Chocolate-Crusted Banana Blondies

Adapted from nytimes.com/cooking

You’ll probably get tired of me saying that I get asked to make desserts when there are any get-togethers with family friends. But it’s true! I found this recipe in the cooking section of The New York Times. I am very well known for my famous blondies but I was intrigued by the idea of “banana blondies.” However, what surprised me about this recipe was that it uses a lot of butter and has no chocolate chips. Still good and I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2½ sticks unsalted butter (1 ¼ cups)
• 200 grams chocolate wafer cookies (to make about 3 cups of crumbs)
• 55 grams light brown sugar (about ¼ cup)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• 2 large eggs
• 455 grams dark brown sugar (about 2½ cups)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 130 grams all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375F (190C).
2. Melt 1 stick of butter in the microwave. Process the chocolate wafer cookies in the bowl of a food processor to make fine crumbs. Add the light brown sugar and melted butter. Process until the mixture is the consistency of damp sand.
3. Dump the mixture into a 9×13-inch baking pan and press it into an even layer.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for about 7 to 10 minutes or until the surface is firm. Remove the pan and set aside.
5. Reduce the oven heat to 350F (177C).
6. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 12 tablespoons of butter and let it cook until the foam subsides and the butter turns a deep nut brown (about 5 minutes). Let cool.
7. In a large bowl, whisk together the bananas, eggs, dark brown sugar and vanilla. Whisk in the brown butter.
8. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
9. Fold the flour mixture into the banana-butter batter.
10. Pour the mixture over the prepared crust and spread evenly.
11. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 55 minutes or until the top is firm and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs attached but not wet. Cool completely before cutting.

Comments: The taste of theses blondies is very interesting. At first, you just feel the rich flavor of the cooked butter but then you can taste the banana. I love it when you can actually taste the banana in baked banana goods. I was lucky enough to find Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers. However, I know chocolate wafer cookies aren’t the easiest thing to find. If you don’t find any, you can always use Oreos instead since we are making a crumb crust. Remember to remove the cream filling before processing the Oreos though. The original recipe included 80 grams (1/2 cup) of chopped toasted walnuts; I omitted them because I’m not a fan of walnuts but feel free to do as you wish.

Brownies de Blanca Cotta

Adapted and Translated from La cocina divertida de Blanca Cotta by Blanca Cotta

No joke, these are my absolute FAVORITE brownies. These bring back memories from way back in my childhood. I suppose you could say they are more “European-style” brownies. They are very rich and fudgy on the inside and have a crackly surface. They are superb. I apologize to any Americans reading this but I was a bit disappointed when I came to the U.S. and tasted the American brownies. Even the ones that are supposedly “fudgy” have nothing on these. Don’t take my word for it; try them out!

Ingredients:

• 200g (7 oz.) butter
• 2 cups white sugar
• 300g (10.6 oz.) dark chocolate, chopped
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup flour

Directions:

1. Preheat to oven to 350F (177C).
2. Put the butter in a saucepan and place the chocolate on top. Heat over medium heat.
3. Once the chocolate is softened, remove from heat and mix with a wooden spoon until well combined.
4. Beat the eggs and sugar with electric beaters in a bowl until the mixture thickens and the top becomes the bubbly.
5. Add the melted chocolate and continue beating until bubbles form.
6. Gradually add the flour and keep beating until the surface becomes bubbly once more.
7. Pour the mixture into a greased 13×9 inch baking dish.
8. Place in the preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes. When done, the top will crackle. The inside should be moist but a toothpick inserted in the middle should come out clean.
9. Allow to cool before cutting.

Comments: I insist you try these brownies; I really do. I have a few recommendations. You most definitely don’t want to overbake them because they will become very hard. I get a bit nervous myself about whether or not they are ready but you will know when the top begins to crackle, I promise. Psst…if they come out a bit raw, no one will mind the melty deliciousness…They are absolutely amazing straight out of the oven but you will get a gooey mess. If you’re making them for yourself, be my guest to dig in as soon as they are out but if you are sharing with others, wait before cutting. You may add nuts if you wish.

Paleo Zucchini Brownies

 

Adapted from Love of Family and Home

Before I say another Word, OH MY GOD! I think I have found a new favorite for my list of baked goods. These brownies are so delicious. Don’t believe me? Try them! They are literally bites of heaven. I had done zucchini bread before and was intrigued by the idea of making brownies with zucchini. I was also interested in trying something paleo for the first time (all natural ingredients). Seriously, get cooking. They are super moist and the chocolate chips melt in the oven, adding to the moistness and melty consistency of these brownies.

Yield: 16 brownies

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups grated zucchini
• 1 cup almond butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup honey
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp all spice
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder

 

 

 

 

 

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F (177C).
2. Grate the zucchinis using your food processor. I used 1 zucchini but this number may vary depending on the size. When measuring the grated zucchini, make sure to press it down a bit for more accuracy.
3. Transfer the zucchini to a large bowl and mix in the remaining ingredients.
4. Pour the mixture into a greased 9×9 baking dish.
5. Bake for about 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
6. Let cool for a while before cutting and removing from the baking dish.

 

Comments: Theses brownies are really easy and quick to make. I also can’t stress enough that they are really good. We all loved them a lot and I melt every time a bite into one. Make sure to mix really well so that you don’t have clumps of zucchini. If you need a guilt-free reason to eat these, remember that there are veggies in every bite. And no, they don’t taste like zucchini. I really recommend trying them when they are still warm but they are still good when completely cooled. They remain moist for days. Don’t forget your glass of milk!

Look at all that moist deliciousness!