09 Mar
Chewy Brownies
Posted by Michelle as Brownies and Bar Cookies | 56 Comments
A few weeks ago when I asked you to look deep into your soul and tell me about your favorite brownies, there was an undeniable theme. The great majority of you admitted that you only have eyes for box-mix brownies. And really, what’s not to love? The brownies always turn out gooey, chewy and with that wonderful thin crackly crust on top. While I love baking from scratch and have tried countless brownie recipes, you always know what you’re getting with a box-mix brownie, and for most, it’s the best. Just last summer I was at a get together and after eating one of the brownies that was out on a platter, I was pretty darn sure it was the best brownie I had ever eaten. I asked the hostess for the recipe and she said that they were the Ghiradelli triple chocolate box mix from Costco, slightly underbaked. Perfection, indeed. I could have eaten the whole plate myself. And I was convinced that I would never need to bake a brownie from scratch ever again.
You’re probably wondering where I’m going with all of this box-mix brownie talk. Well it so happens that about a week after I asked for your favorite brownie in the giveaway, my new issue of Cook’s Illustrated
17 Feb
Secret Ingredient Brownies + King Arthur Flour Giveaway!
Posted by Michelle as Brownies and Bar Cookies, Giveaways | 613 Comments
I think you all are very well aware that I absolutely adore all things butter, sugar and chocolate. You may also have noticed that there aren’t healthy substitutes on this site, such as butter substitutes, using applesauce in place of oil, or Splenda instead of sugar. There is a very good reason for that – I simply don’t believe in it! I believe in the pure enjoyment of delicious desserts made from natural, high-quality ingredients that bring out the best flavors in a dessert. I’ve been asked how it’s possible that I’m not severely overweight since I do so much baking and run this website. Well, another thing I believe in is moderation. It all boils down to this – if you want to eat dessert, I believe you should eat the best dessert you can afford, health-wise. Whether it be a luxurious piece of dark chocolate, a chocolate chip cookie or a piece of cheesecake. If I’m craving chocolate, a fat-free, sugar-free pudding cup probably isn’t going to cut it, but a 1-ounce piece of smooth chocolate very likely will. Where am I going with this? While my philosophy is not to bow to substitutes to make yourself feel better about eating dessert, I don’t necessarily eschew making things that are naturally good for you either.
So, what is the secret ingredient in these brownies? White whole wheat flour.
How am I not a hypocrite? Using white whole wheat flour is an attempt add something to the diet (whole grain) as opposed to taking things away and replacing them with lower-quality ingredients that can compromise the final product.
16 Nov
Chocolate-Covered Peanut Butter Crisp Squares
Posted by Michelle as Brownies and Bar Cookies, Candies and Confections | 40 Comments
The idea for these beauties was hatched when I made the Marshmallow Crunch Brownie Bars, which sport a chocolate, peanut butter and rice krispy mixture on top of gooey marshmallows. It’s insanely addicting and when making them, I have to refrain from just eating the topping straight out of the pan with a spoon. I decided that I needed to come up with a treat that combined the marshmallows, chocolate, peanut butter and rice krispies, and fast. I went back and forth between combining all of the ingredients together into the ever-popular treat squares, and making a peanut butter version that is then covered in chocolate. Sort of a la peanut butter cups. Now, peanut butter cups and Reese’s Pieces might be my favorite candies ever, so for that reason alone, I decided to go the chocolate-covered route.
05 Oct
Marshmallow Crunch Brownie Bars
Posted by Michelle as Brownies and Bar Cookies | 55 Comments
I had originally planned on using the title “Marshmallow Chocolate & Peanut Butter Crunch Brownie Bars”. That seems mighty long, but is truly the best description of these bars, and they are absolutely phenomenal. Imagine this: rich, decadent brownies. Topped with ooey, gooey marshmallows. Topped again with chocolate-peanut butter-Rice Krispy deliciousness. Folks, you just can’t get much better than these bars. Part brownie, part s’more, and part Rice Krispy treat. It’s everything you know and love, baked up into one amazing dessert.
