Chocolate Fudge Brownies... with Chocolate Ganache Frosting

Just when everyone in the U.S. is getting ready for Super Bowl Sunday...just who thinks about desserts?...well, I do know it's mostly chicken wings, sliders, pizza, chips, and dips that are the most popular party snacks for the big game, but who thinks about yummy, and easy to grab desserts?

We all love brownies...especially Fudge Brownies; and why not top it off with the most delicious
ooey-gooey Chocolate Ganache Frosting?...who says you can't have your cake...and 'eat it too?'...well, you sure can, with the cutest cupcake liners from William Sonoma! The recipe is super easy; got it from the Internet, and even if I didn't, I have it somewhere in one of my cookbooks, or recipe files. So much easier just one click to Google, and get what you need without searching in your own files!
So easy to serve these yummy fudge brownies... once they are done, and frosted, all you have to do is to cut the usual square portions in half, and set them in cute cupcake liners. Just be sure to refrigerate them until serving time, and take them out about 30 minutes before serving, and you will see how the fudge frosting will 'glisten' and achieve the ooey-gooey look! Every 'chocolate lovers' dream!


Chocolate Fudge Brownies
source: King Arthur Flour

• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cups Double-Dutch Dark Cocoa or Dutch-process cocoa
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 2 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 2 cups chocolate chips

1) Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9" x 13" pan

2) Crack the 4 eggs into a bowl, and beat them with the cocoa, salt, baking powder, espresso powder, and vanilla till smooth.

3) In a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl, or in a saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter, then add the sugar and stir to combine. Or simply combine the butter and sugar, and heat, stirring, until the butter is melted. Continue to heat (or microwave) briefly, just until the mixture is hot (about 110°F to 120°F), but not bubbling; it'll become shiny looking as you stir it. Heating the mixture to this point will dissolve more of the sugar, which will yield a shiny top crust on your brownies.

4) Add the hot butter/sugar mixture to the egg/cocoa mixture, stirring until smooth.

5) Add the flour and chips, again stirring until smooth. Note: If you want the chips to remain intact in the baked brownies, rather than melting in, let the batter cool in the bowl for about 20 minutes before stirring in the chips.

6) Spoon the batter into a lightly greased 9" x 13" pan.

7) Bake the brownies for about 30 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, or with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it. The brownies should feel set on the edges, and the center should look very moist, but not uncooked. Remove them from the oven and cool on a rack before cutting and serving.

Nutrition information

Serving Size: 1 brownie (63g) Servings Per Batch: 24 Amount Per Serving: Calories: 260 Calories

For the Ganach Frosting:Basic Chocolate Ganache
• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Place chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl; set aside.
2. Place cream in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Pour over chocolate and let stand until chocolate has softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Add butter and stir until smooth. Let cool slightly before using.
 
Have a wonderful SUPER BOWL SUNDAY!
eat plenty...drink responsibly! xo

 

'Time in a Bottle'...I'm back!

My treasures from the ocean...including a bottom of a 1965 beer bottle; now, a 'sea glass' after 47yrs finding its way out from the ocean!The gorgeous cobalt blue dish with it's stand, is a 'thrift find' for $2.99.

Time in a Bottle~ Jim Croce 
If I could save time in a bottle
The first thing that I'd like to do
Is to save every day
Till Eternity passes away
Just to spend them with you
If I could make days last forever
If words could make wishes come true
I'd save every day like a treasure and then,
Again, I would spend them with you...



Hi Everyone,
I'm back...not looking so great; but my eye surgery was a success...actually a bit 'scary'. Did not think that Retinal eye surgery would be so complicated...but if you have the faith and confidence, and know you have the best doctor, and surgical team, then half the 'battle' is done! Thank you so much for your kind and encouraging words, your thoughts and your prayers!

I've been resting at my daughter's house, and just came home yesterday...but now, I'm going back there again. Cannot bend down, or lift anything heavy for two weeks, at least. My eye patch is off, and only have to wear it at night when I sleep (not to rub my eye)

I uploaded one of my most favorite song from 1973, by Jim Croce...Time in a Bottle. A couple weeks ago, my son found this beautiful huge piece of sea glass on the beach, and gave it to me...it was actually a beer bottle, from 1965, as you can see the back of it...from Geo. Ballantine & Sons, a famous Brewing company, that made Ballantine Ale. They were a huge beer brewing company that started out in the late eighteen hundred, through the sixties, until some other companies took over their name. The brewery has been shut down around that time, or even earlier! Well, that's the story on that!

Wouldn't it be nice to save time in a bottle?...yes, we can do that by cherishing every moment in our life, and spending time with our loved ones and friends! Doing 'good' for others, and seeing the 'best' and not the worst. If you could do that, you will have saved all the time, and can look back, knowing you have no regrets. Time heals all wounds...especially physical ones, and I will be on my way to recovery real soon!

I missed you, all...have a wonderful weekend! xoxo

My 'sea glass' collection...took at least 10yrs to collect these precious, perfectly polished sea glass that the ocean washes out. It's very rare to find a few, here-and-there, scattered on the beach. Just think; in order for these glass pieces to get these shapes...it takes several decades from broken bottles dropped into the ocean, to get these shapes! Beautiful jewelry can be designed by these gorgeous sea glass; I just don't have enough...or maybe!
As the saying goes..."one man's garbage, is another man's treasure". Apparently, these bottles have been dropped into the ocean off ships, storms and waves have been battering them to break up and form into shapes! You can  check out this wonderful website to actually view and purchase sea glass jewelry...absolutely amazing~
Out of the Blue Sea Glass Jewelry 

Photo, courtesy of... Out of the Blue Sea Glass Jewelry
 

What Is Sea Glass Or Beach Glass?

Sea glass or beach glass comes from our lost broken glass that found its way to the sea where it is transformed into frosted gem like treasures by the natural tumbling action of the tides. Both terms sea glass or beach glass can refer to glass that has emerged from the sea and beach glass refers to glass that has emerged from a body of fresh water such as one of the Great Lakes. In Puerto Rico sea glass is sometimes called crystal de mar or vidrio de mar. Sea glass is often poetically referred to as "Mermaids Tears" and washes up on beaches all over the world. In writing you will sometimes see seaglass, or beachglass. I love the oneness of "seaglass" after all those years in the ocean it has become something beyond man made glass. It is as if the glass has blended with the sea and the two are now inseparable. The way you can hold a seashell up to your ear and hear the ocean I find that you can feel the power of the sea when you hold a piece of sea glass in your hand.

Orcas Island Sea Glass
Amazon.com Sea Glass Jewelry