Abs Favorite Recipes

Archive for the ‘Brownies’ Category

Yes they taste as good as they look.  I have been having fun looking at other food/recipe blogs to get some ideas for my blog. In my search I came across this recipe and knew I had to try it. It was my week to make snack for Sunday School today so I thought it would be the perfect time to make it( you know you got a good recipe when you walk into the room and the first thing someone asks is who make the brownies). I was right everyone seemed to like them.

Source: My Kitchen Cafe A great recipe blog check it out!

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 sticks butter, softened
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Line dish with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on both long sides, then spray parchment.

Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl.

In another bowl, cream butter and granulated sugar with a mixer until smooth. Add 2 eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla, and beat until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl. Reduce speed to low; add flour mixture. Increase speed to medium; beat until incorporated.

Reserve 1 cup of dough; cover, and refrigerate. Press remaining dough into bottom of prepared dish. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Bake until base is set and edges are puffed(the middle will not be fully cooked), 22-25 minutes (don’t overbake or this brownie layer will be too hard and crumbly). Let cool in dish on a wire rack.

Mix cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, and remaining egg and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla in a medium bowl. Spread over cooled base; crumble reserved dough on top.

Bake until filling is set, 25 to 30 minutes.

Let cool in dish on wire rack, then lift out using overhang. Cut into 24 squares. Squares will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 3 days.

The only thing I will add to this recipe is to refrigerate before serving. Letting it cool down helps to set the cheesecake and adds to the flavor. I know I have not posted a lot of desserts yet. Mainly because if I bake it well I eat it(which my middle does not need) and time. I had a blast being in the kitchen all morning yesterday( I made some zucchini bread as well). My husband was great and kept the kids busy while I baked. This recipe did take a little more time because it needed to set in the refrigerator for 30 minutes but I used that time to get the zucchini bread going.  I definitely need to do more baking I will just send most of it with my husband and let the college students eat it.

Some baking tips:

1. If a recipe says to bake for 25 minutes set your timer for 20. Cookies,brownies and cakes can over cook and dry out very easily and its better to check them then to have a dried out cake.
2. Look over a recipe carefully. Baking soda and baking powder are different. I have made the mistake of forgetting one of these or using the wrong one and it ruined the recipe.