Triple Chocolate Brownies

Brownies - they're the ubiquitously loveable treat. Do you know a single person who doesn't love brownies? Whether they are fudgy, cakey, studded with nuts and the like, or pure chocolate decadence, brownies are a hit and welcomed most everywhere. So it behooves me that the perfect homemade brownie recipe is so elusive. By now, I'd call myself a seasoned baker and up until last week, whenever a brownie urge struck, I'd reach for that boxed mix that I have made a "staple" in my pantry.
Well, I now think I've found the perfect recipe.. And it's been sitting on my bookshelf all this time. It's really magical in the sense that it's great for both the cakey brownie lover as well as the fudgy brownie lover. Just a matter of minutes in the oven separates the two. The key to a fudgy brownie (my favorite) is to underbake the batter by just a few minutes. For the cakey brownie, you would bake it through entirely.

This recipe is from one of my favorite cookbooks, another staple in my kitchen: Baking Illustrated. This Triple Chocolate Brownie recipe is loaded with three kinds of chocolate - unsweetened chocolate, semi-sweet/bittersweet chocolate, and cocoa powder. I didn't use unsweetened chocolate, since I didn't have any. Rather, I used  a combination of semisweet and bittersweet chocolate. If you do this, make sure to reduce the sugar by 1/4 cup. And, of course, remember that the better quality chocolate you use, the better the resulting brownie will be.

These brownies are chocolatey and develop a nice crisp top which gives way to a rich and chewy interior. Pour yourself a tall glass of ice cold milk and you're good to go.
Time really does fly. It seems like just yesterday I was writing my opening post introducing you to my new blog. Well, next week marks the one year blogaversary of Leelabean Cakes! As you can see from my site, I've done a little revamp and I hope you enjoy the new layout. Come back next week to see what I have in store for the celebration of this blogging milestone!

Triple Chocolate Brownies
(adapted from Baking Illustrated)

5 oz semisweet, bittersweet chocolate (or any combination thereof)
2 oz unsweetened chocolate (I didn't use this ingredient. Instead, I used 7 oz of semi- and bittersweet chocolate)
8 T (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3 T cocoa powder
3 large eggs
1 1/4 c sugar (if you do not use unsweetened chocolate, use only 1 cup of sugar)
2 t vanilla extract
1/2 t salt
1 c all-purpose flour
3/4 c chopped nuts, chocolate chips, or any other add-in (optional)

Preheat your oven to 350F. Adjust a rack in your oven to the highest rung in the lower third of your oven. Coat an 8" square baking pan with cooking spray and then line it will parchment paper that overhangs from two opposite sides of the pan, so the brownies will be easy to pull out. Spray the parchment paper with cooking spray.
Melt the chocolate and butter over a double boiler until it is melted and smooth. Using a whisk, add the cocoa. Let this mixture cool for a few minutes.
In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt until well combined (about 15-20 seconds). Add the slightly cooled chocolate mixture and mix to incorporate. Then add the flour with a wooden spoon or a spatula.
Pour the mixture into the prepared square baking pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Bake the brownies for about 27-29 minutes (for chewy brownies) and 35-37 minutes (for cakelike brownies). For chewy brownies, the readiness factor is a toothpick inserted into the middle of the pan with several wet crumbs on it. This will set up to a fudgy brownie when allowed to cool. The cakelike brownies will have just a few dry crumbs on your toothpick when inserted into the brownies.
After letting the brownies cool for about 2 hours (they must be at room temperature), remove the brownies using the parchment overhang. Transfer them to a cutting board and cut as desired. I made 16 brownies out of this batter.
These brownies can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated for up to 5.

Better-For-You Baking

Do you remember my post about a black bean brownie sometime in July 2011? After the copious amounts of baking brought on by, among other things, the start of this baking blog, I felt the need to "lighten up" some of my creations. I mean let's face it... I'm not going to stop baking, so I have to adapt it so as to ensure a level of healthfulness for myself and my family. Enter the black bean brownie.

The first time I made these, they was devoured within a few hours. I had made a half batch just to test it out, and although these are called brownies, I'd make sure to inform the eager taste testers, especially the grown ups, that they are black bean brownies, a healthy alternative to the real deal. Thankfully, any food item (broccoli, perhaps? I have to give that a try) in the form of dessert is excitedly welcomed by my kids, though I guess some kids would be better off without that candid mention. Although it was a successful swap-out for the caloric heaviness and fatty decadence of an authentic brownie (truly, nothing can replace that), I felt it could use a lititle jazzing-up to add some interest and textural contrast to it.
We all know about those fabulous brownies with cheesecake swirl incorporated, right? Well, what better way to add some pizazz to these otherwise simple black bean brownies? The result, I am happy to report, was an ooey-gooey, creamy, and let's not forget, healthy delight...!
I must admit,  I enjoyed them far better after they had been cooled in the refrigerator. The cold creaminess of the cheesecake swirl hit the spot. I suggest you do the same. :-)

I highly recommend you to try this recipe. I have a massive sweet tooth, and I used the lesser amounts of the sugar in the recipe and it was the right amount for me, but you decide what works for you! It is dessert, after all..!

 This brownie is great if you have kids and want to up their fiber and protein or if you are on a gluten-free diet or are trying to eat less of those evil carbs (as I am)... :-) Quite honestly, you don't have to prescribe to any of the above criteria to try these brownies... They are simply a healthy variation of a dessert classic.

Enjoy!

Black Bean Brownies with Peanut Butter Cheesecake Swirl
(Brownie recipe adapted by allrecipes.com)

For the brownies:
1 15.5 oz can of black beans, well rinsed and drained
3 eggs
2 T canola oil
1/4 c cocoa (I used Hershey's Cocoa Powder)
1/4 t salt
1 t vanilla extract
1/2 to 3/4 c sugar (or sugar substitute), depending on the size of your sweet tooth
1 t baking powder
1/2 t instant coffee or espresso granules
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

For the swirl:
6 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 c peanut butter
1/3 to 1/2 c sugar (or sugar substitute), again depending on the size of your sweet tooth
1 t vanilla
1 egg
1/8 t salt
2 T milk

1/4 c mini chocolate chips (optional, but highly recommended)

Prepare an 8"x8" square ban with parchment lining leaving an overhang on two opposite sides of the pan for easy removal of the brownies later. In a blender or food processor, combine all of the ingredients for the brownies. Blend on high until all the ingredients are well combined and the mixture is smooth. Ensure that there are no lumps in the batter. Pour the batter into your prepared 8"x8" square pan.
In a mixer, combine all the cheesecake swirl ingredients and blend until well incorporated and smooth. Drop spoonfuls of the cheesecake batter randomly onto the unbaked brownies. Take a butter knife and swirl to your heart's content. Remember that the more you swirl, the less "swirl" will be apparent in the outcome. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of mini chocolate chips over the top. Bake at 350F for around 35-40 minutes or until the brownies are set. Let them cool in the pan completely. Then remove the brownies from the pan and cut as desired. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.