Heath Bar Brownies

By now you might be like "Another brownie recipe?"

I dunno.  I like brownies, I guess.

And pants with elastic waists.

(In case you didn't know, brownies and stretchy pants go together like Thelma and Louise.)

I made this recipe when Mr. Vittles' parents and grandmother came over for a visit this past weekend, and my mother-in-law also made brownies.  Hers were not only deliciously dense and fudgy, they were healthy! I'll share them with you someday.

Alas, these are not healthy.  But you knew that already.  Your first clue was probably the part about Heath.  Anything with toffee in it cannot possibly be healthy, right?

So the Mini has been going through this phase (like many 18-month-olds, I'm sure) where she says "no" when she actually means yes.  Our 'conversations' go something like this:

"Mini, do you want to eat breakfast now?"

"No!"

And then she takes off running into the kitchen, climbs into her 'eating' seat, and bounces with sheer excitement and anticipation of whatever food is about to be placed on her tray.

She probably gets that from me.  I definitely do a mental dance every time I think of my next meal. (Sadly, The Pancake Shimmy is not nearly as adorable when you're 31 as it is when you're 1.)

As for the confusion between No and Yes - I think she gets that from her daddy.

Mr. Vittles told me he could "take or leave Heath bar," but ended up eating more than half of these brownies singlehandedly.  Go figure.

Heath Bar Brownies

• 1 1/2 sticks of butter (12 T.) cut in chunks, plus more for greasing foil 
• 4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 2 C. sugar 
• 3 large eggs 
• 2 t. vanilla extract 
• 1 C. all-purpose flour 
• 3/4 C. Heath bits, divided (or other brand of English toffee bits) 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Line bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch pan with nonstick or buttered foil, and set aside.

In a medium microwave-safe bowl, heat butter and chocolate at 30-second intervals, stirring after each until mixture is completely melted (1 1/2 to 2 minutes total).

Stir in sugar, and beat for 100 strokes.  Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined.  Add flour and stir gently, just until no streaks remain.

Spread half of batter in prepared pan, then evenly top with 1/2 C. of toffee bits. Pour & spread remaining batter over top, then sprinkle with remaining 1/4 C. toffee bits.

Bake brownies until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool, then cut into 16 pieces.

Recipe Adapted from Kim Jameson, as it appeared in Country Living Magazine

Flourless Fudgy Brownies

Cake-like brownie lovers, look no further.

No, seriously - I mean don't even bother scrolling down, because this recipe is not for you.

That's right, better luck next time.  These bad boys are only for those of us who enjoy thick, chewy, barely-cooked, melt-in-your-mouth, death-by-chocolate, get-out-your-stretch-pants brownies.

And if that wasn't enough, they also happen to fit into my new gluten-free diet.  Holla!

Ok now wait, stay with me here.  If you're like Mr. Vittles, don't get all weirded-out by the "GF" term.  This isn't one of those "These are pretty good ... for being gluten-free" situations.

Like, even if I was still eating wheat, I would make these brownies.  And then eat the whole pan, single-handedly.

Much to my own amazement, I even managed to achieve the flaky top (which always seems to elude me with flour-based brownies.)

Yep.  This is my new go-to recipe.

So thanks to a storm this week that dumped about a foot of snow on us, I was forced to take my brownie photos indoors this morning.  Which meant, I had a little assistant who was way more interested in munching on my subject than helping me snap photos.

I know... still in jammies and eating brownies.  What kind of mother am I?  But judging by her miniature chocolate beard and persistent requests for "Mo'? Mo'?" I would say she agrees that these brownies are pretty awesome.

Flourless Fudgy Brownies

• 1 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 T. cornstarch*
• 6 T. butter (salted)
• 8 oz. semi-sweet baking chocolate, chopped
• 3/4 C. sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature

Let eggs come to room temperature.  Sift together the cocoa powder and corn starch in a small bowl, and set aside. Line the inside of an 8-inch square pan with non-stick or lightly greased foil and preheat oven to 350º F.

In a medium metal saucepan over very low heat, melt butter.  Add chocolate, and continuously stir until mixture is smooth.  Remove from heat and stir in the sugar, then the eggs one at a time.

