Cocoa is one of the oldest comfort foods, enjoyed in every part of the world, but grown only in the tropics. It gets better when you realize that the island where you live produces some of the most desired cocoa in the world. Among the different "single estate" cocoas available here in Trinidad is that produced under the Cocobel brand, from the revitalized Rancho Quemado estate in the industrial south of the island. In a hot nightcap, this cocoa is tasty and energizing. Whip it up with condensed milk. Flavour with a pinch of cinnamon. Warm the cockles of your heart!
Next, we decided to put Cocobel cocoa in a simple brownie recipe. Try it for yourself, and we are sure you will conclude like we did: Amazing! The original recipe came from epicurious.com and was featured in Bon Appetit of February 2011. It was called Cocoa Brownies with Browned Butter and Walnuts. For me, these are simply the Best Brownies!
Butter, unsalted, 10 tablespoons (5 ounces)
Brown sugar, one cup packed
Cocobel cocoa powder, unsweetened, 3/4 cup packed
Eggs, two large
Flour all purpose, half cup
Walnut pieces, 1 cup
Fresh brewed coffee, two tablespoons (or water or orange juice)
Salt, pinch
Position rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat to 325.
Line an 8 by 8 inch pan with foil - let the foil extend up the sides (to be used to remove the brownies from the pan. Grease the bottom and couple inches up the sides of the foil (or spray with vegetable oil).
Cook the butter gently in a medium pan until it is frothy and then starts to develop browned bits. Stir well. Remove from heat and add sugar, cocoa and coffee to the butter with a pinch of salt. Stir the mixture well allowing it to cool.
Beat in eggs one at a time. Continue to beat vigorously.
When the mixture is thick and shiny, add the flour and stir until well blended. Beat at least 60 strokes. Stir in walnut pieces. Pour batter into the pan.
Bake for about 25-30 minutes. Cool in the pan. Use the foil to lift the cake out. Cut into 16 pieces. Store in an airtight container.
Variation: add three-quarter cup of dried cranberries or frozen blue berries. The cranberries make these brownies chewy and tangy. The blueberries make them deliciously moist.
Next, we decided to put Cocobel cocoa in a simple brownie recipe. Try it for yourself, and we are sure you will conclude like we did: Amazing! The original recipe came from epicurious.com and was featured in Bon Appetit of February 2011. It was called Cocoa Brownies with Browned Butter and Walnuts. For me, these are simply the Best Brownies!
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| Brownies made with Cocobel cocoa |
Butter, unsalted, 10 tablespoons (5 ounces)
Brown sugar, one cup packed
Cocobel cocoa powder, unsweetened, 3/4 cup packed
Eggs, two large
Flour all purpose, half cup
Walnut pieces, 1 cup
Fresh brewed coffee, two tablespoons (or water or orange juice)
Salt, pinch
Position rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat to 325.
Line an 8 by 8 inch pan with foil - let the foil extend up the sides (to be used to remove the brownies from the pan. Grease the bottom and couple inches up the sides of the foil (or spray with vegetable oil).
Cook the butter gently in a medium pan until it is frothy and then starts to develop browned bits. Stir well. Remove from heat and add sugar, cocoa and coffee to the butter with a pinch of salt. Stir the mixture well allowing it to cool.
Beat in eggs one at a time. Continue to beat vigorously.
When the mixture is thick and shiny, add the flour and stir until well blended. Beat at least 60 strokes. Stir in walnut pieces. Pour batter into the pan.
Bake for about 25-30 minutes. Cool in the pan. Use the foil to lift the cake out. Cut into 16 pieces. Store in an airtight container.
Variation: add three-quarter cup of dried cranberries or frozen blue berries. The cranberries make these brownies chewy and tangy. The blueberries make them deliciously moist.
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| Cut into 16 pieces and watch these brownies fly off the plate! |
...looks delicious,..just what we need here for these below 0° temperatures,...here in Italy, in cake and brownie recipes, they use the melted extra dark chocolate bars....
ReplyDeletelooks goey and moist. i wish i can try one.
ReplyDeleteThe only fat in these brownies comes from the butter. Good cocoa powder is pure flavor with the cocoa butter (fat) removed.
ReplyDelete