Right … so it was one in the morning and we were up, mindlessly watching the latest episode of NCIS. I wasn’t even paying attention through most of it. because I was trawling for news about the missing Malaysian plane MH370. Such a tragedy and such a discomforting mystery surrounding its disappearance. Everyone back home is abuzz with speculation, and the ensuing media frenzy hasn’t helped to shed any more light on the subject. Suddenly R. gets up from the couch and starts to rummage in the kitchen for food. He couldn’t find any so he turns to me and asks for baked goods instead. *groan* I’m like, are you serious?? He reminds me I have to bake something for the Bake Club Challenge anyway so I should simply get down to it despite the time. He even goes so far as to tidy up the kitchen and loads the dishwasher for me to score brownie points. In the end I relented and we made this brownie recipe together.
March’s three recipe options are brownies, a peach shortcake and healthy muesli bars. Only one thing appealed to me so brownies it was then. The original recipe called for nuts but I am no fan of nuts. I don’t even like them in my chocolate chip cookies. Ever bought Famous Amos cookies? Oh man, I loooooove those and ever since I was a little girl I would only buy the no-nut variety. To this day I have no idea what the other cookies taste like.
For the recipe I wanted to do something a little different … something that did not alter the original recipe too much, yet would still make quite a difference in flavour. So this Oreo bottomed brownie idea was born. I don’t think it is a terribly original idea, but hey, it worked a treat. Plus it was super easy to put together, I even let R. do more than just measure out the ingredients. He banged out the cookies to make them into crumbs. I forced him to do it on the carpeted bit of the floor coz I didn’t think our nextdoor neighbour would appreciate the sound of a rolling pin banging on the kitchen counter at half-past one in the morning. Then R. melted the butter and sugars together in the microwave and he even got to pack down the cookie crumbs into the base of the baking dish. Baking brownies isn’t a delicate process so I think he was happy to have been able to contribute without the risk if ruining something.
Oreo Bottomed Brownies.
2 pkts Oreo cookies
100 g melted butter
140 g unsalted butter
200 g cooking chocolate
200g light muscovado sugar*
2 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
2 eggs + 1 yolk
85 g plain flour
sifted cocoa for dusting
Crush the cookies and mix them with the melted butter. Then pack them firmly on the bottom of a baking dish. The dish or tin you use will need to be lined with parchment paper with some overhang at the sides for easy removal once the cake is baked. Chill the biscuit base in the fridge to set up the butter.
Next place all your wet ingredients into a heat proof bowl: butter, sugar, chocolate and vanilla extract. Microwave for a minute, remove and stir. Then return to the microwave for 30-second intervals until everything has melted. It’s okay if you still have some granules of sugar as these would bake out later.
Stir these melted ingredients to cool it down, then add the eggs one at a time, mixing it thoroughly.
Now sift in the flour and salt to form the batter. Pour this chocolate mixture over the cookie base and bake at 160°C for 40 mins. After the time has elapsed remove the brownie from the baking dish and leave it to cool in the wire rack. Cut into squares, dust with cocoa and serve.
By the time these babies hit the oven it was 2 a.m and our house smelled like Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory; the smell was divine. When they came out of the oven R. wanted to pounce on them immediately and I had to practically swat him back. I prefer my brownies at room temperature, when they have had a time to harden up just a bit and get that classic crunch to the top. He, on the other hand, can’t be bothered what temperature the cake is … he just wants to stuff his face. So I cut him a piece then went to bed, leaving STRICT instructions that there be no brownie theft while I was in bed ~ I needed to have brownies to photograph in the morning.
Mmmm … these were so delish … well, obviuosly. I never met a brownie I didn’t like (except the ones with nuts and peanut butter) and these really hit the spot. Right now they are sitting on the dining table and I can smell them from where I am sitting. They are rich enough that no ice cream is required as accompaniment. In fact, I think I will help myself to a slice, and I shall leave it at that. We’ll see if I get any prizes this month. Stay tuned till the end of the month, folks.
~ Enjoy! ~
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