Easy Brownies

Easy  Brownies

Easy  Brownies

Brownies with Coconut-Pecan Filling

1/4 cup baking cocoa
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Coconut-Pecan Filling
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg yolk, beaten
3/4 cup coconut
3/4 cup chopped pecans

method

Make coconut-pecan filling by combining sugar, evaporated milk, 1/4 cup butter, vanilla and egg yolk in saucepan. Blend well. Cook over medium heat until thickened, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in coconut and pecans. Cool to room temperature.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease heart-shaped muffin tins.
Sift cocoa, flour and salt into a bowl. Set aside. Cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs and vanilla. Blend well. Add sifted dry ingredients and mix just until they disappear into the batter. Spoon brownie batter into prepared cupcake tins, filling 1/3 of the way to top. Flatten a heaping tablespoon of cooled coconut-pecan filling and layer over brownie batter. Cover completely with more brownie batter, filling just about to the top of each cup. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until done. Allow to cool slightly in pan. Remove brownies and cool completely on wire rack.
Frost with your favorite chocolate frosting or make a rich chocolate topping by melting 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate morsels with 3 tablespoon butter in a saucepan over low heat. Stir until chocolate is melted. Allow to cool slightly. Spoon over brownies. It will get firm at room temperature.

Note:

If you’d rather not frost the brownies, just dust with powdered sugar and nestle a scoop of premium ice cream over the top at serving time.

Simple Glazed chocolate cake recipe

Simple Glazed chocolate cake recipe

Simple Glazed chocolate cake recipe

Simple chocolate cake recipe

Ingredients

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for pan
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for whipped cream (optional)
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup heavy cream (optional)

Chocolate shavings, for garnish (optional)

Chocolate Ganache Glaze

Ingredients

4 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

 

1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions

 

Place chocolate in a medium bowl. In a saucepan, bring cream to a boil. Pour over chocolate; whisk until smooth. Let cool until thick yet pourable, 2 to 3 minutes.

 

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch-round cake pan; line bottom with a round of waxed or parchment paper. Butter paper; dust bottom and sides of pan with cocoa, tapping out excess.

Sift together cocoa, flour, baking powder, and salt. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each and scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the sour cream and beginning and ending with the flour.

Spread batter in prepared pan. Tap pan firmly on countertop once to eliminate large air bubbles. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in pan, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely (bottom-side up). Set rack with cake over a rimmed baking sheet. Pour glaze over cake, letting it run over sides; spread gently with an offset spatula or table knife to coat. Let set, about 30 minutes.

If desired, whip cream and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Serve cake with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

Cook's Note

Dusting the pan with cocoa powder (rather than flour) keeps the cake dark on the outside. To make chocolate shavings, scrape along the edge of a bar of chocolate with a vegetable peeler.

Recipe source from http://www.marthastewart.com/338484/glazed-chocolate-cake-recipe