Stir in cocoa/cornstarch mixture, and beat vigorously for at least one minute, until the batter is no longer grainy and nearly smooth.**  It will pull away from the sides of the pan a bit.  Scrape batter into foil-lined pan.

Bake for about 28-30 minutes, or until the brownies feel just set in the center. Do not overbake.  Remove from oven and let cool completely before removing from the pan and slicing.  Makes 12 brownies.

Notes:
*Some cornstarch contains gluten so check the label if you are making this for someone with an allergy
**Beating everything thoroughly is very important - the batter should be shiny and fairly smooth, otherwise the brownie consistency may be crumbly after baking.

Recipe slightly adapted from David Liebovitz

Fudgy S'mores Brownies

Marshmallow... chocolate.... graham cracker... what's not to love about s'mores?  They are the perfect combination for summer.

But sometimes you don't have a campfire, or other open flame to roast your mallows.

Or sometimes you do.... but then you accidentally drop a flaming marshmallow on your 15-year old niece's foot, and decide that maybe this whole s'more thing is a more dangerous business than you realized.

(Yes, that really happened - ask my father-in-law!)

Or.... maybe you just want something a little easier and less messy.  Who knows?

But if you fall into any of those categories, these brownies are for you.  I happen to be in the fudgy brownie camp (vs. the cakey brownie) and these definitely fit the bill.  The graham and marshmallow make them even more rich and delicious.

My father-in-law was here this weekend, helping Mr. Vittles hang drywall upstairs, so I wanted to make something nice.  I figured this way he could enjoy a s'more without the possibility of giving anyone a second-degree burn!

Fudgy S'mores Brownies

• 10 T. (1 1/4 sticks) butter
• 1 1/4 C. sugar
• 3/4 C. plus 2 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1 t. pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 C. all-purpose flour
• 3/4 C. marshmallows (use the mini ones, or cut large ones into smaller pieces with a clean pair of kitchen shears)
• 1/2 C. graham crackers, broken into small pieces

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit, and position rack to lower third of oven.  Line the bottom and sides of an 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides. Lightly grease with cooking spray, and set aside.

Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium microwave-safe bowl.  Microwave for one minute, then remove and stir.  Microwave an additional minute and a half, in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until the butter is melted and no lumps remain.  (Mixture will be grainy).  Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, and set the mixture aside until it cools slightly.

Then add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one.  When the batter looks thick, shiny, and well-blended, add the flour and stir until no streaks remain.  Then beat vigorously for 40 strokes with the wooden spoon or a rubber spatula.  Stir in graham crackers and marshmallows, and spread evenly in the lined pan.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center emerges slightly moist with batter, 22 to 27 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack.  Lift up the ends of the parchment or foil liner, and transfer the brownies to a cutting board.  Cut into squares and serve.

Brownie Recipe adapted from Mels Kitchen Cafe (who adapted from Smitten Kitchen, who adapted from Bittersweet)  

Coconut Patty Brownies

I feel like there are not many people out there who like coconut as much as I do, but Mr. Vittles is an exception.

As I told you last year, he loves coconut patties in particular.  I was reminded of this at Easter last month when his mom gave him one of his childhood favorites, a giant coconut egg, and he refused to share with me.  He claimed that she gave it to HIM not "us."

While I highly doubt this (and he did eventually offer me a slice regardless),  I can understand his desire to covet the coconut egg.  Coconut drenched in chocolate - especially of the dark variety - is a magical experience.  Not much can beat it.  Except maybe coconut drenched chocolate... on top of a fudgy brownie.

YES.

Mini Smalls better get ready to love coconut or she's going to have a tough childhood.

But alas, since we don't even have teeth yet, we're still working on things like watered-down peas and bananas.  Though I am happy to report that she has gotten over her aversion to most "1st foods" (except oatmeal - still brings tears to the Mini's eyes) since my last post.

In fact... she turned 6 months this week!

"Who, me?"

Time flies when you're eating coconut patty brownies.  (Which, let's face it, is one & the same as "having fun.")

