Friday, April 15, 2011

Rosie Makes Birthday Brownies For Maxine.

My dear friend Maxine's birthday is Saturday and Maxine loves chocolate. It would be safe to say that Maxine is a chocoholic. And Maxine knows that I send her some type of chocolate confection every year. I imagine Thursday and Friday afternoons of this week, she'll be rushing home from work about the time the mailman gets to her house to see if her gift has arrived. I don't believe she trusts her neighbors.
So Maxine, in case, you're reading, and wondering, these Chocolate Brownies are what's heading your way. They're dense. They're moist. They're dark chocolate. They're gooey. They're decadent. They're just this side of sinful. Maxine, since you've given up chocolate for Lent, I substituted brown tofu for the chocolate, so you're good to go. One should be more practical when giving up things. I gave up kim chee for Lent.
Dark Chocolate Brownies  
1 TB ground coffee
1/8 cup hot water 
2 cups sugar 
1/3 cup honey 
6 TB butter, softened
 3 large eggs
 6 TB butter 
3 1/2 ounces dark chocolate
 1 tsp vanilla 
 1 cup cake flour 
1/4 cocoa powder
 1/2 tsp salt 
 1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
 Dissolve coffee powder in the water. Mix sugar and honey with pastry fork. Add in butter, mixing well. Add in the coffee mixture. Melt the butter and dark chocolate and add in. Add in vanilla. Sift the cake flour, cocoa, and salt and add in. Fold in the chips. Pour batter in 9 x 13-inch prepared pan. I spray the pan, line with parchment paper, and spray that. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. You want it moist in the middle. Remove from oven and set on rack to cool. Carefully invert cake onto serving platter and ice. Recipe for icing below.
Dissolve the coffee in the water.
Add honey to the sugar.
Work the honey and butter in with the sugar.
Add in the coffee mixture.
Add in the eggs one at a time, stirring well after each addition. One eggie-weggie.
Two eggie-weggies.
And three eggie-weggies.
Melted butter and chocolate in.

Vanilla in.
Sift in the flour, cocoa, and salt.
Fold in bittersweet chips.
Pour into prepared pan.
Smooth out surface. Into 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes.
Icing 1/2 stick butter, softened 1/4 cup cocoa powder 1 cup confectioner's sugar 1 TB vanilla 3-4 TB heavy cream or milk - enough to get a nice spreading consistency Beat softened butter, confectioner's sugar, vanilla, cream or milk, and cocoa.
Beat butter until light.
Add in confectioner's sugar.
Vanilla.
Cream.
Cocoa powder.
Beat until smooth and of spreading consistency. If you add too much milk, give it some more powdered sugar. If it's not creamy enough, add in more milk or cream.
Pour over top of cake. Cut into small squares.

Now, this is what I do that makes Maxine so mad. I duct tape her package, making it quite difficult to get into. I do have a mean streak.
Here's what's coming, Maxine.
Hope you likee.

Happy Birthday, Maxine! Wish I was there to help you celebrate.

1 comment:

Marilyn said...

Happy Birthday, Maxine!