Candy Cane Brownies

I had one goal. One year, 12 brownies, 12 blogs. Well, here is brownie blog number 12.

We see too may times the overnight success stories and we dream that could be us. The one thing is we forget to look at the years of work and failures it takes to become the overnight success. After all the brownies and thoughts that come with making the brownies, I've realized how much work goes into these stories and the dreams we have. So with 2016 coming to a dramatic close and 2017 looming ahead, the only thing I have to say is, "Long live the dreams!" 

1 cup of chocolate
1 cup of butter
4 eggs
1 cup of caster sugar
½ tsp of salt
1 tbls peppermint 

⅔ cup of flour

2-3 smashed candy canes

- Heat oven to 350^o­ F 
- Melt chocolate and butter together
- Whisk eggs, sugar, salt
- Add chocolate, peppermint to eggs and sugar
- Sift flour and stir until mixed
- Pour batter into brownie pan (9 x 13 in) 
- Sprinkle candy canes on the top
- Bake for a total of 35-40 minutes (until skewer/cake tester comes out clean)

PJ

Pumpkin Brownie

Have you ever looked at art and wondered how someone could even call it art? Or have you listened to someone talk about their opinion about a book, movie or event and  immediately want to tell them they are wrong? Perspective is a crazy thing when you think about it. We can stand side by side reading, listening or viewing something and walk away having a completely different view about it.  The biggest thing for me is understanding the opposing perspective before you decide to inform them they are wrong. Take the time to think about where others are coming from and then you might be able to have an intelligent conversation rather than the condescending bickering where the only change is the level of contempt we have toward a different point of view. 

Anyway, here's some Pumpkin Brownies to enjoy.


Pumpkin Brownies 

1 cup chocolate
1 cup butter
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup flour
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

-   Heat oven 350<sup>o­
-   Melt chocolate and butter together
-   Whisk together eggs, sugar, salt
-   In separate bowl mix pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice and 3 tbls of the egg sugar mix
-   Combine chocolate and egg mix
-   Sift in flour and stir until mixed
-   Pour into your brownie pan and swirl in the pumpkin mix
-  Bake for 35 - 45 minutes or until done</sup>

Caramel Apple Brownies

I was working on filling out my ballot today. It reminded me how much division we have in this country and how extreme we can be. It has come to the point of if your view of this world has you leaning a little to one side then you have to hate the the other side on principle and don't you dare question where you stand or why. It seems the only way a side can gain support is by erasing the middle ground all together and to force the voter to chose which extreme they feel most comfortable with. However, when that doesn't work, they begin to focus on the outrageous and monotonous topics so much that when it becomes so dark that the flick of a match will seem like the clear burning sun you've been searching for. 

With that being said, Caramel Apple Brownies have no middle ground. They are just delicious.

Caramel Apple Brownies

1 Cup of Chocolate
1 Cup of Butter

4 Eggs
1 Cup of Caster Sugar
½ Tsp of Salt
½ Cup of Flour (give or take ¼ cup)

1 Cup of Applesauce 

½ Cup soft caramel 

-         -  Heat oven to 350^o­

-          - Melt Chocolate and Butter together

-          - Whisk Eggs, Sugar, Salt

-          - Add Chocolate to Eggs and Sugar

-          - Sift Flour and stir until mixed 

      - Pour into your brownie pan

      - Mix together applesauce and caramel, pour onto the batter and swirl (Do not over mix) 

- Cook time – 35 – 40 Minutes

Applesauce

6 apples (I used granny smith apples, super tart applesauce but great in brownies and pork meatballs)

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 tbls butter

½ lemon

½ cup water

- Peel and dice the apples

- Combine apples with sugar, butter, lemon and water into large pot and place over medium high heat

- Let it cook for 25 minutes or so stirring it often

- When the apples are tender, remove from heat and puree (or mash if you want it chunkier)

You can add cinnamon, nutmeg, maple syrup, apple juice instead of water... really what ever you think will be tasty. 