Coconut Patty Brownies

• an 8"x8" pan of your favorite brownies (I like this recipe; you could also use a mix)
• 3 oz. sweetened condensed milk
• 1 t. vanilla extract
• 1/4 C. confectioners sugar
• 1 1/2 C. loosely packed sweetened, shredded coconut
• 1 1/2 C. chocolate chips 
• 1 T. coconut oil (optional)

Combine sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, and confectioners sugar in a medium bowl.  Add coconut and mix until evenly distributed.  Using a rubber spatula, spread thinly over surface of cooled brownies.  (If the mixture is too sticky, spray the spatula with a little nonstick spray before spreading).

In a medium, microwave-safe bowl, microwave chocolate chips in 30 second intervals, stirring after each, until melted.  (The coconut oil is optional, but imparts a slight coconut flavor & also makes the mixture more runny & therefore easier to pour/spread).  Spread melted mixture over coconut layer.  Allow to set (you may place the brownies in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to speed this up) and cut into small squares.  Makes 16 brownies.

Original Recipe

Coconut Blondies

I'm beginning to think there needs to be at least 4 more hours in the day.

I am still working full-time, and at 34 weeks pregnant I feel like have so many things I want to do to prepare for the baby.

Plus, be social with friends & family.  Maybe relax & watch a TV show.

Blog.  Bake some coconut blondies.

Hmm what else... oh yeah, SLEEP.  That is, if I could get comfortable, which is nearly impossible these days with the raging heartburn and feeling like I can't breathe.  (My father reads this occasionally so allow me to clarify - not in a 'hospitalization required' sort of way, Dad.  It's normal for us preggos to feel a bit winded, things are getting awfully crowded in there so that means the ol' lungs can't expand like they used to.)

But oh well, I guess it's all just preparing me for the ZERO sleep I'll probably be getting in a matter of weeks!

I'm starting to rethink this 4 hours though - maybe we should go with an extra 6 or 8 hours in the day, just to be safe?

Coconut Blondies

1 C. plus 2 T. all-purpose flour
1 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
3/4 C. packed light brown sugar
1/3 C. (5 T.) butter, softened
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 C. (6 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 C. sweetened shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease 8-inch square baking pan.

In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In large bowl, beat brown sugar, butter and vanilla extract until creamy.  Beat in egg.  Gradually beat in flour mixture until combined and no flour streaks remain.

Stir in morsels and coconut.  Press into prepared baking pan.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown.  Cool completely in pan on wire rack, then into bars.  Makes 16 bars.

Recipe Slightly Adapted from Nestle Very Best Baking

Take 5 Brownies

Yep, you saw right.  Take 5 Brownies.

Right now you're probably wondering.... where have these been all my life?

And also... how many of these can I eat without having to incorporate stretchy pants into my holiday wardrobe?

Or, um, maybe that's just me?

But since Take 5 bars are one of my favorite candies, I've had this idea brewing for a while.  

And this is not my first attempt.

Round 1 was largely disappointing.  It used cake mix bars instead of brownies, and incorporated peanut butter chips and peanut butter cups.  Which you'd think would be better, because let's face it who doesn't love a Reese's cup?  But honestly they just got lost in all the mess of caramel and chocolate.

I still brought the bars to Thanksgiving, and overall people seemed to like them, but I was not impressed.  

They were sooo much better in my mind than in reality.

(Ugh.  HATE that.)

I knew I could do better.

So it was back to the cutting board, if you will - and Round 2 was infinitely times better.

I'm only sad that I made them to take to a party and not to eat the whole pan.

By myself.

In one sitting.

Then again, since Cardiac Arrest was not on my Christmas list this year, perhaps it's all for the best?

Take Five Brownies

• 1 box (family-sized for 9x13 pan) milk chocolate brownie mix
• 1 C. crunchy peanut butter
• 2/3 C. powdered sugar
•  1 1/2 C. ‘snaps’ or waffle pretzels (approximate- you may need a few more or less)
• 1 C. milk chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli)
• 1/2 C. butter (1 stick)
• 1/2 C. light brown sugar
• 6 T. light corn syrup
• 2 T. heavy cream
• 1/2 t. pure vanilla extract

Bake milk chocolate brownies as directed on box in a 9x13 pan.  Allow to cool completely, then combine crunchy peanut butter with powdered sugar in a large bowl.  Beat until combined, then spread evenly over cooled brownies.

Arrange pretzels over top of peanut butter in a single layer.  Sprinkle milk chocolate chips over top of pretzels and set aside.

