Thank you to all who helped me with carrot cake! (post 334) Now I have a chocolate bar question...

J

joe

Well-known member
(I still have a couple carrot cakes to try, but so far the Silver Palate is winning)

In addition to carrot cake, I want to serve lemon bars and a chocolate bar of some sort. I usually make White Chocolate-Coconut Cream Bars (Favorites) but the coconut would be redundant with the carrot cake. Brownies with nuts would also be redundant, and I think a little dull.

This is a 60th BD party for a guy who still surfs, and I've promised that nothing will be froofy or formal, so there go truffles and petit-fours. I'm thinking of doing my favorite Queen of Sheba in a jelly roll pan and cutting it into squares, but I'm afraid it would just fall apart.

Does anyone have a decadent chocolate knock 'em dead bar-type dessert that's fancier than a brownie but not too fussy? Thanks!

 
We've done this to death, but you can't get much more non-fussy and down-home chocolatey

goodness from the oreo truffles. I know they're not the bars you're looking for, but they might be a nice shape difference from the lemon bars and carrot cake.

 
A dressed-up brownie? Knock em' Nakeds with drizzled white chocolate and caramel on top, maybe?

The Knock em naked brownie recipe is in the faves. I'm sure you know it but just in case, it's two brownie layers with a caramel center. Very yummy.

 
I dress brownies up all the time to take places.....

And have EVEN used a mix in a pinch! I like to add chocolate covered caramel cups (frozen and chopped) to the batter, add nuts (or no nuts) then topped cooled brownie with more but finer chopped caramel cups and top with a mocha glaze made of espresso, chocolate, powdered sugar and a little butter then I scatter whatever nuts I used on top.

People rave over these whether they're made with your best recipe or a mix (can't really tell the difference with the gooey caramel/choc) and they are great! I don't really have a recipe I just use whatever brownie I'm in the mood for and wing the rest.

Fabulous!

 
Another dressed-up brownie idea...

I rarely eat at chain restaurants, but a few years ago I had this at Carrabba's Italian Grill, and it was great:
Sogno di Cioccolata “Chocolate Dream” -
A rich fudge brownie brushed with Kahlua, crowned with chocolate mousse, whipped cream, and chocolate sauce

 
Joe, I made the carrot cake from Food tv this weekend, called Gigi's Carrot Cake, (Emeril's show)It

is delicious!

 
I dress my maiden aunt up all the time to take places, too, but.....

i don't think that basic black and a single string of pearls would do much for brownies.

 
REC: Oreo Truffles Joe, Deb in MI originally posted these over

at Gail's and I've done them, to raves, a few times. I never use the white chocolate drizzle, as indicated in the recipe at the link. BUT, I think you could successfully add some liqueur of your choice (mine would be Frangelica or Amaretto) and then roll in the appropriate crushed nuts.
YUM, yum.... BTW, I serve them in pretty little cupcake papers.
http://www.recipezaar.com/87967

 
Joe, Rec: Bay Area Brownies (with Cacao Nibs & Altoids)

OK, first, I must say that I haven't tried these yet but several things caught my attention... First, the name (I live in the San Francisco Bay Area), second the cacao nibs, and then the Altoids!

Bay Area Brownies
by David Lebovitz

Makes 1 8-inch pan of brownies

The Brownies
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla or chocolate extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup walnuts or pecans, toasted and chopped
optional: 1/3 cup ScharffenBerger cocoa nibs

The Ganache Icing
2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup heavy cream

Oven rack at center, preheat oven to 325F. Butter an 8-inch square brownie pan.

In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and the chocolate, stirring often. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar, then the eggs and the vanilla.

Mix in the flour, nuts, cocoa nibs, if using. Transfer the batter into the pan, smooth the top, and bake for 25 minutes.

Cool the brownies completely in the pan on a wire rack.

Once cool, warm the heavy cream with the bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, stirring until smooth. Let cool briefly, until spreadable.

Ice the brownies with the ganache either while still in the pan, or remove from the pan and spread the top with ganache. Cut into squares.

Variation: Crush one 50 gr tin of Altoid mints and add them along with the nuts for minted brownies.

Adapted from The Great Book of Chocolate (Ten Speed) by David Lebovitz
http://www.davidlebovitz.com

http://www.davidlebovitz.com

 
Joe: these are amazingly good: Raspberry Cheescake brownies

RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE BROWNIES

For brownie batter
4 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup all-purpose flour

For cheesecake topping
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour


1 1/2 cups raspberries
1 tablespoon sugar

confectioners' sugar for sprinkling brownies if desired

Preheat the oven to 350°F. and butter and flour a 13- by 9-inch baking pan.

Make brownie bar:
In a metal bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water melt chocolates with butter, stirring, and cool. Whisk in sugar and eggs, 1 at a time, and whisk in vanilla and salt. Whisk in flour until just combined and spread batter evenly in prepared pan.

Make cheesecake topping:
In a bowl with an electric mixer cream together cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy and beat in lemon juice, egg, vanilla, and salt. Beat in flour and spread mixture in an even layer over batter.

Scatter raspberries over topping and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake brownies in middle of oven 35 to 40 minutes, or until top is puffed and pale golden and a tester comes out with crumbs adhering to it. Cool brownies completely in pan on a rack and chill, covered, at least 6 hours or overnight.

Cut brownies into bars and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.

Serve brownies cold or at room temperature.

Makes about 24 brownies.
Gourmet
May 1994


p.s. This is freshly copied from Epicurious.

 
THANK YOU everyone. These are great suggestions. I'm going to start

with the Knock 'em Nakeds and the oreo truffles (without pretty paper cups, Moyn. I have to pass this off as a manly dessert, lol!). It seems these are longtime swappers' favorites. Lots of good ideas for dressing up brownies. This is just what I was looking for!

 
My friend is a pastry chef and just discovered Better Than Brad Pitt Brownies (m)

Now I know BTBP is a big statement, but she swears these live up to their name! In fact, she just put them on her menu at the restaurant.

When compared to my favorite recipe, she said the BTBP brownies are really fudgy and without a detectable crumb. She uses nuts, but I love using cacao nibs instead.

The recipe is posted on her blog...click on the link.

http://phatduck.blogspot.com/2006/02/i-heart-brad.html

 
REC: Fudge brownies with a layer a cream cheese filling and topped with ganache

These are always a huge hit and look very elegant, especially when cut.

Package of your fav. brownie mix

Cream Cheese layer:
1 (8 oz) package of Philly Cream Cheese
1 egg
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Ganache layer:
8 oz. heavy whipping cream
12 oz. semi-sweet choc. chips

Make the brownies as the package directs. Pour into pan. Make cream cheese layer and pour on top. Do not swirl around (the layer is going to be covered anyway) - just spread to the sides for the greatest hit of flavour when done. Bake in 350 oven.

Meanwhile, simmer and stirthe whipping cream and choc. chips until the chocolate is totally melted, combined, and smooth.

As soon as the brownies come out of oven (do not overbake) pour the chocolate ganache on top (important to keeping the brownies moist and fudgey) and the put into fridge until set.

Enjoy,
Deb in MI

 
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