Caramel Sauce

1 cup brown sugar

½ cup white corn syrup

4 tbls butter

1 cup half and half (split in half)

Pinch of salt

1 tbls vanilla

- In heavy sauce pan, combine sugar, corn syrup, butter, and ½ cup half and half

- Bring mix to a boil over moderate heat, stir constantly 

- When the mix comes to a boil add the extra ½ cup of half and half and stir

- As the mix thickens, reduce heat and stir constantly 

- Cook until a little dropped in ice water forms a ball and flattens when removed

- Remove from heat and add the vanilla 

PJ

Banana Brownie

Distractions, I love them. They help you get through the long days at work or simply distract your mind from unpleasant and unhealthy thought paths. In moments when you're dwelling on situations that you cannot do anything about and your thought patterns are just taking you in circles, a distraction can be the saving grace.

As I said, I love distractions. I have gotten into the habit of looking for distractions in music, shows, exercise and even cooking or cleaning. At the end of the day I realize how long I went with out thinking about what it is I was trying to avoid and how far I have not moved. I have not moved any closer to my goals and dreams. What ever issue I was trying to avoid may have quieted down a bit but the problem is still there and I am no where closer to solving it. Which is why I'm writing this blog 3 days after I told myself I'd have it done. I suppose there are good moment for distractions but in the end a distraction is just that. So here is a brownie to distract you for a moment.


Banana Brownie

1 cup of chocolate
1 cup of butter
4 eggs
1 cup of caster sugar
½ tsp of salt
3 bananas - mashed 
1½ tbls honey

⅔ cup of flour

- Heat oven to 350^o­ F 
- Melt chocolate and butter together
- Whisk eggs, sugar, salt
- Add chocolate, mushed banana and honey to eggs and sugar
- Sift flour and stir until mixed
- Pour batter into brownie pan (9 x 13 in) 
- Bake for a total of 35-40 minutes (until skewer/cake tester comes out clean)

PJ

Blonde Kiwi Brownies

You many have noticed that I don't really talk about the brownie process to much, and I kind of like it that way. I'm not claiming to be an expert on brownies, I'm not even going to go so far as to say I'm good at making them. My motivation is simple, set a goal and see it though. It is something I struggle with and I know I'm not alone. The struggle doesn't always come from doubt though. It stems from trying to remember my drive, the reason I'm doing this thing in the first place. With that being said, here's a poem I wrote.

We are adventurers and we are dreamers
we seek mountains to conquer and go higher than we've ever been
we choose our path simply for it is the horizon we chase
we are instructors and we are believers
we take solace in the sun and in the raging river we find peace
we hold fear with the lightest touch and with valor we proceed
we are adventurers and we are dreamers 
We are free.  

And here's the brownie. 

Blonde Kiwi Brownie 

Kiwi Puree 

6-8 ripe kiwi fruit
4 tbls of sugar

- Peel the kiwi fruit and cut into chunks
- Puree the fruit and add the sugar and puree some more
- Pour into a sauce pan and bring to a boil (it will splatter so cover it up)
- Bring it down to a simmer for 3-5 minutes and remove from heat, set aside

Brownie

1 cup of white chocolate
1 cup of butter
4 eggs
1 cup of caster sugar
½ tsp of salt
½ cup of flour

- Heat oven to 350^o­ F 
- Melt chocolate and butter together
- Whisk eggs, sugar, salt
- Add chocolate to eggs and sugar
- Sift flour and stir until mix is thicker but still wet
- Pour batter into brownie pan (9 x 13 in) 
- Drizzle kiwi fruit sauce on top of batter and swirl into cool pattern (don't over mix)
- Bake for a total of 35-40 minutes (until skewer/cake tester comes out clean)

PJ

Citrusly Hopped Brownie

At the end of last year, I had decided to set myself a goal that would last the entirety of the next year and would be something I enjoy. Thanks to my little brother and a conversation we had while camping, I decided to do a brownie blog. Shocking, I know. My aim was to create different brownies based on flavors I enjoy and had not seen or had in a brownie. One early idea was to make a brownie based on my favorite beer, IPA's. After a lot of conversations and a very little amount of research, I purchased some Citra hops and began. 

With this particular brownie, I received a lot of negative feedback from people I mentioned it to. As much as we strive to not let the negativity hinder us, it always does. Negativity has killed ideas before they even had a chance to be genius. It has pushed and kept down dreams from every being realized. It will dig a hole and leave you wondering why you feel as though you are stuck in a rut. Bad days are annoying and bad ideas are just that, bad ideas. However, the negative air that seems to follow these bad days and ideas can make it impossible for it them to ever turn into good days or be transformed into amazing ideas. 

