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January 26, 2007

Week 11: Raspberry Supreme

Yummy, yummy, chocolate, coffee, raspberries and cream cheese! Keeping up with the fruit flavored theme this week, we have Rasperry Supreme, brownies with raspberry jam and Chambord. How can that be bad?

Analysis

I figure any recipe that calls for me to buy a bottle of Chambord can't be all bad. I was a bit put off at first by the use of red raspberry vinegar (eeew, that sounds sooo wrong), but the rest of the ingredients made it seem ok. Hey, at least this one called for butter and didn't ask me to whisk anything. The double-boiler thing is still omni-present, though. I think making the cocktail before starting the brownies helped this time.

While there were 3 parts to this recipe, none of them were extremely complicated. The brownie part came first, with a wacky list of ingredients which included brown sugar, coffee crystals, chickory, and red raspberry vinegar. It sounded too gross to go on, but I hung in there. The batter turned out really thick and fudgy.

While the brownies were baking I made the "Icing in the Middle" (you have to call it that, because that is how it is referred to in the rest of the recipe. It's never just 'the icing'.) White chocolate, cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and Chambord! The one questionable thing was the almond extract. I've avoided almond extract like the plague because it is always overpowering in a lot of recipes and I can't stand the flavor. I almost thought about leaving it out. But this is science, so I gave in and bought the almond extract. And the frosting was Yummy! Cream cheese frosting has never tasted so good.

When the brownies came out of the oven, I put raspberry jam over the top of them. It looked kinda yucky at first, like big lumps of jello, but it soon melted and I was able to spread it. After they cooled the "Icing in the Middle" put on top and the chocolate-raspberry glaze was made and put on top.

These went together really easily. There were no problems or parts where I just wanted to give up, unlike last week's debacle. I am looking forward to trying these.

Modifications

Chickory?!? Where the heck am I going to find that? This is Michigan, not the south. I substitued extra coffee crystals instead. I melted the chocolate and butter in the microwave.

Improvements

Can't think of any, except finding a place to buy chickory.

My Rating - scale of 1-10

Posted by jamm at 07:13 AM | Comments (6)

January 18, 2007

Week 10: Choco-Cherry Brownies

Chocolate, Cherries, two great tastes that taste great together, what's not to like? Umm, wait a minute, who put these on the list...mini-marshmallows?

When I started reading the recipe I kept waiting for the part where it called for the Jello and the Cool Whip. Cherry pie filling, mini-marshmallows, just add the Jello and the non-dairy whipped topping and you have that thing that sits on the buffet table at so many mid-west holiday get togethers and family picnics. I'm not liking this...

Analysis

This recipe set me off from the get-go. The pie filling and mini-marshmallows were all I could think about and how much that turned my stomach. Oh, and I only had 1 8oz box of semi-sweet chocolate, so I almost had to make a late night run to the store. Luckily, I remembered that chocolate chips are also semi-sweet, and with at least 10 bags of those in the cupboard, I was ok.

The recipe was straightforward, although it did tell me to use a double boiler and a whisk to mix the eggs and sugar (hold on while I go get more wood to put in the stove so I can bake them). At least this recipe called for butter and I didn't have to substitute.

The worst part of this recipe was straining the cherry pie filling. This gooey, red, drippy gunk slowly plopping into the measuring bowl, yuck, especially since I knew what I needed to do with it. The batter was really runny, but after letting it set in the "foil lined, greased and floured (are we worried about this sticking?)" pan, it sort of turned hard and fudge-like. Probably good since I had to spread the drained cherries over the batter in the pan and then cover it with the rest of it. And it was into the oven to bake.

Now for the yucky part. I had to take part of the cherry pie filling liquid and mix it with the marshmallows. When the browines were done baking, this got spread over the hot brownies and covered so it could melt. I then garnished with some of the remaining soppy cherry. What a lovely looking treat!


Modifications

None made. I just couldn't stand to think about it. I had to plow through and just get it done.

Improvements

One. Don't make these.

My Rating - scale of 1-10

I'm worried about tasting these tomorrow.

P.S. I am NEVER making these again. They were yucky. I found nothing redeeming about them, not even the fact that there was chocolate in them. My kids and husband wouldn't even eat them.

Posted by jamm at 10:50 PM | Comments (1)

January 12, 2007

Week 9: Orange Mocha Brownies

We are entering a new phase of 'Fruit Themed Brownies'. I just hope there are no prunes. Orange and chocolate can't be bad, but I'm not too sure about those Folgers flavor crystals the recipe calls for.

Analysis

This recipe sounded great until I got to the part about the instant coffee. It brought back memories of cold Minnesota mornings and Dad making his cup of Folgers from the jar and of nasty weak coffee. Besides this was one ingredient I didn't have in the house and wasn't even sure they made any more.

This recipe sure had a lot of orange in it. Orange Liquer, orange juice, and grated orange rind. Because grating 2 Tablespoons of orange rind was enough to put me over the edge, I decided to create the Orange Mocha Brownie Martini to get me through the rest of the recipe. That part turned out really well.

The recipe was quite simple. The Oranges, sugar, butter and coffee went into a pot to cook. My fire was too hot and the coffee crystals too close to the edge, so they ended up a tiny bit scorched. The hot molten mixture went into a bowl over the chocolate to melt it (a small amount of the chocolate mixture went around the rim of the martini glass).

Eggs were added and then the flour, which was a snap, thanks to these AWESOME bowls from my sister for Christmas. The PourPerfect, especially designed for use with the Kitchen Aid. No more banging the measuring cups on the top of the mixer and having half of the flour end up on the counter. Chopped nuts (ugh!) went in last. It all went into a floured and greased pan (double ugh!) to cook at 325 for 40 minutes (10 minutes longer than called for, must be the air bake pan)

We will have to see how they taste, but the batter was delicious!

Modifications

None needed. I had everything and after the Martini, I didn't care.

Improvements

It was suggested to leave out the orange juice. It made it too orangy.

My Rating - scale of 1-10

These were YUMMY!!!! Great texture, chewy, moist, awesome flavor. These rival the Trippple Chocolate Brownies made in Week 3. I would definitely make these again.

Posted by jamm at 09:15 AM | Comments (3)

Week 8: Peppermint Brownies

John just couldn't let the holidays go. Let's see if these bring some holiday cheer.

Analysis

Unfortunately, these weren't much to write home about. And peeling the candy canes just made the whole thing too much effort. At least the recipe was simple. Basic brownie with chopped candy canes and nuts. I discovered that the chopper (since repaired with electrical tape) works wonders on candy canes. I was not looking forward to the bash-em-with-a-rolling-pin-in-a-baggie method. Its always messy.

Modifications

Butter was used instead of shortening. It's just to gross to think about it all melted.

Improvements

Get rid of the candy canes, add peppermint extract.

My Rating - scale of 1-10

I didn't like these. The peppermint was too subtle and confusing to the taste buds. I'm not making these again.

Posted by jamm at 09:14 AM | Comments (2)