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Chocolate-Almond Brownies
September 12, 2007 |
There’s an article discussing the “new breed of chocolate snobs”. They’re talking about us, though our snobbery is far from recent.
We only associate with fellow chocolate snobs and think folks who add vile stuff like corn syrup, paraffin wax and/or margarine to candy and call it ‘chocolate’ need professional intervention. :fume:
The chocolate spectrum encompasses the whole range. At one end is unsweetened chocolate, usually used for baking with no milk and no sugar. It has just cocoa solids, cocoa butter, pure vanilla extract, soy lechitin (as an emulsifier).
Extra-dark often has a little added sugar and no milk.
Dark chocolate may or may not have milk solids.
Bittersweet, semisweet and milk chocolate have milk solids in increasing degrees. Milk chocolate is mostly dairy and sugar, with as little as 10% cocoa solids.
There may be extra flavourings like coffee beans or orange zest.
White chocolate is simply cocoa butter and sugar.
The differences between the various types of chocolate are explained HERE.
Cacao pod. Wikimedia Commons
The darker the chocolate, the more intense and rich the flavour. ‘Chocolate‘ comes from xocolatl, an Aztec word in the Nahuatl language meaning “bitter water”.
We are not averse to milk chocolate. B, in fact, loves it.
As the Chow.com article points out:
Milk chocolate, meanwhile, has taken a kneecapping at the hands of those who view it as an adulterated and diluted version of “the real thing,†and others who fail to discriminate between waxy mass-market candy bars and high-quality milk chocolate …
… “There are nuances to milk chocolate that you can never achieve with dark chocolate,†says Recchiuti. “The milk adds a different dimension to the flavor. And if you can really taste the cacao—as opposed to the first things hitting your palate being sugar and milk—then it becomes interesting.â€
Milk in chocolate rounds off the cacao flavour very well. The problem lies in the sweetness. Most milk chocolates (atleast in the U.S.) are cloyingly sweet. Bittersweet, with a hint of milk, is just right.
That’s not to say American chocolate is not top-notch. HERE’s a list of American brands that can give the Belgians and the Swiss a complex. We love the Guittard brand. It is reasonably priced and comes in 10-pound slabs that are broken up and sold at our co-op. Guittard is a California based company that mainly supplies to pastry chefs and restaurants. Other American brands we use are Trader Joe’s and Scharffen Berger.
For cooking we always use dark or bittersweet chocolate.
![[image]](http://mowser.com/img?url=http%3A%2F%2Fjugalbandi.info%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2007%2F08%2Firon2.gif)
In addition to the intense flavour, there are other reasons to prefer dark chocolate over milk or white.
From the September 2007 issue of Nutrition Action:
“Eating only 30 calories of dark - but not white - chocolate for 18 weeks lowered blood pressure by 2 or 3 points in a study of middle-aged and older adults with either higher blood pressure or hyertension.
The dark chocolate eaters had higher blood levels of S-nitrosogluthathione, which relaxes blood vessels. That could explain how dark chocolate lowers blood pressure …
While the people in this study ate too little chocolate to affect their weight, an overenthusiastic chocolate eater could get carried away. And being overweight can boost blood pressure.”
That’s a good reason to eat a square of dark chocolate a day.
We have tried various recipes for Chocolate Brownies, and this one from Gourmet Magazine’s September 1992 issue was the best. The lower-fat version tastes as good as the original recipe. It’s rich without leaving a layer of grease in your mouth.
A brownie is denser than a cake, less dense than a cookie. It, therefore, has no leavening agents like baking soda, and doesn’t call for whipping up the eggs before adding them.
We saw Sara Moulton, who is Gourmet Magazine’s exec editor, make it on the Food Network on her show many years ago, and have made it more than a dozen times since. She, along with Jamie Oliver, Alton Brown and Ming Tsai made Food Network a really educative and enjoyable place.
Most people learn to cook from someone they know - family or friends. Bee learnt to cook observing Sara Moulton. It’s from her that we learnt to pay close attention to all the ingredients that go into a dish, down to the type of salt we use.
When Food Network was taken over by train wrecks and thirty-minute maladies, we cancelled our cable subscription.
(For those not familiar with what we’re talking about, here are some videos of the train wreck with Spooky Pastry Puffs and Pukey Daffodil Cakes … and classy Sara with Spicy Lamb Masala. )
This recipe is idiot-proof, and makes a very fudgy, chocolatey brownie.