Now, for the brownie. I tried a few ways to extract the hop flavor. First was steeping the hops like tea. This seemed to bring out the bitterness more that anything else. Next I went to vodka (in hindsight I think Everclear might do the job better). I placed 1 cup of raw hops in a jar, just covered the hops with vodka and let it sit for 3 days. The first batch I used 4 tbls and felt I wasn't getting the hopped flavor I was hoping for. So the next batch I reduced the hopped vodka down and used 4 tbls. The following recipe is what I ended with and it is pretty good. Although in the end, I think if you can find Hop Oil from your friendly brewery supply shops, that would work better with a little less effort on your part. 

Brownies

1 cup of chocolate
1 cup of butter
4 eggs
1 cup of caster sugar
½ tsp of salt
5 tbls of hop flavor
2 tsp of orange extract

½ cup of flour

- Heat oven to 350^o­ F 
- Melt chocolate and butter together
- Whisk eggs, sugar, salt
- Add chocolate, hop flavor and orange extract to eggs and sugar
- Sift flour and stir until mix is thicker but still wet
- Pour batter into brownie pan (9 x 13 in) 
- Bake for a total of 35-40 minutes (until skewer/cake tester comes out clean)

PJ

Raspberry Jalapeno Brownies

Fear is conquered by the brave and understood by the wise. It is never faced by a coward and will halt the unwilling in their path. Fear has caused leaders to stray and countries to fall. Our society buys and sells based on fear and in fear our leaders are elected.

Through life we will face fears of different kinds and we have choices in how to handle them. One is understanding. When you choose to understand the fear often you find the fear has no base, no common sense. You can begin understand it as a risk. A risk you can prepare for, you can see and overcome.

In the face of fear, seek understanding. In the face of jalapeno, seek raspberry.

Raspberry Jalapeno Sauce 

2 cups of raspberries 
2 jalapenos
1 tbls orange juice
1/4 cup of sugar
1 tbls of corn starch
1/4 cup of cold water

- In a large sauce pan or deep fry pan, combine raspberries, jalapenos, orange juice and sugar over medium high heat. 
- Whisk together corn starch and water, stir into pan and bring mix to a boil. 
- Reduce heat to a simmer and stir until the raspberries are cooked down to a mush. 
- Remove from heat and push through a fine strain.
- Set aside in a fridge until you're ready for it.

Brownies

1 cup of chocolate
1 cup of butter
4 eggs
1 cup of caster sugar
½ tsp of salt

½ cup of flour

- Heat oven to 350^o­ F 
- Melt chocolate and butter together
- Whisk eggs, sugar, salt
- Add chocolate to eggs and sugar
- Sift flour and stir until mix is thicker but still wet
- Pour batter into brownie pan (9 x 13 in) 
- Pour raspberry jalapeño sauce onto the brownie, using the end of a spoon, swill the sauce around. Be careful not to over mix. 
- Bake for a total of 35-40 minutes (until skewer/cake tester comes out clean)

PJ

Salted Caramel Brownies

Anger and negativity are slowly becoming a norm in our society. Almost to a point where it seems odd to see someone smile or have a good day. It is not hard to find yourself falling into these gutters and the hardest part is pulling yourself out. You can use friend or set goals to help climb your way out, but in the end, you have to get up and move. 

Music has been my go to in mornings where I find it increasingly difficult to convince myself that I like morning. I don't, I hate them, they are worse than a non-weekend day. However, I have been noticing that my mindset in the morning sets a clear path for the rest of my day. So lately I have been making a conscientious effort to get myself in a good head space before the day officially begins. Lately with music, more specifically Pirates of the Caribbean movie scores, it has been the touch of salt my morning needs. Speaking of salt.

To make these brownies I decided that making the salted caramels from scratch would be fun and fairly simple. After a destroyed meat thermometer and 2 melted spatulas I leaned I should have just purchased the candy thermometer. I think the brownie would be just as delicious if you decided to use a different caramel recipe or just buy some already made.

Salted Caramel

3/4 cup whipping cream

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 tsp sea salt 

4 tbls salted butter

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

Candy Thermometer 

- Line a 9x5 inch pan with baking paper, spray with cooking oil

- In a small sauce pan heat whipping cream, vanilla, 1/2 tsp salt, and 2 tbls butter. Stir and bring to a simmer. When it begins to simmer, remove from heat and cover. 

