Tuesday, August 12, 2008

{TWD} [rewind] Quintuple, no, Sextuple Chocolate Brownies!


This week’s Tuesdays with Dorie challenge, chosen by Dolores of Chronicles in Culinary Curiosity is Blueberry-Sour Cream Ice Cream, on page 434 of Baking From My Home to Yours. Those without an ice cream maker could choose to make a “rewind” of any of the previous challenges.

I looked around in the house, but the ice cream maker we received as a wedding present 27 years ago appears to be long gone!* If you want to see how the ice cream turned out, check out the blogroll of TWD Bakers.

I had fun choosing which of the completed recipes to bake for my "rewind". Dorie’s Quintuple Chocolate Brownie recipe was the second challenge for TWD, back in January when there were just 3 members! I’ve wanted to make these ever since seeing the picture on page 98. My chocolate-allergic husband was out of town, so I could bake them without guilt. My plan was to bring them, together with the Black and White Banana Loaf, to our book group meeting last Thursday.


The recipe is posted here. The best part: I had all of the ingredients right in the house. All five kinds of chocolate! (cocoa, unsweetened, bitter/semisweet, milk, and white) Well, most of the chocolate I had on hand was pretty pedestrian. The only milk chocolate I had was some Hershey’s Kisses, which I chopped into chunks. But at least I didn't need to go to the store!

The brownies came together really well. Smooth as silk. I love my chocolate DARK, so I opted for bittersweet rather than semisweet chocolate in the batter (along with the cocoa and the unsweetened chocolate).


But five kinds of chocolate isn’t enough for me! So I slightly reduced the amount of the milk chocolate chunks, and added chopped semisweet chunks.

Some of the people in our book group don’t like nuts in baked goods, so I made half of the batter without nuts and tossed in even more semisweet chocolate chunks on that half. For the half with nuts, I used salted cashews per Dorie’s suggestion.


The brownies cooked very fast - in fact I may have over-cooked them by a few minutes - and they looked great coming out of the oven. Just beautiful.

A little voice told me to leave off the white chocolate glaze. Boy, do I wish I’d listened! But I decided to soldier on with the recipe just as Dorie wrote it.

So: I boiled the cream, poured over the chopped white chocolate. Stirred then spread over the brownies. Hmm, mine seemed a bit thin. And not very much of it. Dorie’s picture looked so thick and, well, thick. I stuck it in the fridge for the prescribed 30 minutes. The glaze was still very runny. Then it hit me: The recipe called for 6 ounces of white chocolate but I only used 3. Drat.

I carefully spooned off the runny glaze, then sopped it up with paper towels. Called to change the time of my dinner reservations. Sopped some more.

Luckily, Whole Foods was two doors down from the restaurant, so after dinner I stopped in and picked up some Callebaut white chocolate. If I was going to re-do the glaze, it would be with good ingredients!

After chopping the chocolate (6 ounces this time), boiling more cream, and melting, I spread the glaze and somehow managed to get the brownies back into the pan in one big piece, to be cut the next day for my meeting.


The Verdict:
These brownies were simply the BEST! Out-of-this-world delicious. The flavor of all the chocolates really was amazing – very deep and dark (I'm glad I used the bittersweet chocolate. Also, I used quite a bit of coffee). I liked the nuts, and the glaze smoothed and melded the various chocolate and coffee tastes. Everyone at the meeting loved the brownies; they were happy to divide up the leftovers of brownies and marble loaf.

I think the next time I make these - and there WILL be a next time - here's what I'll do:
  • Use an 8x8in pan to get thicker brownies.
  • Check for done-ness sooner.
  • Skip the glaze and see how they taste.
  • Keep the semisweet chips.
  • Use high quality for all of the various chocolates.
I can’t imagine how fabulous the brownies would be then!

[*I was cleaning the garage yesterday, and found my ice cream maker! So now I will look forward to making the blueberry ice cream as a future rewind...]

32 comments:

Jules Someone said...

Looks delicious! I'd skip the white chocolate simply because it's not really chocolate.

Marie Rayner said...

Ohhh, your brownies look fabulous! I wasn't in the group when they did this recipe. I will have to keep it in mind when we have another chance to do a re-wind! Well done you!

