Peppermint Bark Brownies

For the holidays this year I wanted to do brownies for my family and friends, with a wintery twist.  One of my favourite winter treats is peppermint bark.  I worked at a chocolate shop in college and come December I'd be anxiously (and impatiently) waiting for the first bath of peppermint bark.  Personally, I think peppermint bark should be a layer of dark chocolate, then white chocolate, and topped with the peppermint.  So this year I made my own peppermint bark and created my own perfect seasonal brownie.  Chunks of peppermint bark spread throughout the brownie, then topped with white chocolate drizzle and crushed peppermint candies...these brownies were irresistible!  I was really glad I had to bag them up as gifts otherwise I would have eaten way too many!  For this recipe you need my Brownie Bliss Recipe, plus this recipe for Peppermint Bark below.

Peppermint Bark Brownies

Brownie Bliss Recipe

Peppermint Bark Ingredients*

- 16 oz 60% cocoa Ghiradeli bittersweet chocolate chips (or chopped bars)

- 11 oz white chocolate (I mixed Ghiradeli and Nestle) plus extra for the drizzling

- 1-2 standard bag Starlight Peppermint Candies (typically around 3 or 4 ounces) OR you can also use Candy Canes

*This recipe is for a full 9''X13'' pan.  I made a 9'"X13'' pan AND a 9''X9'' pan and I still had some extra peppermint bark.  Which I was totally fine with!  And actually gave two little bags as gifts too.  So if you're making less brownies, just but this recipe in half...or make it all and have a lot of extra delicious peppermint bark!

Triple Chocolate Brownie Cookies

If I could only have one dessert, it would probably be a brownie.  I'm a sucker for anything chocolate, but there's something about the moist, dense texture of a brownie combined with the rich chocolate taste that makes them irresistible.  Last weekend my family went on our annual wine tasting trip, and I wanted to make a treat to bring along.  I wanted to make something that everyone would like and something that would also travel well.  While I love brownies, they're not the best thing for traveling.  Even dense, fudgelike ones can tend to be smashed and squished while being carried unless they're in their own separate container or bag.  

I looked through all my cook books and found the answer in Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook.  Her Double-Chocolate Brownie Cookies (pg. 75) were the perfect solution.  A cookie is sturdier than a brownie because its whole exterior has been baked, almost like it has a protective shell, whereas a brownie really only "set" on the top (or sometimes sides if it was on the edge of the pan.  This cookies are similar to the Andes Fudge and Peppermint Bark Cookies I made, except those definitely had a texture and taste more like fudge (hence the name), while these have dense cake like texture very similar to a brownie.  

I decided to alter her recipe a bit, using a mix of granulated sugar and light brown sugar instead of just granulated.  I also decided to make them Triple-Chocolate Brownie Cookies instead of double-chocolate.  She suggests that you can add walnuts or any kind of nuts really, but since I have a mild allergy to walnuts I left nuts out altogether.  And of course, I made them gluten free.

Triple Chocolate Brownie Cookies

Recipe adapted Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook Double-Chocolate Brownie Cookies (pg. 75)
Made Gluten Free by Jesicakes
Makes about 30 cookies
Print Recipe

Ingredients

- 3 oz semi sweet chocolate chips
- 2 oz 60% cocoa bittersweet chocolate (I use Ghiradelli), roughly chopped
- 3 oz unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 cup sorghum flour, sifted
- 1/4 + 1/8 cup brown rice flour, sifted
- 1/4 cup white rice flour, sifted
- 1/8 cup tapioca flour, sifted
- 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 4 oz 60% cocoa bittersweet chocolate chopped into 1/4" chunks

Chocolate Chip Cookie Brownies

When Justin and I lived in Philly, there were these brownies by BT Baking that were pretty much the greatest idea ever.  They were Chocolate Chip Cookie Brownies.  What could be better than that?  Chocolate Chip Cookies and Brownies are pretty much the two ultimate comfort foods and combining them is simply bliss.  I always keep some chocolate chip cookies frozen in individual balls in the freezer for cookie emergencies, which is the easiest way to make the cookie brownies.  If you don't have chocolate chip cookies on hand, you'll have to make a small batch of chocolate chip cookies as well as a batch of brownies.  And what makes these special is they're completely gluten free!!  They combine crispy, chewy chocolate chip cookies with soft, rich, decadent brownies.  They're the ultimate indulgence!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Brownies

- 16 1 oz chocolate chip cookie dough balls from Jesicakes' original Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
- 1 full recipe of Gluten Free Blissful Brownies

Brownie Update! Epresso Brownies!

