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Can You Make Brownies From Cake Mix Recipe - Yahoo Recipe Search
YummlyRich and chocolatey brownies are the perfect dessert for celebrating any event or special occasion — or for no reason at all! This delicious brownie recipe is unique for a few reasons. It's made with cocoa powder and melted dark chocolate, resulting in a melt-in-your-mouth texture combined with delectable flavor. It also has a hint of orange zest which is an ideal pairing for the dark melted chocolate. On top of the added citrus flavor, the chopped walnuts give these homemade brownies a satisfying bit of crunch. These brownies are for true chocolate lovers looking for a new flavor experience. ## The History Of Brownies There are several interesting stories revolving around the mysterious arrival of the brownie. One features a chef who accidentally added chocolate to biscuit dough. Another tells the story of a baker who was making a cake but didn't have enough flour, so he ended up with a brownie-esque dessert. The most popular legend might be one that is listed in "Betty Crocker's Baking Classics" and John Mariani's "The Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink." Both publications tell the story of a housewife in Bangor, Maine, who forgot to add the baking powder to a chocolate cake she was making. The cake didn't rise well, but she chose to cut the dessert into squares and served it anyway. Thus, the brownie was introduced in the U.S. and has remained a classic dessert for many years. The first time a homemade brownie recipe was published was in the early in the 20th century, supposedly by Fanny Farmer. In 1905, she refined her own chocolate cookie recipe to create a bar-shaped dessert by baking it in a rectangular pan. We may never know who intentionally or accidentally created the first chocolate brownie, but we are certainly glad it has stuck around. ## Recipe Variations This recipe is egg-heavy, so it's not going to be as cakey as a brownie mix from a box, rather, this recipe is on the fudgy brownie end of the spectrum, but like most good brownie recipes, this recipe comes with plenty of room for variations. _Nuts:_ If walnuts aren't your thing, try using chopped pecans, peanuts, or almonds. _Flavorings:_ If you don't want to use the orange zest, you can leave it out, add a teaspoon vanilla extract, or put the zest of another fruit of your preference in its place. _Different Chocolate:_ Feel free to experiment with different types of chocolate. Try regular milk chocolate, white chocolate chips, or a combination of different types. _Embellishments:_ You can skip the last drizzle of chocolate and top your chocolate brownie with ice cream or whipped cream instead if you want a sit-down dessert experience instead of a portable dessert experience. Trying new recipes is part of the fun, so be creative and create your own masterpiece!Food and WinePut down that box of store-bought mix—the perfect pan of fudgy, gooey, intensely chocolate brownies is just a few steps away. Of course, being drenched in buttery salted caramel sauce doesn’t hurt, but it’s what’s going on inside these brownies that makes all the difference.First, I start with melted chocolate in the batter which makes a moist and gooey brownie. (Recipes that rely on cocoa powder yield a more cake-like brownie.) I like to use unsweetened chocolate because it makes it easier to control the amount of sugar in the recipe overall. Sugar is important in brownies not just for sweetness—the just-right amount of sugar also affects the texture, making a softer and more tender chocolate treat.Another key reason these brownies are dense instead of cake-like is that there are no chemical leaveners (i.e. baking powder), just eggs. Here’s a tip: if you want an even fudgier brownie, replace one of the eggs with two egg yolks. Regardless of how many eggs you use, be sure that the melted chocolate isn’t too hot when you add it to the whisked eggs and sugar so that you don’t scramble the eggs. You want the chocolate just warm enough to dissolve the sugar.Use the best chocolate you can since it’s the main ingredient. I like to splurge on good-quality bars such as Ghirardelli and chop them myself; chocolate chips are often coated with ingredients to keep them from sticking together, which can affect the finished texture of the brownies. The hefty amount of vanilla (a whole tablespoon!) intensifies the flavor of the chocolate.For the richest flavor, cook the caramel until it’s deep amber in color. The corn syrup in the caramel actually helps to keep the caramel from burning too quickly as it cooks. The dark caramel adds a more complex layer of sweetness, and the salt balances everything so that the caramel doesn’t overpower the brownies.Take care not to overbake these brownies; it’s OK if a few moist crumbs cling to the toothpick when you test them for doneness. In the recipe, I counsel you to let these guys cool completely before drenching them with caramel sauce, but I’m definitely guilty of cutting them while they’re still warm and covering them in caramel sauce. Trust me—they’re just as delicious, and pulling this trick out of your hat for eager guests is a move they won’t soon forget.Food.comLongmeadow Farm is trying something new. I feel inspired to make a nice warm treat, one that is a little less caloric but still captures that down on the farm taste. This recipe was adapted from a blog "Culinary Adventures" and since I had some canned pumpkin in the old pantry, I considered, and pondered and thought what the heck! After all, I don't need to be looking like one of our beautiful cows, "Flossy" as she is about ready to calve. And besides, it would be nice to fit into a smaller size overalls for the farm chores. Please note, my oven bakes these in exactly 15 minutes. I also have a pizza stone that stays put in the oven all the time, and radiates the heat a bit more. However; you may have to adjust baking times up or down depending on the accuracy of your oven. Most people are stating the 18 minute mark. I use the toothpick method of sticking it in the middle of the muffin to check for doneness. If it comes out clean, then your in business. Also note: I make these now for my vegan son, using a cake mix that is only soy and wheat based and a special dark chocolate that does not contain any dairy or eggs as well. For fun and frolic, I give em' a boost of sprinkled powdered sugar on the top.
