September 23, 2007

Brownies Are the Answer to Everything


Sugar High Friday #35 is being hosted this month by Ivonne of Cream Puffs in Venice, and she chose figs as the theme. I wasn’t sure what to do with figs as I’d only ever bought them once before. Consequently, after buying some for SHF, they sat on my counter until it got to the point where they had to be used immediately. But I still didn’t know what to do with them. So I chopped up the figs and threw them in a pot to simmer. I added a little sugar and cooked them until they looked like jam. But I still didn’t know what to do with them. So I added some balsamic vinegar and cooked the mixture little longer. I tasted it and decided I was happy with the flavour, removed the figgy jam from the stove and let it sit while I tried to figure out what to do with it. My Dorie book was sitting close by so I flipped through the pages trying to figure out what recipe could benefit from the addition of figs. Brownies. Tribute to Katherine Hepburn Brownies. Brilynn’s Remixed Tribute to Katherine Hepburn Brownies with Figs. Done.


Tribute to Katharine Hepburn Brownies (From Baking From My Home to Yours)


Prep time: 10 minutes
Bake time: 25-30 minutes
Cooling time: at least 30 minutes
Makes: 16 squares


Ingredients:
¼ cup all purpose flour
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
1 stick (8 tbsp) unsalted butter cut into 8 pieces
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp finely ground instant espresso (the book called for coffee, but….)
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup, coarsely chopped pecans
4 oz/112 g bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped


Directions:
1. Place the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325°F/170°C.
2. Butter an 8”x8” square ovenproof cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Butter the paper and dust with flour. Tap out excess.
3. Whisk the flour, cinnamon and salt together.
4. Melt the butter in a heavy bottomed medium saucepan over low heat. When the butter starts to melt sift the cocoa over it and add the instant espresso. Stir and continue to cook until it’s all well blended (a couple of minutes). Remove from heat and cool for 3 minutes or so.
5. Using a whisk or rubber spatula, beat the eggs into the saucepan one at a time. Next, stir in the sugar and vanilla – be gentle when adding – don’t beat too vigorously – you don’t want to add air to the batter. Add the dry ingredients, nuts and chopped chocolate. Scrape the batter into the pan.
6. Bake for 30 minutes, at which point the brownies will still be gooey but the top will have a dry papery crust. Transfer the pan to a rack and let the brownies cool for at least 30 minutes.
7. Turn the brownies out onto a rack, peel away the paper and invert onto a cutting board. Cool completely before cutting them into squares.


**For my figgy remix, cook figs as above, and then when scraping batter into the pan add a layer of the fig jam and top with the remaining batter.


To see some other bloggers who have made these fantastic brownies, click here, here, or here.


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29 comments:

Peabody said...

Excellent use of your figs!

Becky said...

figs are seriously one of my favorite things in the world, and i can't imagine a better addition to brownies. i will totally be making this soon before figs go out of season.

Anonymous said...

Katherine Hepburn is a very lucky woman.

Anyone who would have these creative brownies named for them is lucky.

I love the fig jam that you made, too. You're so clever!

Thanks for taking part in SHF #35!

K and S said...

actually, anything chocolate are the answer for me :) this looks wonderful!

Anita said...

What a great remix of the recipe, Brilynn. They look so moist and delicious!

Anonymous said...

Great idea with the figs, Bril. Love the brownies!

Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) said...

Inspired way to use your figs! Brownies really are the answer to everything!

Cynthia said...

Beautiful Brownies, Brilynn.

Mallow said...

I bet those are good!

janelle said...

Hehe, that always happens to me with figs! Great idea, and way to just keep venturing forward until something came of it!

Alpineberry Mary said...

When I first saw the title of your post I said to myself "I thought Bri's answer to everything was Dorie?". Turns out she is the answer! :) These chocolate brownies sound so chic with the figs and balsamic.

SteamyKitchen said...

Brownies are indeed the answer to everything! even world peace!

Helene said...

Excellent! Fis and chocolate...and in brownies! Great entry.

Gattina Cheung said...

Your brownies look very fudge... the kind I like! I used to only like the one from pre-mix (oh, plus Mrs Field's), but yours has convinced me home-made also great, I will try one of the recipes later. Thanks!

Maggie said...

Wonderful hip-hugging brownies! The instant espresso is fabulous.

T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types said...

You have created the only answer one would ever need! Figs and chocolate - out of this world!

Anonymous said...

so true, they are the answer to everything. mmm adn these look like the answere to my particular situation this very minute. lovely B as usual :)

Anonymous said...

Brownies take the cake! You are so creative.
It has been forever since I have done a SHF or any event for that matter. I miss my blog and my friends blogs!

Kelly-Jane said...

Really inspired Brilynn, well done, looking like some killer brownies!

The Baker & The Curry Maker said...

Oo these look delish! well done!

Mercedes said...

I'm a fig fanatic, so I'd be a fool for those...

Annie said...

I could go for figs and brownies- sounds good to me!!

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

What a creative and delicious way to present your figs Brilynn! A always have room for a brownie after a lovely meal!!!!

Anonymous said...

Brilliant! What clever ideas :) First fig jam, which already sounds heavenly...then in brownies? What a wouldn't do for a private jet right now...to whisk me to your place so I could beg for some of those brownies!

eatme_delicious said...

Excellent creation. I would definitely want to try those brownies!

Anne said...

The brownies looks super yummy!

Annemarie said...

I agree, brownies *ARE* the answer to everything. Strangely, I've been baking my brownies w/cinnamon and espresso for years; who knew I was partially channeling the spirit of Katherine Hepburn...

Rose said...

I love these brownies! The hint of cinnamon is so nice in them and I bet the figs just topped them off nicely! Thanks for the idea!

Anonymous said...

I made these brownies last week (without the figs, unfortunately I'm allergic to them), and my husband's exact words were "these brownies kick butt!" My answer was "I know! They probably make your butt bigger too!"

They were delicious, and gone very quick. Now I'll just have to make more!