Prepare caramel topping: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and heavy cream.  Bring to a boil and stir, making sure all sugar is dissolved.  Stir 5-10 minutes more, until caramel is thick & bubbly (about 230 degrees on a candy thermometer).  Remove from heat, stir in vanilla, and pour caramel evenly over brownies.  Run the tip of a knife or the back of a spoon over the top in swirl patterns to create a design.  Refrigerate pan for about 1 hour to set.  Then remove brownies by lifting foil, and cut into bars.

Note: These are rich, so in this case less is more. I’d cut 4 columns down the short end, and 8 rows down the long end to make 32 bars.  Also, I like to cut the edges off first – totally optional, but it makes the bars look nicer!

Original Recipe; Caramel Topping recipe adapted from What’s Gaby Cooking 

Salted Caramel Nutella Brownies

Is it just me or has something been a little off the last few days?

I can't put my finger on it but I have just been getting a weird vibe, and odd things have been happening.

Work has been totally insane - or more specifically, the people I encounter at work have been insane.  I don't even want to get into it, so you'll just have to trust me on that.

But even at home, it's been a bit strange...

For instance, I came home from work a couple days ago to find the police parked in front of my house, "helping" a very old & very inebriated gentleman remove himself from my neighbor's lawn.

Nothing like getting sassy on a random Wednesday afternoon, and stopping for a little nap in the grass on your walk home!

Then yesterday evening, our living room ceiling started leaking water out of nowhere.  A huge patch of ceiling became saturated & discolored in a matter of minutes, and was dripping from all different parts.

Our landlords have a plumber coming to fix it and I'm sure it will be totally fine but... ahh!

Probably weirdest of all though is that my husband has not been sleeping.

Now I know a lot of people have this problem - but for Mr. V, it's like the cosmos have come to a screeching halt and turned his life upside down.

Typically, he sleeps like a rock... on tranquilizers... that's been hit over the head with a frying pan.

However, the house we recently moved to is on a bit of a busy street, and he's been having trouble sleeping with the sound of the passing cars.  So the slightest movement from me now wakes him up. 

Like... the sound of the lightswitch on the lamp.

??

Seriously.  I don't even know this man.  For years, not only could I turn off the light, I could probably unscrew the lightbulb and throw it at his head without him noticing a thing.

So now with his newfound problem, he's been setting up a sleeping bag in the only room in our house where you can't hear traffic driving by outside - our (large) closet. 

Which means I get to step over 7 layers of sleeping bags & random blankets in order to get to my clothes in the morning.

Crazy, I tell you.  Just crazy.

What's also crazy is that I have never put together Nutella, brownies, and salted caramel before this week.

On Monday I bought a fresh jar of Nutella at the store and was contemplating what to make with it.  I decided on brownies, and I found a good recipe on Noble Pig for Peanut Butter-Nutella Brownies.

But I was shooting for a more Nutella-y brownie, so I replaced the peanut butter with more Nutella.

Because I can.

Surprisingly, though, the Nutella flavor is still fairly subtle.  Maybe it's overpowered by the salted caramel (that was a complete afterthought)?

But who cares.  They're fudgy, rich, gooey, and absolutely delicious.

I need something to keep me sane in this mad, mad world!

Salted Caramel Nutella Brownies

• 1/2 C. flour
• 1/2 C. unsweeteend cocoa powder
• pinch salt
• 1/4 t. baking powder
• 1 stick (8 T.) butter, melted
• 3/4 C. + 2 T. sugar
• 1 t. pure vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 C. Nutella spread

Caramel Glaze

• 1/4 C. heavy cream
• 1 C. sugar
• 1/4 C. water
• 2 T. butter, cut in pieces
• 1/2 t. kosher salt, divided

Preheat oven 350 degrees.  Grease an 8x8 square pan (or you may line with foil & grease, if desired - will make it easier to serve later after glazed).  In small bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.

In large microwavable bowl, melt butter in 20 second intervals, stirring after each until smooth.  Add sugar & vanilla, and whisk until well-combined.  Add eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition.  Add cocoa mixture and whisk until fully combined. 

In glass measuring cup or other microwave-safe bowl, melt Nutella in 20-second intervals, stirring after each, until smooth and pourable consistency.  Stir into batter.  Pour into prepared pan and bake 27-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. 

