Tasty Tuesday: S'mores Brownies

National S'mores Day was this past Saturday.

So, you know what that means, right?

We had to celebrate!

We've made a few variations of the classic treat in the past: s'mores in the oven, s'mores bars with Golden Grahams, s'mores brownie bars, and s'mores ice cream. I wanted something different this time though.

I started with a box of brownie mix and went from there, adding some of this and a little bit of that. And then a bit more of this. My little ones helped, of course, and insured that it was very s'more-esque.

I popped our creation into the oven and sat down with the whole family to introduce the kiddos to Disney's Alice in Wonderland. We laughed at the White Rabbit. We laughed at Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum. We laughed at the Mad Hatter.

We laughed a lot.

And I checked on the brownies. And rechecked the brownies.

We didn't have any mini marshmallows, like I had originally wanted to use, so I cut regular marshmallows in half and placed them on top. I wasn't sure if they'd melt before they burned.

But there was no need to worry.

Everything melted into a delicious ooey-gooeyness.

 
And we were so sad when they were gone.

This is one will be making again. Soon.


S'mores Brownies
Ingredients:
1 box Duncan Hines Double Fudge Decadent Brownie Mix, prepared according to package directions
5 whole graham crackers, broken in pieces
13 regular marshmallows, cut in half
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:
Mix graham cracker pieces into prepared brownie mix and pour into greased 8X8 pan. Top with marshmallows and sprinkle on chocolate chips. Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes, or until brownies are done. 


Notes:
You could use any brownie mix or recipe, really. The one I used makes a smaller batch. If you choose to use another, but bake in the same size pan, the brownie portion will be thicker. If you choose to use another, but bake in a larger pan, you'll need to add more of the other ingredients, as well. You can also substitute the regular marshmallows for the minis.

Tasty Tuesday: Caramel Brownie Cupcakes

I asked Zac what he wanted to make for his half-birthday. Of course, he said, "Pupcakes! Blue ones with princess on top." Apparently he was pretty impressed with Alyssa's last birthday cake (pic toward the bottom of the post.)  I suggested these cupcakes instead. And though they're neither blue nor princessy, he was very excited. He's so laid-back and easy-going, just like his daddy.

Since it was his special day, Zac got to do most of the prep for the cupcakes.

 He did all the dumping.

 All the pouring.

 And all the stirring.

He even did all the cracking.

Kidding. Though he begged to crack the eggs, I figured he wasn't quite ready yet.

Besides, we had a big enough mess with one that Alyssa smashed.

This beauty was one of my Mother's Day presents. I had complained mentioned many times how my old mixer's lowest speed was not slow. Every time I used it for something like whipping cream, it splattered liquid all over my kitchen. Leighton took the kids shopping and narrowed down the choices. This is the mixer they chose. It's pretty, has its own storage case and 3 types of beaters. Best of all, it has 7 speeds with the lowest setting actually being slow. No more splattered kitchen!

Who am I kidding? I bake with 3 little kids. I should say, 'not as much splattered kitchen.'

 

As soon as Zac saw the mixer, he said, "Dat loud. I go sit on couch?" So he climbed down off the counter, and Alyssa took over.

 He made sure to come back to lick the beaters though. And he actually got both of them!

 Alyssa used our large cookie scoop to fill the liners with the cake batter.

Then, I used my Dessert Decorator Pro to add the brownie batter. I used a #199 star tip, but any one with a large opening will work to dispense the chilled batter. If you don't have a decorator or pastry bag, you could just scoop both batters in with a spoon, but the 2 layers will be very distinct. 

Yum! Chilling the brownie batter helped keep the centers fudgy, while still allowing the cake to fully cook. We didn't even add frosting to them since they're already pretty rich. 

The recipe is super simple to adapt. You can try it with red velvet cake with buttercream frosting or white cake with peanut butter frosting or pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting. Experiment and have fun!

Caramel Brownie Cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 package brownie mix (prepared according to package directions)

1 package caramel cake mix (prepared according to package directions)

Directions:

1. Preheat an oven to 350° F (175° C.) Line muffin cups with paper liners.

2. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions. Place in refrigerator.

3. Prepare cake mix according to package directions. 

4. Spoon the cake batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each cup 1/3 full. 

5. Fill a dessert decorator or pastry bag with chilled brownie batter. Insert tip of decorator in the center of the cake batter and fill each liner until 2/3 full.

6. Bake in the preheated oven until golden and the tops spring back when lightly pressed, about 20 minutes.

Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com.