A few tips:
1. Use a mini-baking sheet - 12×9 inches. If you only have a regular baking sheet, double the recipe.
2. Take a big piece of foil and line the whole sheet, on the bottom and along the edges to the top. That way, you can just lift the brownies off from the sheet using the foil. No sticking, no mess, less grease.
3. If you don’t have bittersweet or unsweetened chocolate and are using semi-sweet, add more cocoa powder and a tad less sugar to make it more chocolatey.
4. The original recipe has 1.5 cups sugar. We use 3/4 cup. Use more sugar if you like it sweeter.
5. For different flavour combos, try adding candied ginger or orange zest.
The original recipe is @ Epicurious.com. Ours is a lower-fat version. This recipe is for plain chocolate brownies.
![[image]](http://mowser.com/img?url=http%3A%2F%2Fjugalbandi.info%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2007%2F09%2Fimg_9491-2.jpg)
TRIPLE CHOCOLATE FUDGE BROWNIES
(Makes 24 brownies)
8 ounces fine-quality dark chocolate chopped
**or a combo or bittersweet and unsweetened
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce (or prune puree)
** if you have neither, use butter
3/4 cup sugar (or more depending on taste)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup egg whites
** or 4 large whole eggs
half teaspoon salt
1 cup wholewheat pastry flour or all-purpose flour
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp instant espresso or coffee powder
1 tbsp cognac, coffee liqueur or brandy (optional)
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a 12×9 pan (a half cookie sheet) in one direction , and then the other to overhang the sheet on all sides. Then lightly oil the foil.
1. In a metal bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water melt the chocolate, butter and applesauce, stirring until the mixture is smooth. Make sure it’s a large bowl which can accommodate the rest of the ingredients. You can also do this in the microwave. Just make sure to stir at 30 second intervals until everything is beginning to melt.
2. Let the mixture cool until it is lukewarm. Stir in the sugar, liqueur, and the vanilla.
3. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, stirring well after each addition.
4. Stir in the salt, cocoa powder, coffee powder, and the flour, mixing until the mixture is just combined, and add the chocolate chips.
5. Pour the batter into the pan, smooth the top, and bake the mixture in the middle of a preheated 350° F oven for 25 minutes (check at 22) until a tester comes out clean. It is important to take them out as soon as they are done, and not let them dry out. Let the mixture cool a bit. Lift it out with the foil and place it on a rack to cool completely. Cut it into 24 bars.
Store them in the refrigerator. The best way to eat these brownies is to warm them slightly - 15 seconds or so in the microwave.
For chocolate-almond brownies,
1. We replaced 1/4 cup flour with almonds ground to a powder in a spice grinder.
2. We replaced 1/2 cup chocolate chips with chopped, toasted almonds.
3. We added sliced almonds on top before baking.
4. We added both almond and vanilla extracts.
Is my Chocolate Slave-Free?
Chocolate Tears
![[image]](http://mowser.com/img?url=http%3A%2F%2Fjugalbandi.info%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2007%2F07%2Firon5.jpg)
Almond, Chocolate, Chocolate-Almond-Brownie, Coffee, Eggs, Food-Network, Gourmet-Magazine, Sara-Moulton, Triple-Chocolate-Fudge-Brownies, vegetarian recipes
Never thought brownies look so beautiful… I think its ur magic :love:
Now I know
yeeehhhhhhh…they taste awesome
One thing that I need to do soon…is do a chocolate tasting. I haven’t really sat down and studied chocolate much. All I know is that I eat it and I eat lots of it. But I don’t have the understanding or discrimination of what makes fine chocolates. Yet.
:bow: :love:
I like to use Scharffen Berger myself…and since Snowy works for Hershey Chocolate, and they’ve recently acquired Scharffen Berger, I’ve got a direct line :dance:
I love to use the Scharffen Berger for hot chocolate: just shaved chocolate, water brought to the boil with a cardamom pod, and some rosewater…
And the brownies?
Fabulous!
Hi J& B,
I have been drooling ever since I laid my eyes on these brownies and plan to bake these in the evening,
I bought Nestle Dark choc chips, will that work as the 1st ingrediant in ur list?
You replaced 1/2 cup choc chips with toasted almonds, were those the same slivered almonds with which you garnished on top?
Thanks,
J
jayashree, thanks for dropping by, and welcome. we used almonds cut like little matchsticks inside, but the ones on the top would do as well. you can try it with chocolate chips, but we really reccomend a bar of chocolate, since choc chips often have added agents to prevent them from melting down completely. no harm in trying, though. - b.