Allow to cool completely, then make glaze: in small saucepan over low heat, warm heavy cream - do not boil.  In separate medium saucepan, combine sugar & water but DO NOT STIR.  Place over medium-high heat & bring to a boil.  Cook until mixture turns an amber color, but not too dark that it looks like the sugar is burning.  (For me this took 5-7 minutes, but keep an eye on it.) 

Remove from heat and add warm cream, butter, and 1/2 t. kosher salt.  Stir gently until smooth & well combined.  Pour over cooked brownies, tilting the pan to coat.  Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 t. kosher salt.  Allow glaze to set before cutting/serving.

Brownie Recipe Adapted from Noble Pig; Caramel Glaze Slightly Adapted from Pioneer Woman

Peppermint Patty Brownies

Ok so first things first - Vittles and Bits now officially has a RECIPE INDEX!

Which I am super excited about, hopefully you are too.  It's something I've been meaning to do for a while.

Now, on to the brownies.  I originally made these a couple months ago for Thanksgiving, and while the idea was great, the brownie base I tried was not.

You see, I'm kind of a brownie snob.

I do NOT like brownies that have a cake-like texture.

If I want cake... I'll make a cake, thank-you-very-much.

No, I like my brownies to be very fudgy and very chewy.  Almost like they should have baked an extra few minutes in the oven.

And while I find that this type of brownie is fairly easy to come by when using a boxed mix, brownies from scratch are rarely as good.

Are you with me on this?

However... I recently found a recipe from America's Test Kitchen that is as close to boxed brownies as I have ever made.

They are super rich and chewy, and the best part of these brownies is that (unlike the ones in the photo above) I was able to achieve the elusive shiny, crackly top:

(Don't mind the brown streaks - I marbled chocolate syrup into the top.)

Now if you are not into peppermint, don't fret.  You can just make the brownies plain, without the candy, and they will still be delicious.

Or maybe you can chop up some Reese's peanut butter cups (or whatever your favorite candy is) & fold them into the batter.

Mmmmm...

Well, you're creative - I'm sure you'll think of something :)

Peppermint Patty Brownies

• 1/3 C. Dutch-processed cocoa
• 1 1/2 t. instant espresso (optional)
• 1/2 C, plus 2 T. boiling water
• 2 oz. unsweetened chocolate , finely chopped (see note and related illustration)
• 4 T. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter , melted
• 1/2 C. plus 2 T. vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 t. vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 C. sugar
• 1 3/4 C. unbleached all-purpose flour
• 3/4 t. table salt
• 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (*see note)
• 1 11 oz. bag miniature York peppermint patties (you'll need about 40 to fit the pan)

Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 350 degrees.  Fit foil into length of 13 by 9-inch baking pan, pushing it into corners and up sides of pan; allow excess to overhang pan edges.  Spray with nonstick cooking spray.  Unwrap peppermint patties. 

Whisk cocoa, espresso powder (if using), and boiling water together in large bowl until smooth. Add unsweetened chocolate and whisk until chocolate is melted. Whisk in melted butter and oil. (Mixture may look curdled.) Add eggs, yolks, and vanilla and continue to whisk until smooth and homogeneous. Whisk in sugar until fully incorporated. Add flour and salt and mix with rubber spatula until combined. Fold in bittersweet chocolate pieces, if using.

Pour half the batter into prepared pan and place peppermint patties on top.  Pour remaining batter and spread evenly.  Bake until toothpick inserted halfway between edge and center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack and cool 1½ hours.  (If using a glass pan, which retains heat more, then cool in pan only 10 minutes before proceeding below.)

Using foil overhang, lift brownies from pan. Return brownies to wire rack and let cool completely, about 1 hour.  (Allow brownies to cool completely before cutting to achieve chewiest texture.)  Cut into 2-inch squares and serve.

*Note: If you are making these as plain brownies without any candy, I would definitely recommend adding the bittersweet chocolate.  But if you are using peppermint patties or folding in another type of candy, I'd say this would be optional since the chunks are pretty big.  And FYI - America's Test kitchen's favorite brands of bittersweet chocolate are Callebaut Intense Dark Chocolate L-60-40NV and Ghirardelli Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Bar.

Recipe adapted from America's Test Kitchen and Real Simple