Tasty Tuesday: Peanut Butter Brownie Torte

I had been wanting to make this dessert for months, just thinking about it and drooling over it. Why didn't I make it sooner? I knew this was a recipe that needed to be shared. Peanut butter and chocolate together is my weakness. Add brownies to the mix, and I have no self-control. I knew I'd end up eating the majority of this decadent torte if it were made for just us. When my nephew was home from college a few weeks ago, and the family was getting together, I instantly knew what I'd be bringing.

The original recipe makes two small tortes using 4½ inch spring form pans. I don't even have one pan that small, let alone the six needed. What I did have was three 9 inch pans. I figured I could make one torte with the larger pans instead of two with the smaller. I mean, 4½ times 2 equal 9, right? Everything would be fine, right? 

Wrong. 

The brownie layers were incredibly thin. Very tasty, sure, but so flimsy that they wouldn't hold up to the peanut butter mousse in between the layers. It was just an hour before everyone would show up at my parents' house where I was baking. The prime rib was cooking away in the roaster, the potatoes were ready to be placed in the oven, the rolls were rising on the counter . . . and the brownie layers were crumbling into pieces. 

It was at this point that I asked, "Why did I choose a recipe that I had to completely adapted for the first time for company???"

I ended up starting over - this time doubling the brownie layers. I was working frantically - leaving the used ingredients scattered around, sprinkling trails of powder across the counter, and splattering batter all over the kitchen - trying to get them in the oven before the temp needed to be changed for the potatoes.

There was one thing though that made it all ok. One aspect that made my frenzied endeavor bearable - eating the discarded brownies. Oh. My. Goodness. They were so fudgy and chocolatey. And addicting. I enjoyed entirely too many bites. Definitely a good sign for the finished product.

I finished assembling the torte after dinner. I learned something that day: it's not a good idea to take food pictures when you have a group of people waiting to eat the subject. I don't know how many times I heard "Are you done yet?"

 

Let me tell you, this dessert is rich - and I like rich. But this is rich. One sliver of a piece is all you really need. Unless you chill the torte first. Wow. The next day, after sitting in the fridge, this was amazing! I walked into the kitchen and found Zac sitting at the table with the entire plate just eating away. I know, that boy eats everything, but even Jake, who is not into chocolate, could not stop gobbling this up. It's that good. The only thing I would change is to leave off the chocolate ganache. It really is too much, in my opinion. But that mousse? I could eat that with a spoon!    

Please,  if you like peanut butter, chocolate, brownies, and all things delicious, make this torte!

But don't play around with the recipe when you're pressed for time. Unless you want to snack on the extra brownies.

Peanut Butter Brownie Torte

3 brownie rounds (recipe follows)
peanut butter cream cheese mousse (recipe follows)

peanut butter cup pieces (I used 1 king size bag of Reese's PB Cup Minis)
chocolate ganache (recipe follows)

Brownie Rounds

Ingredients:

1⅓ cups unsalted butter, melted                                       ½ cup cocoa powder

2 cups granulated sugar                                                   1 cup all-purpose flour

2 eggs                                                                            ½ tsp baking powder

2 egg yolks                                                                     pinch of salt

1 tsp vanilla extract                                                          1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325F. Butter and flour three 9-inch diameter spring form pans. Set aside.

2. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix together butter and sugar, about 2 minutes. Add in egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Beat another minute. Pour in cocoa, flour, baking powder and salt. Mix on low speed until fully incorporated.

3. Fold in chocolate chips until completely distributed throughout the brownie batter.

4. Evenly distribute the batter into the three prepared pans. Bake for 20-23 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Mousse

Ingredients:

½ cup whipping cream, chilled                                        ⅓ cup + 2 tbsp powdered sugar

5 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature               ⅓ cup peanut butter

Directions:

1. Using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whisk the whipped cream on high until stiff peaks form. Place into a bowl and set aside.

2. Add the cream cheese and peanut butter into the mixer and whisk on medium speed, until fully incorporated. Add powdered sugar and mix until combined.

3. Add whipped cream back into bowl and whisk on medium high until peanut butter mixture and whipped cream are fully incorporated and the texture is light and fluffy.

4. Place into a medium sized bowl and set in fridge while brownies fully cool, at least 30 minutes.

Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients:

4 ½ ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped finely

½ cup heavy whipping cream

Directions:

1. Place chocolate in a medium bowl.

2. In a small saucepan bring cream to a boil. Once the boil starts, pour over chocolate. Let sit 5 minutes. 

3. Whisk until mixture is smooth and glossy.

To Assemble the Torte

1. Remove brownie from spring form pans. Place one brownie circle on a plate. Add 1/3 of the  peanut butter mousse. Scatter a handful of peanut butter cups on top. 

2. Place another brownie round on top of the that. Then add another 1/3 of the peanut butter mousse. Then add more peanut butter cups.

