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Final Roundup: The Baked Brownie

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Well, here it is. We started this group in November 2010, with Baked Elements, and we’ve baked our way through four books and 272 recipes.

It’s only fitting that our last recipe is The Baked Brownie, the one that Oprah declared one of her favorite things way back in 2009.

Also fitting that we had a rogue baker on our last post as well. A hallmark of the loosey-goosey quality of this group, rogue baking was always encouraged as long as it was a Baked recipe. Thank you Dafna – great choice, too!

We can’t wrap up the group without a huge thanks to Matt and Nato for their support, and to their publisher, who allowed us to post every single recipe!

These are some stunning brownies, made by equally stunning bakers. Leave comments here – did you have a favorite Baked recipe out of the 272? What were your favorite Baked Sunday Mornings moments, experiences?

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In the Oven: the Baked Brownie

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This is it, bakers! After almost a decade, we have finally arrived at our last recipe from the gentlemen bakers. It’s one of Oprah’s favorite things… Will it be one of yours, too? We’re closing out Baked Sunday Mornings with the Baked Brownie. Posting date is May 17!

The Baked Brownie
Author: Matt Lewis & Renato Poliafito
Serves: 24 brownies
Ingredients
  • 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons dark unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 11 ounces dark chocolate (60 to 72% cacao), coarsely chopped
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
  • 1½ cups granulated sugar
  • ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 5 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the sides and bottom of a 9-by-13-inch glass or light-colored metal baking pan.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and cocoa powder together.
  3. Put the chocolate, butter, and instant espresso powder in a large bowl and set it over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and smooth. Turn off the heat, but keep the bowl over the water and add the sugars. Whisk until completely combined, then remove the bowl from the pan. The mixture should be room temperature.
  4. Add 3 eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Add the remaining eggs and whisk until combined. Add the vanilla and stir until combined. Do not overbeat the batter at this stage or your brownies will be cakey.
  5. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate mixture. Using a spatula (not a whisk), fold the flour mixture into the chocolate until just a bit of the flour mixture is visible.
  6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake in the center of the oven for 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs sticking to it. Let the brownies cool completely, then cut them into squares and serve.
  7. Tightly covered with plastic wrap, the brownies keep at room temperature for up to 3 days.

 

In the Oven: Milk Chocolate Malted Brownies with Chocolate Ganache

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For Halloween, our bakers have a chance to show off their decorating skills with some milk chocolate malted brownies with chocolate ganache. Posting date is October 23.

