I’m not sure where this recipe came from– it arrived in my email today, and Googling doesn’t find a source– but it’s an interesting idea.

Yield: 16 small brownies

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (at least 70% cocoa)
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper.

Melt the chocolate and whisk in the oil. Let cool.

Mix the flour and salt. Beat the eggs and sugar until pale and thickened, about five minutes. Fold in the vanilla and chocolate mixture, then fold in the flour and optional nuts. Pour into the prepared pan and distribute evenly.

Bake for 22-26 minutes The top will be dry and crackly, but a toothpick inserted in the center should still be a little wet. Cool completely.

Makes 9 or 12 rolls

Dough:

• 16 oz by weight all-purpose flour
• 1 1/8 c (10 oz) milk, heated
• 2 t instant yeast
• 1/8 c (2 T) butter, melted
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 t salt

Filling:

• 1/4 c butter, slightly melted
• 1 c raisins
• 1/2 c brown sugar
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1/2 c nuts, chopped (optional)

Glaze (optional)

• 1 c powdered sugar
• 1 T cold milk

Combining all of the ingredients and knead until smooth. Dough should be moist but not sticky. Allow to rise until doubled.

Plump the raisins by soaking in boiling water for a few minutes.  Drain thoroughly and pat dry.

When the dough has risen, roll it out on a floured surface, as close to a 18 x 24 ” rectangle as possible.  Spread the butter on the rolled-out  dough.  Sprinkle with the rest of the filling ingredients.  Don’t forget the raisins!  Roll into a cylinder.  For a dozen smaller buns, roll the long side up.  For nine larger buns, roll the short side.  Cut into 9 or 12 equal pieces.  Put into greased 9 x 13 baking pan.  (If you want a particularly sticky bun, you can put some additional filling in the bottom of the pan.)

Allow to rise until doubled in bulk and the sides press against each other.

Bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes. 

Cool for five minutes.  If you went with the sticky variety, invert the pan over doubled aluminum foil.  Beware of the hot filling.  Cooks call that stuff “napalm” for good reason.

Let the rolls cool, then glaze.

Adapted from a recipe posted on The Fresh Loaf.

Ingredients

1 (10 to 16-ounce) bag fresh or frozen whole cranberries
2 crisp sweet red apples, peeled, cored and sliced 1-inch thick
2-inch piece ginger, peeled and finely grated
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water

Preparation

Add ingredients to a large pot and simmer for about 30 minutes. The mixture will soften, reduce and thicken. Cool completely before serving. Keep in the refrigerator. Makes about 4 cups of chutney.

Brownie Bars

A layer of icing underneath a layer of ganache make these completely decadent.

Ingredients:

Brownie Layer

• ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened, almost melted
• 1 cup white sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ¾ teaspoon vanilla
• ¾ teaspoon coffee liqueur
• 3 large eggs
• ¾ cup unsifted all-purpose flour
• ½ cup cocoa
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt

Icing Layer

• 2 cups icing (confectioner’s) sugar
• ½ cup custard powder
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons skim milk (or more if needed)
• ½ teaspoon vanilla (or any flavour you want)

Chocolate Layer

• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Brownie Layer

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8″ x 8″ pan with parchment paper. Butter pan.
2. Cream butter, sugar, vanilla and coffee liqueur until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well in between each addition.
3. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Gradually add to egg mixture and mix well.
4. Spread in prepared pan and bake for 40 – 45 minutes or until brownie begins to pull away from edges of pan. Allow to cool completely.

Icing Layer

1. Whip confectioner’s sugar and custard powder with butter, milk and vanilla. Add more milk if necessary to mix but do not make the icing thin. Icing for brownie bars should be stiff so the ganache layer won’t leak through.
2. Spread icing on top of brownies in an even layer with an offset spatula. Keep in fridge while you make the ganache layer.

Ganache Layer

1. Melt chocolate and butter in pan over medium-low heat. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes.
2. Pour over icing layer and smooth with an off-set spatula. Put brownie bars into fridge until ganache solidifies. Serve cold from fridge.

Recipe from Alton Brown’s Food Network Show, “Good Eats: Art of Darkness II, Cocoa”

1 1/2 cups water
3 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups Dutch-processed cocoa
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons light corn syrup

In a small pot, bring water and sugar to a boil and whisk in cocoa, vanilla, salt, and corn syrup. Whisk until all of the solids have dissolved. Reduce sauce until slightly thickened. Strain and cool to room temperature. Pour into squeeze bottles. Squeeze into cold milk and stir for delicious chocolate milk or serve on your favorite ice cream. And, hey, it’s fat free!

Modified from a recipe at Joy of Cakes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar, divided use
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3 large eggs, separated
• 1 t vanilla
• 1 T lemon zest
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and place rack in the center of the oven. Grease six ramekins with butter.

Beat the egg whites until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and continue to beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add the 2 tablespoons sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.

Cream the remaining sugar and butter. Add the three egg yolks, one at a time, and beat until incorporated. Beat in the vanilla extract and lemon zest. Add the flour and salt and beat until combined. With the mixer on low speed, gradually pour in the lemon juice and milk.

Gently fold the egg whites into the batter, in three additions, mixing only until incorporated.

Pour the batter into the prepared ramekins. (The batter does not rise much during baking so you can fill the ramekins almost to the rim.) Place the ramekins in a water bath so that the water is halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

Bake about 40 – 45 minutes or until the sponge cakes are golden brown and a toothpick is inserted into the cake portion comes out clean. Be careful not to insert the toothpick into the lemon sauce at the bottom of the ramekins. Remove the ramekins from the water bath and cool slightly before serving.

Note: You can also make this dessert in a 2 quart souffle dish.

Yield: 6 servings.