January 6: Black Bean Brownies

Black Bean Brownies

Ingredients:
1 (15.5 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
3 large eggs
3 tablespoons vegetable oil or extra-light olive oil
1/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1/2 cup bittersweet (60% cacao) chocolate chips
3/4 cup pecans or walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 350 and place a rack in the center. Line an 8-inch metal baking pan with nonstick foil, or line it with regular foil and spray the foil with flour-added baking spray.
2. Puree the black beans in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Add the eggs, oil, cocoa powder, salt, vanilla, sugar, and espresso powder and process until smooth; stir in the chocolate chips and nuts.
3. Pour the mixture into the pan and bake for 30 minutes. The top should appear set and the edges should have pulled slightly away from the pan. Let cool completely in the pan, then chill the brownies, if desired. Grasp the foil, lift from the pan, set on a cutting board, and cut into 16 squares.

Addition of eggs and oil

Addition of sugar, espresso powder, salt, vanilla and cocoa powder

Addition of walnuts and chocolate chips

Thoughts: I used walnuts only because you can buy them at the store already chopped. I thought the walnut and espresso powder taste was very present. I couldn't taste the black beans at all.

October 27: Layered Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies

Layered Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies

Ingredients:
Filling
12 oz cream cheese, softened
6 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3/4 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1 large egg plus 2 tablespoons beaten egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 tablespoons (0.4 oz) all-purpose flour

Batter
1 cup (8 oz) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon plus a tiny pinch salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
9 oz (1 1/2 cups) bittersweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled
1 cup (4.5 oz) all-purpose flour

1. Preheat the oven to 350 and place a rack in the center. Line a 9-inch square metal pan with foil and spray the foil with flour-added baking spray.
2. Make the filling: Beat the cream cheese and both sugars together at a medium-high speed with an electric mixer, then reduce the mixer speed to medium-low and beat in the pumpkin, egg, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice. Stir in the flour. Set aside.
3. Make the batter: In a second bowl, beat the butter, salt, and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Stir in the melted chocolate chips, then stir in the flour. Pour all but about 3/4 cup of the chocolate mixture into the prepared pan.
4. Spoon the pumpkin mixture evenly over the brownie batter in the pan.
5. Drop the reserved brownie batter over the pumpkin to give the brownies a splotched, marbled look. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the brownies pull away from the edges and appear set. Let cool in the pan for about 2 hours and then chill for a few hours or overnight. Lift from the pan, set on a cutting board, and cut into 16 squares.

Filling ingredients

Addition of pumpkin and vanilla

Addition of egg and pumpkin pie spice

Addition of flour

Batter ingredients

Addition of eggs and vanilla

Addition of bittersweet chocolate

Addition of flour

Bottom layer

Obviously I should've taken the picture like 1 minute earlier...middle layer

Top layer before

Top layer after

 

Thoughts: Cheesecakes have become slightly irritating to me because of their cook times. This recipe called for 45-50 minutes. I think I had it in the oven for 75. I admit the bottom brownie layer is a little overcooked and tough but the cheesecake layer was mush when I kept checking on it. That being said it was very good :) I hate making things with that "marbled look" though...it's a skill I need to improve. I was a little worried that it was going to overflow...so maybe I would try an 11x7 or 9x13 pan.

July 7: Triple Chocolate Bites

Triple Chocolate Bites

Ingredients:
8 tablespoons (4 oz) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened natural or Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (3.4 oz) all-purpose flour
4 ounces milk chocolate, chopped
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1.2 ounce unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg, room temperature
Lightly sweetened whipped cream or topping (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 and place a rack in the center. Line an 8 inch square metal pan with nonstick foil.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter and confectioners' sugar on medium speed until creamy. Beat in the cocoa powder and salt, then add the flour and stir until mixed. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for 8 minutes.
3. Combine the milk, bittersweet, and unsweetened chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at 50% power, stirring at 1 minute intervals, until the chocolate is fully melted; set aside.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla on medium speed until well mixed and smooth. Stir in the slightly cooled melted chocolate, then beat in the egg. Spread over the chocolate crust and bake for 20-22 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 1 hour, then chill for 3 hours, or until very cold. When ready to serve, lift from the pan, set on a cutting board, and cut into 64 squares. Serve in mini cupcake liners with a dot of whipped cream if desired.

Addition of cocoa powder and salt

Addition of flour

Before the oven...

After the oven...

Before the oven...

After the oven...

Thoughts: I didn't screw up the melting of the chocolate so I'm considering this a success! We thought these would have more of a brownie taste, but they were ehh....ok. The bottom layer was very bland and the chocolate layer mostly tasted like the cream cheese and Hershey's chocolate (not a particularly bad thing).