3. Place third brownie round on top of second layer. Add remaining peanut butter mousse and more peanut butter cups.

4. Pour the ganache over the top of the torte. Best if chilled.

Recipe adapted from Peabody.

Tasty Tuesday: Brownie Pops

Valentine's Day is fast approaching. There are so many Valentinesy recipes I'd love to make, but there just isn't enough time to make them all - nor enough people to help us eat them all! Michaels had a fantastic coupon ($5 off $5 purchase!) this past weekend and I was able to pick up a few things for free! I grabbed a bag of red candy melts, knowing they would come in handy this time of year. Also, I've had a bag of sucker sticks lurking in the cupboard for quite a while, begging to be put to good use. Throw in a batch of brownies and some sprinkles, and you got yourself a yummy Valentine - or anytime - treat. 

Start by making a batch of brownies. Line your pan with aluminum foil to make it easy to remove the brownies after they're baked.

 Once the brownies are cool, cut off the yummy crusty edges.

And of course, eat them! I absolutely love the end pieces of brownies. The chewiness of the edges, the mushiness of the middle, the richness of the chocolate . . . mmmm! You know, we bake a lot of different desserts and such around here, but the simple brownie will always remain at the top of my favorites list.

Once you've finished indulging in the discarded edges, put the rest of the brownies in a bowl and mash them into crumbs.

 You can tell how much Alyssa loved this part.

 Of course, little Zachy had to join in the fun.

 But I'm pretty sure it was just a ploy to eat more brownies.

We used our cookie scoop to measure approximately 2 tablespoons of brownie crumbs and rolled it into balls. 

If your brownies won't hold together on their own, you can add in 1/4-1/2 cup frosting to help them adhere. Ours were pretty fudgy and mushed together fine by themselves.

Push a sucker stick, or even a popsicle stick, deep into the brownie balls. Place the balls in the freezer for at least 30 minutes or the refrigerator for 2 hours to harden. 

 Dip a ball into melted chocolate, making sure to coat it all.

Allow the excess chocolate to drip off. Tapping the stick gently on the side of the bowl helps to speed the process.

 Hurry to add your sprinkles before the chocolate hardens.

 Repeat.

And repeat.

If your balls are out of the freezer too long before you get a chance to coat them, they will fall off the stick in a mushy mass into the melted chocolate. Fish it out, plop the stick back in, and pop it into the freezer to harden up again.

Then, do the respectable thing and eat it. You certainly wouldn't want to serve such a hideous pop to company. It's best to just discard the evidence before anyone can see it.

I had been planning to jam the sticks into styrofoam or floral foam to keep them upright while the chocolate hardened, but I couldn't find any in the house. My sweet hubby offered to make me a holder for them and returned a few minutes later with this wooden stand. I sure do love that man.

Now who wouldn't want to receive one of these lovely brownie pops for Valentine's Day??? They're small and cute and very festive! And best of all . . . 

 . . . there's a fudgy brownie inside!!!

Make a batch today and surprise the ones you love!



Linked to Watcha Making Wednesdays and Show and Share Saturday Link Up

Tasty Tuesday: S'mores Brownie Bars

The summer is drawing to an end. The days are getting shorter, the temperatures cooler. What better way to savor these last few days than with s'more brownies? These brownies are the very essence of our favorite campfire treat - the crunch of the graham cracker, the richness of the chocolate, and gooeyness of the roasted marshmallow.

And if you just can't bring yourself to make these (because trust me, you'll want to eat the whole batch and know you shouldn't since you don't want to look like a marshmallow), know that today is National Toasted Marshmallow Day. And that, my friends, makes it totally worth it. 

Ingredients:

    3 cups graham cracker crumbs                     1 batch of brownie batter
    ¼ cup granulated sugar                                 1 bag mini marshmallows  
    ¼ teaspoon salt                                             Additional graham crackers, broken into pieces
    ¾ cup unsalted butter, melted

Directions:
   1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line the pan with foil, leaving some overhang, and then butter the foil; set aside.

   2. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and salt, mixing well. Add the melted butter and, using a fork, toss until the entire mixture is moist. Dump the graham cracker mixture into the prepared baking pan, pressing it into an even layer. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

   3. Meanwhile, prepare your brownie recipe. Pour the brownie batter over the cooked graham cracker crust, spreading it into an even layer. Bake the brownies according to the directions.