25 Sep
Peach Crumb Bars
Posted by Michelle as Brownies and Bar Cookies | 42 Comments
My recent obsession with peaches started not long after crossing the Georgia state line en route to Florida on our vacation. My Chief Culinary Consultant mentioned how we should stop to get a slice of peach pie since we were, in fact, in Georgia (the Peach State). I think my face lit up like a Christmas tree and then that was it – I had peach pie on the brain. We never stopped for pie since we were in the middle of a 16-hour road trip, but my craving was fulfilled a couple of days later when we couldn’t stop talking about peach pie and finally went and bought peaches and made a pie. It absolutely hit the spot and was probably the best peach pie I’ve ever eaten. And so my peach spree began.
16 Sep
Chewy, Fudgy Triple-Chocolate Brownies
Posted by Michelle as Brownies and Bar Cookies | 43 Comments
Any brownie that is described as chewy and fudgy is an automatic winner in my book, and these are no exception. Made not only with cocoa powder, but also unsweetened and bittersweet chocolate, the brownies are rich in flavor and perfectly paired with a glass of cold milk or a scoop of velvety smooth vanilla ice cream. Brownies that have that coveted fudge-like texture are often thin as cakier brownies tend to rise up a bit more, but these are an outstanding combination of both – they retain that chewy and fudgy texture while baking up into thick and substantial brownies that have a definite heft when you pick them up. A chocolate and brownie lover’s dream!
02 Sep
Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars
Posted by Michelle as Brownies and Bar Cookies | 27 Comments
Peanut butter and jelly – we go way, way back. I wouldn’t be shocked if I was told that peanut butter was my first word (er, words). As a toddler I had a peanut butter and jelly sleeping bag that I finally gave up fitting into somewhere around middle school. As a kid, I chose a peanut butter and jelly sandwich over any other lunch option provided to me. One year in grade school I gave up peanut butter for Lent and thought that the world might just stop spinning by the time Easter rolled around (I made it, although vividly remember eating a toasted English muffin with peanut butter and jelly for breakfast on Easter morning that year). I would put peanut butter on just about anything – Eggo waffles and Brown Sugar & Cinnamon Pop-Tarts were my favorite victims as a kid. As you can see, I have a serious love affair with peanut butter, so imagine my shock when I realized I had survived almost 30 years (ouch) without peanut butter and jelly cookie bars.
17 Aug
Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Squares
Posted by Michelle as Brownies and Bar Cookies | 43 Comments
It’s no secret that I have a deep, passionate love for cheesecake. It’s by far one of my favorite desserts and I will try any and every variation that I can find. So when Annie asked if I’d be interested in doing a virtual bake-along with her and suggested these cheesecake squares, it took me about 2.2 seconds to eagerly agree. Not only did they involve cheesecake, but also dulce de leche and a chocolate glaze. Bonus! For those that aren’t familiar with dulce de leche, it hails from Argentina and is very similar to caramel, made by slowly heating sweetened milk. Dulce de leche is typically sold by the jar and can sometimes be hard to find in the store. I have seen it in Italian groceries near the Nutella, and in regular grocery stores in the International aisle by the Mexican or Hispanic foods. If you are unable to find it, you can substitute caramel or make your own (I have included the method with the recipe below).
13 Aug
Chocolate Chip & Pretzel Cookie Bars
Posted by Michelle as Brownies and Bar Cookies | 60 Comments
Pretzels and chocolate are like peanut butter and jelly – you’d think they were each made knowing they would some day be paired up with the other. As natural a combination as cheese and crackers, chocolate and peanut butter, or chips and dip. History has it that chocolate-covered pretzels were invented by Herr Joseph Franz von Liebniz in his pretzel bakery in Hamburg, Germany in 1544. Apparently his bakery was next door to a chocolatier and, well, one thing led to another, and one of the most popular chocolate snacks was born. Thank you, Mr. von Liebniz, you were indeed a genius.
15 Jul
Chunky Pecan Pie Bars
Posted by Michelle as Brownies and Bar Cookies | 39 Comments
Although I haven’t made these bars in a long time, they hold a special place in my heart. They were the very first thing I ever baked on my own. Sure, I had helped my mom make Christmas cookies when I was young, but I began baking on my own sometime in high school with this very recipe. These bars showed up at a family party and I just loved them, so my grandma gave me the recipe so I could make them whenever I wanted. They quickly became my “signature” and were for a long time – I would take them to work potlucks, family parties, and anywhere else I could think to lug them. And so, the baker in me was born!
