Zucchini Brownies

Swoon.  These are delicious.  Most delicious.

This recipe will not use up a ton of zucchini.  But it will be one of the BEST ways to use your zucchini.  Melt in your mouth goodness!  My kids gobbled them up.  And, at 170 calories, a piece, I had a few of them too.

Zucchini Brownies
Original recipe can be found here, at King Arthur Flour.  They have some nice tips to share.  I am not paid to say this but this is my favorite flour to use.
Yield 16 brownies.

8 ounces zucchini (about one 8" zucchini, trimmed, cut into chunks or 1 1/2 cups pushed down)
3 tablespoons butter, melted
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, Dutch-process cocoa preferred
1/2 teaspoon espresso powder, optional; for enhanced chocolate flavor
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
heaping 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour or King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour
3/4 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips

Frosting
3/4 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup heavy cream or 3 tablespoons milk

My chocolate (it was frozen) did not melt all the way that is why there are those little bumps.

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9" square pan.

In a food processor process the zucchini with the butter until it is smooth.  Add in the eggs and vanilla next. Add the sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, salt, and flour; process briefly, just until well combined.

Pour into the prepared pan and sprinkle the chips evenly over top.

Bake the brownies for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs clinging to it; you shouldn't see any sign of wet batter. 

Cool on wire rack completely before frosting them.

frosting: Heat milk or cream in microwave and pour into chocolate chips to melt them.  If there are any unmelted portions, heat the mixture briefly in the microwave.

Spread the frosting on the brownies. Let set.
Yield: 16 brownies.

Mint Frosted Brownies

Mint frosting on brownies?  What?  Oh so delicious.  I sure am glad these brownies left the house.  I would not be able to help myself.
Brownies
Note:  I don't know what I was thinking and added a little too much cocoa powder, like a teaspoon.  It tasted too strong of coffee.  Oops, don't make that mistake.  1/2 teaspoon is what you want.  Unless of course, you are frosting it with coffee icing. Then, go for it.

3/4 cup (170 grams) unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
3 ounces (90 grams) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 cups (300 grams) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder (optional)
1/2 cup (40 grams) cocoa powder
1/2 cup (70 grams) all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease an 8-inch square pan. Line the pan with parchment paper so that a couple inches hang over the edge. I sometimes use a 9 inch- an 8 inch pan will yield higher brownies.  

Place the butter in a medium saucepan and melt over medium-high heat. Allow the butter to cook until the milk solids bubble up and then settle into the pan and caramelize. Swirl the butter in the pan in order to see the color of the little bits on the bottom. As soon as the milk solids are golden and the butter smells nutty, about 3 to 5 minutes, remove the pan from the heat.

Add the chopped chocolate to the browned butter and let stand for 1 minute to melt and then whisk together. Pour it into the sugar and and vanilla while the butter mixture is still warm. Whisk in the eggs, salt, and espresso powder until completely incorporated. 

Directly over the bowl with the chocolate mixture, sift in the cocoa powder and flour. Fold the ingredients together until just combined using a spatula.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  

Mint Frosting
This is one of those recipes where you have to go by feel.  Too much liquid and you will have a soupy mess.

1 stick (4 ounces) butter
1 brick (8 ounces) cream cheese
1/4 cup creme de menthe, starting with a tablespoon at a time
3 cup plus confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon peppermint extract

Cream butter and cream cheese, add in some confectioners sugar. Beat.  Add in creme de menthe.  More confectioners sugar.  Add in extract.  Add confectioners sugar until you get the desired consistency.

Best Fudgy Brownies Ever

I think this is the BEST brownie I have ever made! These brownies are fudgy, rich and chocolaty.  They are not overly sweet- just right! They were our Valentine's treat. They disappeared like, poof!

Best Fudgy Brownies

Makes 16 brownies

3/4 cup or 6 ounces unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup unbleached flour

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease an 9-inch square pan. Line the pan with parchment paper so that a couple inches hang over the edge. 

 

Place the butter in a medium saucepan and melt over medium-high heat. Allow the butter to cook until the milk solids bubble up and then settle into the pan and caramelize. Swirl the butter in the pan in order to see the color of the little bits on the bottom. As soon as the milk solids are golden and the butter smells nutty, about 3 to 5 minutes, remove the pan from the heat.

 

Add the chopped chocolate to the browned butter and let stand for 1 minute to melt and then whisk together. Pour it into the sugar and and vanilla while the butter mixture is still warm. Whisk in the eggs, salt, and espresso powder until completely incorporated. 

 

Directly over the bowl with the chocolate mixture, sift in the cocoa powder and flour. Fold the ingredients together until just combined using a spatula.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  

 

Iced Fudgey Brownies

I am always looking for simple ingredients to make simple desserts that taste really fantastic.  I dont know how many brownie recipes are on my blog, four maybe five.  The one called Best Brownies I really love but it only makes an 8 x 8 pan.  Ooops, sorry I just realized I have not posted that yet because they disappear before I get a chance to photograph them. Sometimes you want something bigger.  This is the big size brownies.  Perfect for taking somewhere.  That is exactly what I did with these I took them to my quilters meeting with fresh strawberries punctuating them on the tray.

If you are a cakey brownie lover these are not the brownies for you.  If you like fudgey, well, these are the ones!

Lunchroom Lady Iced Fudgey Brownies

1 cup butter

1/2 cup cocoa

2 cup flour

2 cup sugar

4 eggs

4 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350F.  Beat the butter and sugar until lemony. Add in eggs one at a time, beating until completely blended.  Add in vanilla and salt and finally flour and cocoa powder.

Pour into a greased 9×13 pan.  Bake 20-25 mins.

Frost and serve.  Frosting recipe below.

Icing

1/2 cup softened butter

2 tablespoons half and half but milk is fine

1/3 cup cocoa

3 cups powdered or confectioners sugar

dash salt

Beat all of the ingredients together until light and creamy. Frost as desired.