[...] series of chocolatey posts at Emily’s ROL blog + a double chocolate treat at Jugalbandi+ a follow on @ Arundhati’s Escapades + a Madrasi’s [...]
Hi B,
hmmm…. makes sense, might as well wait, get the right ingrediants and then try, the only problem now is ….. WAITING
Hi,
I tried these brownies for a picnic and they turned out great. I baked them in a foil pan coz I needed something transportable and I think because of this I needed a few more mins on the bake time (at 25 mins they were not set). Anyways so the recipe was great and there wasn’t a single brownie left in the pan. Muchos gracias - this is a keeper!
Also wanted to say that I really enjoy your site but I was a little surprised at the 30 minute and Semi home made diss. I’m not a fan of either show but I have seen them. For a cook who loves food, I think Sara’s show is pure joy. But for those out there that are not cooks or who are intimidated by the site of a stove, I think 30 min meals can be inspirational. Tons of people around the US have gone back and rediscovered their kitchens due to the shows like 30 mins meals. Is it the best answer for all our issues like obesity, over sized portions etc? No…but it is a start. Someone who can start with simple 30 minute meals, may be encouraged in time to try making a recipe from scratch which eventually opens the door to an education of food (which is something your blog is great at)!
glad they turned out well. actually, i don’t mind rachael ray, but when she adds olives to stuff and calls it ‘indian food’, i switch the channel. as for the train wreck, what she assembles is both unhealthy and disgusting. to her, the five food groups are cake mix, frosting, whipped cream in a can, and other things i don’t dare mention. and what’s with the ‘i want you to’ and the stupid ‘tablescapes’? can you tell , she grates on my last nerve?
- b.
I am salivating. This looks like a piece right out of of heaven (as if I know what heaven looks like), but I am sure it must be close to this!!! :bow: bow to you
Hi J & B,
Lovely photos of a lovely recipe. I’ve never baked yet but going to get a microwave. However, I don’t eat eggs and egg substitutes are mostly eggs (I’ve been told so). Please advice how to replace the eggs in this recipe.
try silken tofu - 1/4 cup per egg.
http://jugalbandi.info/2007/09/egg-substitutes/ - b.
[...] can swear they tasteth goooood. This is my second attempt to create a pirated copy of thy recipe of Chocolate-Almond Brownies in a row. [...]
[...] arrived at my door with love, packed with some delicious brownies. The brownies were packed with utmost care. Enclosed was a card in a beautiful writing and an [...]
Made these today, following ur recipe exactly (except used walnuts instead of almonds, and frangelico liquer instead of cognac) and they came out pretty good. What probably kept mine from being outstanding was mainly to do with the chocolate I used - a very subpar milk chocolate (Ghiradelli brand) that someone brought over (in enormous bars) and left. I’ve been trying to find ways to use them up - this was the last one (thank heavens). I added additional cocoa powder to try and improve the depth of chocolate flavor, but not terribly effective. I will have to try it again with a finer quality of real dark chocolate. I will probably try even less butter coz 6 tbs still made it really rich (for me) and for anyone using just regular milk chocolate - 3/4 cup of sugar comes out to be a bit much, if you like things less sweet. Thanks for the recipe and ur pictures are absolutely beautiful.
[...] Chocolate Almond Brownie from Jugalbandi [...]
Hi B & J,
I have been a lurker for a while, and want to say you have a beautiful blog! Thank you so much for all the informative posts and healthy recipes. I want to make these brownies, but was wondering whether they freeze well? Do you know how long they stay fresh/edible in the refrigeator?
Thanks again,
Gayathri
haven’t tried freezing them, but there’s no reason why they shouldn’t freeze well. in the fridge, they will last or a week or so. - b.
Oh I so loved Sara Moulton too! I watched her everyday from 1pm to 2 pm 1998-99! I learned so much from her.
If I had to choose one dessert for the rest of my life, it would be brownies. I am an “eggless” baker,do u think this recipe would work with an egg replacer like enerG?
I’m sorry, I should have read all the comments before posting my question. I just saw your suggestion about replacing eggs with silken tofu.
Mouthwatering brownies. So moist, looks perfect. Also thanks for the link to slashfood. I was literally ROFL, both the post and the comments were so hilarious. I used to watch her and Rachel Ray regularly. It really became irritating after sometime. But I can’t get enough of Alton Brown’s Good Eats. I guess I’m having the subscription just for that.