Teanna DiMicco said...

Those brownies look out of control good. I have to make them!

Katrina said...

Those look divine! Igreat job on the rewind.

Melissa said...

Ooooh... that white chocolate glaze looks to die for. Great choice for the rewind!

CB said...

Mmmm brownies! I wasn't a member when TWD made these so they are definitely on my future rewind list. Yours looks delish! Great job!
Clara @ iheartfood4thought

marae said...

omg can you send me the tips on how you found your ice cream maker?! mine is still missing. and i love the TWD brownies, when we did these, the taste was really amazing. i think i also used another chocolate, why stop at just a few?

NKP said...

Those brownies look sinfully good. Extra points for using sextuple and chocolate in one lusty sentence!

Eleganza Strings/ The DeLadurantey Family said...

Yum! Anything chocolate~

Pamela said...

This is one recipe I have been dying to try! They look amazing. I'm trying to find an occasion to make them for. I think they'd be too dangerous to keep around the house!

Cristine said...

WOW! I think I may have to rewind to thus ASAP! Great job!

Anne said...

Great choice! I love that recipe and it looks like you made some wonderful additions.

Kayte said...

Isn't it fun to come upon a recipe that is "the best!" I just love that feeling. Your brownies look very nice...you did a great job.

I giggled at the comment you left for me about your blender giving up the ghost...I keep secretly hoping mine will, too, and I can justify getting a brand new model...but this thing just keeps going and going and going...LOL!
www.grandmaskitchentable.typepad.com

Peggy said...

Wow - you amaze me. Those look so delicious. I'm hungry - can you pass one through to me? :)

hoagiefest 2020 said...

Hot diggity dog! These look terrific! I've got my heart set on making all of the TWD recipes, but now I want to go back and do all the flashbacks too!

Dolores said...

Ah, a brownie in a sea of blueberry. Glad you enjoyed them. They're on my "soon" list too (since I wasn't one of the three).

Di said...

This brownie recipe is one of the handful that were made before I joined. I'm looking forward to making them at some point, but just haven't had a chance yet. Yours look delicious!

Anonymous said...

oh... you made THESE... I also did them a couple of months ago and I love 'em with all my heart! So amazing and rich and delicious and such a beautiful contrast of color... Great pics :)

Kelly said...

Ooooooh wow... I don't like chocolate desserts, but I adore white chocolate. I'd be all over these.

Jenny said...

Mmmm, I'd take brownies over ice cream any day! Yours look great! Really enjoy your blog!

Mari said...

Your brownies look fabulous! I missed out these too, but I think that would be a bit too much chocolate for me. However, I'm sure my DBF and his colleagues would thoroughly appreciate it if I did a rewind of these!

Beryl said...

OMG those look so good! I'm amazed that you had all five kinds of chocolate in your house- I can't resist it when its just sitting there in my pantry. What self control!

Bumblebutton said...

You made them look so delicious and sound so good I may not even wait for a rewind opportunity to whip these up! Yum!

Ellyn said...

These look and sound wonderful! The next time we can do a 'rewind' the brownies will be my choice! I've enjoyed your other posts as well and may have to try your guac some time!

Jacque said...

Wow, you did a fabulous job and your writeup... I felt like I was right there making brownies alongside you. :)

Anonymous said...

I love your banner for your blog :) that is so cute. The brownies looks awesome. I really need to try to make those sometime. Congrats on finding your ice cream maker :)

Shirlie said...

I agree, I love your banner, what a great picture! The brownies look awesome and your write-up makes me want to try them as soon as possible. Great job!

Sherry Trifle - Lovely Cats said...

Your Quintuple Chocolate Brownies look delicious. I made them as a re-wind a few weeks ago - they are quite decadent aren't they!

Carla said...

I haven't baked these brownies since I joined after they were selected, but now I know when my next chocolate craving attacks to bake these! And yay for finding your ice cream maker!

Anonymous said...

Nice job on the brownies! I made them a while back and they were really sweet! Lots of chocolate! nom nom nom!

Jaime said...

i've been wanting to try these brownies too! thanks for the tips.

Nickki said...

I made these last night! They are amazing brownies. A keeper recipe!