- In a medium sauce pan mix corn syrup and sugar over medium heat until sugar is dissolved, stir with candy thermometer. Cover with lid for 1 minute (this builds up condensation inside the pot and will help to prevent sugar from building up on the walls). After the minute, place candy thermometer in to the syrup and without stirring, bring it up to 310ºF 

- Remove from heat and slowly stir in cream mix. The syrup will bubble over the pot if you do this to quickly. When the cream is mixed in, return to heat and bring back up to 260ºF

- Stir in the remaining 2 tbls of butter

- Pour into lined pan and let it sit for 10 minutes. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 tsp of salt over the caramel 

- When caramel has completely cooled down, cut about half into small squares or thin strips. The rest cut into larger pieces, wrap with strips of baking paper and keep in fridge for photos or to take to work and share. 

Brownies

1 cup of chocolate
1 cup of butter
4 eggs
1 cup of caster sugar
½ tsp of salt

½ cup of flour

- Heat oven to 350^o­ F
- Melt chocolate and butter together
- Whisk eggs, sugar, salt
- Add chocolate to eggs and sugar
- Sift flour and stir until mix is thicker but still wet
- Pour batter into brownie pan (9 x 13 in)
- Place pan in preheated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, scatter your smaller caramel pieces over the brownie and return it back to to the over
- Bake for a total of 35-40 minutes (until skewer/cake tester comes out clean)

PJ

Blackberry White Chocolate Swirl Brownies

People are always posting on social media about what they are doing, where they are going or where they have been. I read statuses about what they agree with, believe in, find humorous, and what they have accomplished. One thing I don’t see too often is the ‘why’. Sometimes in this world of oversharing, the ‘why’ is not necessarily something that needs to be posted all over the internet, yet it is a question I think you should know the answer to before you plan your next adventure.

For me, a reason is everything. It lets you understand your drive or lets you know when its OK to sell out. When you are facing the last pitch of the mountain and you realize you are not in as in shape as you thought, and probably should have prepared better, it will be your ‘why’ that will push you to the top. A clear understanding of why will help you become the person you want to be. It will help you achieve the seemingly impossible goals you have set for yourself. Never forget the reasons why and keep climbing those mountains!  

Blackberry Sauce

1 cup of blackberries

1 Tbsp of fresh lemon juice 

3 Tbsp of sugar

3 Tbsp of water

- In a sauce pan combine blackberries, lemon juice, sugar, and water.

- Cook at medium high and stir occasionally until the blackberries are reduced to mush and seeds (about 5-7 minutes).

- Pour mushiness into strainer and press as much juice as you can through, discard what remains.

Brownies

1 cup of chocolate
1 cup of butter
4 eggs
1 cup of caster sugar
½ tsp of salt

½ cup of flour

½ cup of white chocolate

- Heat oven to 350^o­ F.

-         -  Melt chocolate and butter together.

-          - Whisk eggs, sugar, salt.

-          - Add chocolate to eggs and sugar.

-          - Sift flour and stir until mix is thicker but still wet.

-          - Pour batter into brownie pan (9 x 13 in.).

- Heat white chocolate in the microwave (15 second bursts and stirring in between until smooth) and drizzle over top of brownie batter.

- Drizzle blackberry reduction in the same manner.

-          - Swirl with knife – do not over mix – to make interesting pattern.

-          - Place pan in preheated oven and bake for 35 – 40 minutes (until skewer/cake tester comes out clean).

Coffee Brownies

How does your morning start?  Like most, mine begins with coffee. 5 A.M. my alarm goes off and I sleepily walk to the kitchen, fill the kettle and turn the burner on. Then I proceed to get myself ready for work. A hissing sound from the kitchen reminds me why my focus is lacking. I turn the kettle off and pull out my coffee beans, grinder, filter and remember that my pour over still has coffee from yesterday and is currently sitting in the sink. Once that is clean and the coffee ground, I spend the time it takes to make a good cup of coffee for the start of my day.

Yes, you can buy the one cup brewing system if you are pressed on time. Just like you can buy brownie mix in a box. Add the oil and eggs. Stir and then bake. Where’s the fun in that? Where’s the pride? Yeah I know they’re good but why not hand craft something better. Something you will be stoked to let someone else try? Enjoy the work. Find peace in the time it takes. Do something you have pride in.

