredients except Snickers in a bowl and mix to combine.  Pour on top of cooled brownie and bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until set.  Cool to warm then press chopped Snickers into cheesecake layer.  Cool completely before serving.  Store in refrigerator.

source:  recipe from bakers royale, originally from Alice Medrich

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