Monday, May 9, 2011

Browniepalooza Day 1 - Palm Beach Brownies


It's Browniepalooza this week at Lethally Delicious. I'll have five different brownies for you to try, so plan to stop back every day to see what treat is in store. My favorite brownie will be on Friday. Hmm...wonder what it could be???

Palm Beach Brownies are from a Maida Heater recipe. I first learned of this recipe when my Twitter buddies were making Nick Malgieri's Florida Brownies from Bake! I didn't have Bake! so I looked for the recipe online. I didn't find it, but I did find the recipe it was based on, Maida Heater's Palm Beach Brownies.

This recipe uses unsweetened chocolate and a LOT of sugar, but it yields a brownie that is fall apart fudgy when warm but is transformed to a dense fudgy brownie when chilled. We liked the crunchy outer shell that encased the fudgy middle. This one had many fans (especially lovers of milk chocolate), but it was too sweet and not chocolaty enough for me so I forged on in my search for the quintessential brownie.

Palm Beach Brownies (adapted from Flora's Recipe Hideout, originally from Maida Heater)
Printer friendly recipe

8 ounces unsweetened chocolate
2 sticks unsalted butter
5 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
3 3/4 cups sugar
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

Adjust an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a 9x13" pan with parchment paper. Melt the chocolate and butter in heat proof bowl set over a saucepan with an inch or so of simmering water, stirring occasionally. When combined, remove from heat and set aside.

In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the eggs and the vanilla extract, salt, expresso powder and sugar at high speed for 10 minutes. On low speed, add the chocolate mixture and beat only until combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer and pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, turning the pan halfway through to insure even baking. When done the cake will have a firm crust but will appear underbaked when tested with a toothpick.

Remove the pan from the oven and cool completely on a rack. Remove the brownies from the pan and remove the parchment. Wrap well and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight before cutting into bars. Makes 32 brownies.

9 comments:

natalia said...

Leslie ! i'm on a diet and you brownize the blog !!! I'm sure I'll keep all your recipes this one sounds divine ! Baci

Joy said...

Those are adorable brownies! I love Maida Heatter, and I've tried a bunch of her brownies (the Santa Fe are amazing!), but I've not tried these yet. Yours really do look too cute :)

Unknown said...

I've had my eye on these since I bought Bake! and I really need to try them soon. I love your perfect chocolatey squares!

Mary said...

I just made these...I did the MH recipe with the peppermint patties in the middle and toasted walnuts....they were good...very fudgey. Continue on in your search for the perfect brownie...I will be reading and drooling! I leave for Paris in a few days and am bringing your email printouts...merci again for your helpful advice.

Pamela said...

Browniepalooza week?!? Oh, boy! I had better grab some napkins, because my mouth is already watering. Can't wait to see what's up next.

Unknown said...

Brownie week?? Yes, please! These actually sound like the perfect brownies for me, I love milk chocolate and super sweet things :)

Di said...

Ooh, I like the sound of Browniepalooza! I can't wait to see what else you come up with. =)

Anonymous said...

I'd rather have intense chocolate flavor than a really sweet brownie. These look awfully good in the photo though! Plus, I'm glad they're not peach - when I first read your title I thought it said Peach Brownies!

Chats the Comfy Cook said...

I am going to follow your search for the very best brownie. What fun this will be.