Coffee Brownies

1 Cup of Chocolate
1 Cup of Butter

¹/₃ Cup of Espresso (or 3-4 shots, depending on how much of a coffee taste you are looking for)
4 Eggs
1 Cup of Caster Sugar
½ Tsp of Salt
½ Cup of Flour (give or take ¼ cup)

-         -  Heat oven to 350^o­

-          - Melt Chocolate and Butter together

o   Add Espresso to melting mix

-          - Whisk Eggs, Sugar, Salt

o   Add any extra liquid ingredients

-          - Add Chocolate to Eggs and Sugar

-          - Sift Flour and stir until mixed 

      - Poor in your Brownie pan

-Cook time – 35 – 40 Minutes

Side note – You can replace the Espresso with coffee brewed in your favorite method. My personal favorite was an Ethiopian roast brewed with the pour over. With a lighter roast, I went with a darker chocolate. If you find a roast that works amazingly in brownies, let me know! Cheers, PJ.

Bacon Maple Brownies

February is here, the month of love and for some reason I cannot get bacon off my mind. It has become a staple in the American diet and almost in our way of life. Why would you buy a regular burger when you can have a bacon burger? Chicken no longer has to be simply chicken. Stuff it with some cheese and wrap it in bacon and now you have a delicious dish masterfully designed.

I took this idea and made not just brownies, but Bacon Maple Brownies. They were phenomenal. So I made them again and this time wrote down the recipe. As I made the second batch I started thinking, why don’t people act more like bacon? By its self, bacon is an above satisfactory treat. When you add it to a meal it complements that meal and makes it better. Like bacon, life is good. So why not make it better by being like bacon to those around you and in turn surround yourself with people who make you better just by them being around. Be more like bacon.

Bacon Maple Brownies

6-8 strips of bacon
1 cup – Dark Chocolate
1 cup – Butter (salted)
4 eggs
1 cup – Caster Sugar
6 tbsp– Maple Syrup (use 100% maple)
½ cup of Flour

Oven – 350 F^o

Cook Time – 35-40 minutes

-        

            Fry the bacon

-          Chop bacon into small bits

o   Take 2 strips and cut as bigger bits to sprinkle on top

-          Melt Butter and chocolate (give the butter a little head start on the melting)

-          Whisk together egg, sugar and syrup

o   Add melted Chocobutter

o   Go ahead and add the ½ cup of flour

o   Stir in chopped up bacon

-          With about 10 - 15 minutes left to go, sprinkle bigger chunked bacon over brownie

PJ 

PB&J Brownies

Brownies are simple. Maybe it is in that simplicity I find them so intriguing, but it could just be the chocolate. Whatever the cause may be, I have developed a knack for brownies in my life for the very simple reason, I can make them. Cooking has always been something I have enjoyed where baking has always been more of a waste of ingredients and anger. Then somewhere in the middle of the disarray I found brownies, which are simple. Just five ingredients; chocolate, butter, eggs, sugar, and flour.

Brownies are happiness. Happiness is simple. Remember when you were younger? You were happy and when you were not happy, you knew exactly why. The problem was fixed and then you were happy again. As I age and life changes, happiness seems to become more of a project. I need to get to this point. I need to solve this problem. We begin to give ourselves ultimatums stating that you will not be happy until you find, receive, achieve ‘X’.

Remember when you were younger? When you were hungry, you were not happy until you got handed a PB&J sandwich, ate it, and then you completely forgot the moment of discontent. I know through life it can see hard and far-fetched but happiness can be simple, if you make it so.

PB&J Brownies

1 Cup of Chocolate
1 Cup of Butter
4 Eggs
1 Cup of Caster Sugar
½ Tsp of Salt
½ Cup of Flour

If you would like to add a little bit of your childhood:

¼ Cup Creamy Peanut Butter
¼ Cup Jelly (Your favorite flavor)

• Heat oven to 350^o
• Melt Chocolate and Butter together
•  Whisk Eggs, Sugar, Salt
•  Add Chocolate to Eggs and Sugar
•  Sift Flour and stir until mix is thicker but still wet
• Pour Batter into brownie pan
• Heat Peanut Butter slightly (30 seconds) in the Microwave and drizzle around the brownie
• Repeat with Jelly
•   Swirl with knife – do not over mix – do make interesting pattern
•   Place pan in preheated oven and bake for 35 – 40 minutes

PJ