   4. As soon as the brownies come out of the oven, switch the oven to broil. Pour the bag of mini marshmallows onto the brownies, covering it in an even layer. Pop the pan back in the oven for a few minutes. Keep a close eye on them – you want them to start to char so you get that s’mores flavor, but don’t want to completely burn them.
   5. As soon as the pan comes out of the oven, top the marshmallow layer with the pieces of graham cracker, pressing down slightly so that the pieces of graham cracker get nestled into the marshmallow.
   6. Cool completely and then cut into squares. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.

We made the crust entirely in the food processor in just minutes. (Have I even mentioned recently how much I love that thing?) Then, we used a box mix for the brownies (dark fudge with chocolate chunks, to be exact.)

Alyssa licked every last bit of the brownie bowl, while Jacob . . . 

enjoyed the buttery graham cracker crumbs.

The real fun was trying to keep the kids from eating the marshmallows before we tossed them on top to broil. As it turned out, we used only half the bag. Guess I could have let them sugar up after all. Hindsight is always 20/20.

And this is what they look like if you can bring yourself to take a picture before slicing and devouring. (We were able to use self-control only because the marshmallows stuck to the sides of the foil. Of course, we couldn't let it go to waste. We just had to eat it!)  

Broiling the marshmallows really is what puts this recipe over the top. That charred flavor is what elevates melted marshmallow to toasted marshmallow.

But let me tell you, these babies are messy. Ooey-gooey-messy. Crumbly-falling apart-messy. Making a mess on your counter and floors . . . and children's faces messy. But they are oh-so-good! The only thing I would change is cutting down on the graham cracker crust. It's so over-powering that you almost lose the flavor of the rich chocolate brownie. Next time, I'll try 1 1/2 - 2 cups of the cracker crumbs, but leave the butter about the same in order to hold it all together better. 

Regardless, none of that stopped us from eating. And eating. And eating.

So, before the coolness of autumn and the crispness of ripe apples creep upon us, take advantage of the last few days of summer . . . and make these brownies.

Linked to a glimpse of our life.

Pantry Surprise 5/23/11

Here we are again with a Pantry Surprise that does not take place in the pantry . . .

We recently got a new pastor at church and celebrated last night with a pounding. (Everyone thinks it's called that because you're supposed to bring pounds and pounds of food and household supplies. Really though, it's called that because you gain pounds and pounds from eating so much! Everyone knows Baptists have food at every function. I'm sure it's in the Bible somewhere.) I made brownies with peanut butter frosting to take. I had just enough time to let the brownies cool, make the frosting, plop it on top, cut them up, and put throw 'em on a plate before rushing out the door to choir practice. You'd think being married to the choir director would give me a time cushion. You'd be wrong. 

Why didn't I make them Saturday night? Good question. And one that will be answered in a different post. 

All that to say that I didn't have the time to cover the brownies (or the extra frosting) before fleeing the house. I know this picture will probably make my mom cringe. But, it was either this or skip practice and that would make her cringe even more. 

The director too.

 We got home last night and found this in the refrigerator. Not sure how this invitation made its way into the pan. I mean, I know the brownies were delicious, and I'm sure Belle, Cinderella, and Ariel would love to eat them. (Not so sure they'd still fit in their dresses though.)  But, how did it get from the top of the fridge into the fridge?

Leighton is the only other one who can reach that high. Either it was him, or someone sneaked into our house while we were gone just to cause confusion, or Tinkerbell flew her friends into the pan to satisfy their brownie cravings.

I'm almost tempted to believe the latter. 

Women need their chocolate. After all, what are friends for???

Tasty Tuesday: Christmas Baking

It is no secret that we love baking in this house. Every Christmas we bake lots of goodies to send to neighbors, friends, and family. It's a tradition that we all love. Now that the kids are a little older, they help me with the baking. Though their "helping" may nearly double my time in the kitchen, we are making memories that I will cherish forever. I hope one day they too will look back on these times with fondness.

Excited to be baking.

Leveling flour is serious business.

They love the cookie press.

They are obsessed with sprinkles!

More sprinkling.

Coating the Oreos.

Taking a quick break for a picture.

The very best part of baking.

All the goodies except for one kind.

Leighton's plate to take to work.

We didn't take too many pictures this time. There was too much to do! We made no-bake cookies, sour cream cookies, white chocolate covered Oreos, milk chocolate covered Oreos, spritz cookies in trees and wreaths, brownies, fudge, and peanut butter bars. Whew, all in one day! I washed the dishes probably 5 times. For one thing, I don't like to work in a cluttered mess. For another thing, I don't have much room in the kitchen. I keep telling Leighton I want a bigger kitchen with lots of counter space for Christmas. So far, no such luck.

I didn't include the recipes this time since there would be 7 and take up a lot of space. If there's one that you would like, just let me know. Happy Baking!


* UPDATE*
We've since added some recipes. Those are now linked.