In the Oven: Milk Chocolate Malted Brownies with Chocolate Ganache
Author: Matt Lewis & Renato Poliafito
Serves: 36 to 48 mini brownies
Ingredients
  • For the Brownies
  • 1¼ cups (160 g) all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup (70 g) malted milk powder
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 6 ounces (170 g) milk chocolate (40 to 60% cacao), coarsely chopped
  • 4 ounces (115 g) dark chocolate (60 to 72% cacao), coarsely chopped
  • 6 ounces (1½ sticks/170 g) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) cubes, plus more for the pan
  • 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (110 g) firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 5 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • For the Chocolate Ganache
  • 6 ounces (170 g) dark chocolate (60 to 72% cacao), coarsely chopped
  • ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
  • For the Royal Icing
  • 3 to 4 cups (340 to 450 g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
  • 2 large egg whites
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • Blue, yellow, red, and black food dyes or gels (optional)
Instructions
Make the Brownies
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and position a rack in the center. Butter the sides and bottom of a glass or light-colored metal 9-by-13-inch (23-by-33-cm) pan. Line the bottom with a sheet of parchment paper so that it overhangs about 1 inch (2.5 cm) on the long sides of the pan, and butter the parchment.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, malted milk powder, cocoa, and salt.
  3. Place both chocolates and the butter in a large heatproof bowl and set it over a saucepan of simmering water (double-boiler method, see page 19), stirring occasionally, until the chocolate and butter are completely melted, smooth, and combined. Turn off the heat, but keep the bowl over the water and add both sugars. Whisk until completely combined, then remove the bowl from the pan. The mixture should be at room temperature.
  4. Add 3 eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Add the remaining 2 eggs and whisk until combined. Add the vanilla and whisk until combined. Do not overbeat the batter at this stage or your brownies will be cakey.
  5. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate mixture. Using a spatula, fold the flour mixture into the chocolate until just a bit of the flour mixture is visible.
  6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs sticking to it, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, place the pan on a cooling rack, and let the brownies cool completely.
Make the Chocolate Ganache
  1. Place the chopped chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. Place the cream in a saucepan over medium heat and heat just until bubbles form around the edge of the pan. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and let sit for 1 minute. Whisk until smooth. Pour the warm chocolate ganache over the cooled brownies in the pan and use an offset spatula to spread it into an even layer. Allow the ganache to sit for about 10 minutes, then refrigerate for another 15 minutes to set completely.
  2. Using a small paring knife, release the brownies from the sides of the pan and pull straight up on the parchment to remove them from the pan, then place the brownies onto a cutting board and remove the parchment. Place the brownies in the freezer for 30 minutes (this will make them easier to cut). Run a chef’s knife under hot water, wipe dry, and cut the brownies into 36 to 48 bite-size pieces (or smaller—these brownies are rich).
Make the Royal Icing
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 cups (340 g) confectioners’ sugar, the egg whites, and lemon juice until the mixture is completely smooth. The mixture should have the texture of a thick glaze. If it is too thin, add more powdered sugar, a few tablespoons at a time, until it is thick enough to hold its shape when piped. Divide the icing into four bowls. Royal icing will begin to harden when exposed to air. If you are not using a particular color, make sure to cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or place the icing in a pastry bag and cover the tip.
  2. Leave one bowl white for skulls and ghosts. In another bowl, create a black icing (about 8 drops of black gel or 2 drops each of blue, yellow, and red dye) for outlines and eyes. In the other two bowls, we recommend mixing orange for pumpkins and green for embellishments (green eyes are spooky). Put each color in its own pastry bag fitted with the smallest tip. (Pastry bags provide more control, but, if needed, you can fill four zip-tight plastic bags and cut a small corner from the bottom of each.) In essence, you want to pipe and fill all of your base layers first, then go back and add your final embellishments. (It is more difficult to decorate each brownie from start to finish.)
  3. For skulls and ghosts: Pipe on the shapes of skulls or ghosts in white and allow them to harden for a few minutes (see photo 1). Then fill them in completely (see photo 2). Gently pipe final embellishments (eyes, mouths, etc.) directly on top of the white icing with any other color you like (see photos 3 and 4).
  4. For pumpkins: Pipe on the shape of the pumpkins (not the stem) in orange and allow to harden for a few minutes (see photo 1), then fill them in completely. Gently pipe on the stem in green.
  5. Allow the icing to harden completely before serving.
Notes
[i]How to store[/i]: The brownies will keep, tightly covered with plastic wrap, at room temperature for up to 4 days.

 

 

In the Oven: Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Chocolate Brownies

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It’s officially Fall (at least, it is in the Northern Hemisphere), so we’re going to pumpkin-ize some brownies next. Posting date is October 9!

Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Chocolate Brownies
Author: Matt Lewis & Renato Poliafito
Serves: 24 brownies
Ingredients
  • For the Pumpkin Cheesecake Swirl
  • 1 (8-ounce/226-g) package cream cheese, softened
  • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons (75 g) granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup (170 g) solid pack pumpkin or pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • For the Brownie Layer
  • ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons (105 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 8 ounces (225 g) dark chocolate (60 to 72% cacao), coarsely chopped
  • 6 ounces (1½ sticks/170 g) unsalted butter, cut into
  • 1-inch (2.5-cm) cubes, plus more for the pan
  • ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons (85 g) firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the Pumpkin Cheesecake Swirl
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk the cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy (it should almost look like frosting). Add the pumpkin, egg yolk, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and ginger and whisk again until well blended. Cover and refrigerate while you make the brownie layer.
Make the Brownie Layer
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and position a rack in the center. Butter the sides and bottom of a glass or light-colored metal 9-by-13-inch (23-by-33-cm) pan. Line the bottom with a sheet of parchment paper with a 1-inch (2.5-cm) overhang on the long sides of the pan, and butter the parchment.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, and salt.
  3. Place the chocolate and butter in a large heatproof bowl and set it over a saucepan of simmering water (double-boiler method, see page 19), stirring occasionally, until the chocolate and butter are completely melted, smooth, and combined. Turn off the heat, but keep the bowl over the water and add both sugars. Whisk until completely combined, then remove the bowl from the pan. The mixture should be at room temperature. Add 2 eggs to the chocolate mixture and gently whisk until just combined. Add the remaining egg and whisk until combined. Add the vanilla and whisk until combined. Do not overbeat the batter at this stage or your brownies will be cakey.
  4. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate mixture. Using a spatula, fold them gently together until just a bit of the flour mixture is visible.
  5. Pour two-thirds of the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Pour the pumpkin cheesecake mixture over the brownies and smooth into an even layer with the back of an offset spatula. Drop the remaining one-third of the brownie batter by heaping tablespoons here and there over the pumpkin layer. Use a knife to gently pull through the batters to create a swirl. (The brownie batter is thick, so you might need to pull several times before you start to create the swirl.)
  6. Bake, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs sticking to it, 30 to 40 minutes. Let the brownies cool almost completely.
  7. You can eat the brownies slightly warm or at room temperature, when they have a more pumpkin-y flavor. Or cover and refrigerate them for about 3 hours and enjoy them slightly chilled (this is our favorite). Either way, when you’re ready, release the brownies from the side of the pan with a small paring knife. Pull straight up on the parchment to remove them from the pan, place them on a cutting board, cut, and serve.
Notes
[i]How to store: [/i]the brownies will keep, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

 

In the Oven: Mini Chocolate Brownie Cupcakes

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With the kids going back to school, it’s time for mini chocolate brownie cupcakes! Posting date is September 25.

In the Oven: Mini Chocolate Brownie Cupcakes
Author: Matt Lewis & Renato Poliafito
Serves: 48 mini cupcakes
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1½ cups (150 g) walnuts
  • 8 ounces (225 g) good quality dark chocolate (60 to 72% cacao), coarsely chopped, or mini dark chocolate chips
  • ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon (25 g) unsweetened dark cocoa powder
  • 1½ teaspoons instant espresso powder
  • 1 cup (240 ml) very hot water
  • 2 cups (255 g) all-purpose flour
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup (220 g) firmly packed dark brown sugar
  • ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup (180 ml) canola oil
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two mini cupcake pans with liners. (Alternatively, use one pan and bake in batches.)
  2. Place the butter in a medium bowl and set aside.
  3. Spread the nuts on a rimmed baking sheet and toast until fragrant, tossing and flipping the nuts halfway through, approximately 10 minutes. Transfer the hot nuts to the bowl with the butter. Wait approximately 1 minute, then turn to coat the nuts in the butter as it melts. Let the nuts cool completely, then chop them into fine pieces. Return to the bowl. Add the chocolate and toss with the walnuts until combined.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk together the unsweetened cocoa powder, espresso powder, and ½ cup (120 ml) of the very hot water. Set aside.
  5. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Set aside.
  6. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat both sugars, the canola oil, and vanilla on medium-low speed until combined. Add the egg and egg yolks and continue beating until the mixture is uniform and completely combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the cocoa-powder mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then mix on low speed for a few more seconds.
  7. Stir the baking soda into the remaining ½ cup (120 ml) hot water to dissolve. Pour the mixture into the batter and mix on low speed until incorporated. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the batter into each of the prepared cups, then spoon about 1 tablespoon of the walnut-chocolate mixture directly over the batter. Bake, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted into the side of the cupcake (not the melty chocolate topping part) comes out with a few moist crumbs, 19 to 22 minutes. Do not overbake.
  8. Allow the cupcakes to cool for 15 minutes in the pan on a wire rack, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Serve at room temperature.
Notes
[i]How to store[/i]: The cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.