Last week, I had a great day with Hallie and Sarah from Home + Garden Secrets; a home and garden referral service for local Los Angeles homeowners. I wrote an article about their business, their passions and their homes and after chatting and cooking for over two hours, we sat down to a delicious lunch. Everything we made was inspired by their organic garden.
One of the elements was a Tartine with a ricotta/cream spread, topped with breakfast radishes, chives, and sea salt. I cannot stop thinking about it and if I had some radishes in my house at this moment, that would be what I would be eating as I write this.
Although they do not grow cocoa beans, our meal had to end with dessert, a chocolate dessert. At least once (or twice) a week, I make a batch of my new favorite brownie recipe. Browned butter is the key element in making these brownies and now that I have made them this way, I am going to have a hard time going back. I have made these with chocolate covered cocoa nibs, adding a little espresso to the mix, and nixed the nuts. I have also added chopped bittersweet chunks and pecans. It simply doesn’t matter what you add to these, they are the perfect bite of goodness!
adapted from here
yield: 16 2″ brownies
10 Tbsp.(5 oz.) unsalted, organic butter
1 1/4 cups organic, white sugar
3/4 cup natural, unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. sea salt
2 large, organic eggs, chilled
1/3 cups plus 1 Tbsp. whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup pecans (or walnuts), chopped (or other favorite mix-ins)
instructions:
• preheat oven to 325*
• butter an 8″x 8″ metal baking pan, line with parchment and then butter the parchment.
• melt butter in a saute pan(not a non-stick), over medium heat. when brown bits form at the bottom of the pan, remove from heat(don’t walk away from it – it burns quickly – trust me).
• add the sugar, cocoa, 2 teaspoons of water, vanilla, and 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt, stir to blend. let cool for 5 minutes.
• add eggs to chocolate mixture, completely mixing after each egg.
• add flour and mix for 1 minute. add nuts.
• pour batter into prepared pan.
• bake 25- 28 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs attached.
• cool completely in the pan.
• before cutting, I like to put in the fridge for 20 minutes. remove from fridge, lift brownies out of pan using the parchment overhang and cut into desired squares.
• hide a few of these because they do not last long!
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More Brownie Recipes:
Chocolate Mint Brownies – Brown Eyed Baker
Chocolate Rum Brownies – The Little Teochew
Magical Layered Brownies – Mel’s Kitchen Cafe
Vegan-Sugarfree Brownies – Pea Soup Eats
Chevre Brownies – The Urban Baker
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Sounds like a delightful lunch -both the food and company!! I haven’t made brownies in a while so will definitely have to give these a try!
Nancy – these are my new “go-to” brownie recipe. No mixer required and can be whipped up in minutes!
I made these brownies a couple of weeks ago, and I fell in love. Actually, I’m having a craving for these for two days… It will be harder to resist!
The Tartine looks great…of course, so do the brownies!!
Allison – the tartine is simple and oh-so delicious!