Justin (my boyfriend) ran in a half marathon in Baltimore this weekend.  So I wanted to surprise him when he got home with his favorite treat...brownies.  I've made these brownies plain, and as cookie brownies (recipe one day soon...promise!), but I wanted to try a new way.  I love adding coffee to chocolate.  Even a hint of coffee actually enhances the chocolate flavor.  So remember the Blissful Brownies post I made?  I added 3 Tablespoons of Instant Espresso to that recipe.  If I thought those brownies were addictive before, I was wrong...well, I wasn't wrong, but the espresso in this new recipe makes them extra addictive.  The espresso makes them even richer, more chocolately, not to mention the espresso flavor gives it a bit more complexity.  Coffee and chocolate are meant to be together.  The addition of the espresso makes these brownies irresistible.  I may have had three...I think Justin may have had 5!  So while you should refer back to that post for the procedure, here are the ingredients again as a refresher.

Irresistible Gluten Free Espresso Brownies

Recipe adapted from The Weather In Cascadia, whose recipe was adapted from Gluten Free Goddess

Fills a 8'' X 8'' pan

Ingredients

- 4 oz 60% cocoa Ghiradeli bittersweet chocolate bar, roughly chopped 
- 3 Tbsp cocoa powder (Hershey's, or any non-Dutch processed)
- 1 Tbsp canola oil (or vegetable)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 tsp gluten free vanilla
- 1/2 cup of almond flour (I used a coffee bean grinder to grind fresh almonds)
- 1/4 cup brown rice flour
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 3 Tbsp Instant Espresso (not ground espresso, I used Ferrara Instant Espresso)

I mixed the espresso in with the chocolate mixture right before adding the chocolate to my mixer.  For the full procedure go to the original post for my Gluten Free Brownies.  Enjoy!

Rich, Decadent, Blissful Brownies

As a chocolate lover, brownies are at the top of my list of favorite desserts.  My idea of the perfect brownie is a crispy outside with a decadently moist center.  I also don't like brownies that are overly sweet, but rather have a rich, chocolately taste.  I found this recipe from The Weather in Cascadia, and the addition of almond meal made it sound too irresistible to not try to make.  When I made it I was an ounce short on chocolate, so I substituted an ounce of unsweetened cocoa powder and while I haven't tried it with all 5 ounces of dark chocolate this version I made was so delicious, why change a good thing?  I used 60% cocoa bittersweet chocolate for my recipe, but I'd love to try an even darker version.  And I'm sure a lighter or milk chocolate could be just as good if that rich, dark chocolate flavor isn't for you.  Also, for this recipe I did a recipe and a half which is why you'll see 3 egg and why I used a 13'' X 9'' pan (it was slightly thinner than I would have liked, I think a double recipe would have been perfect).  They're my perfect brownie.  Crispy top with a moist, silky center.  Rich and decadent with the sweet almond flavor coming through and slightly floral notes from the dark chocolate.  My friends and family love them (and have been begging me for the recipe!) and I guarantee yours will too!

Gluten Free Brownie Bliss

Recipe adapted from The Weather In Cascadia, whose recipe was adapted from Gluten Free Goddess

Fills a 8'' X 8'' pan

Ingredients

- 4 oz 60% cocoa Ghiradeli bittersweet chocolate bar, roughly chopped 
- 3 tbsp cocoa powder (Hershey's, or any non-Dutch processed)*
- 1 tbsp canola oil (or vegetable)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 tsp gluten free vanilla
- 1/2 cup of almond flour (I used a coffee bean grinder to grind fresh almonds)
- 1/4 cup brown rice flour
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda

*Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder does not react with baking soda