Hello Recipe Club,

For The King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion, the bakers at King Arthur identified what they believe are the "Nine Essential Cookies": brownies, chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal cookies, molasses-ginger cookies, sugar cookies, decorated cookies, peanut butter cookies, shortbread and biscotti. Each cookie is given full consideration from an essential recipe to expanded versions that reflect different tastes, textures and ingredients. The King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion also includes chapters on drop cookies, roll-out cookies, shaped cookies, batter cookies, no-bake cookies and bars and squares. From traditional Fudgy Brownies and Roll-Out Sugar Cookies to novel bites like Ossi da Morto (Bones of the Dead), Cat's Tongues, Faux-Reos and Birds' Nests, The King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion provides home bakers everything they need to delight family and friends.

Today is a special day for me because I love brownies and that is the topic the King Arthur Bakers will be covering! Read on.

Signature Secrets ® Culinary Thickener thickens instantly - hot or cold, no lumps, no added taste, freeze/thaw stable. Now available online.

On-The-Fence Brownies

Fudgy, cakey, fudgy, cakey… can't make up your mind? These brownies combine the best of both worlds: the fudge brownie's ultra-moist texture, and the nice rise of a cake brownie.

Makes two dozen 2-inch brownies

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks, 8 ounces) unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups (16 ounces) sugar
1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) Dutch-process cocoa
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups (6 1/4 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup (4 ounces) chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
1 cup (6 ounces) chocolate chips (optional)

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl, or in a saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter, then add the sugar and stir to combine. Return the mixture to the heat (or microwave) briefly, just until it's hot (about 110°F to 120°F), but not bubbling; it'll become shiny looking as you stir it. 

Heating this mixture a second time will dissolve more of the sugar, which will yield a shiny top crust on your brownies.

Stir in the cocoa, salt, baking powder and vanilla. Whisk in the eggs, stirring until smooth, then add the flour and optional nuts and chips, again stirring until smooth. Spoon the batter into a lightly greased 9 x 13-inch pan.

Bake the brownies in a preheated 350°F oven for 28 to 30 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. The brownies should feel set on the edges and in the center. Remove them from the oven, and cool on a rack before cutting and serving.

Baking time: 28 to 30 minutes

Foodservice Rewards Buy a Case. Earn a bundle! Reap rewards for Nestlé, Schwan, P&G, Hormel, Campbell and many others. It's FREE and as easy as 1-2-3!

Raspberry Truffle Brownies

Chocolate and fruit flavors are sometimes difficult to pair, other times, they're a match made in heaven (think chocolate-apricot Sachertorte). This is one of those times.

Makes two dozen 2-inch brownies

Ingredients:

Brownies:

1 recipe On-the-Fence Brownies (recipe above)
1 teaspoon raspberry flavor

Raspberry Truffle Glaze:

1/4 cup (3 ounces) raspberry jam
3/4 cup (4 1/2 ounces) chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
2 tablespoons (1 1/4 ounces) light corn syrup
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) butter
1/2 teaspoon raspberry flavor (optional)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

To make the brownies: Bake the On-The-Fence brownie recipe, adding 1 teaspoon raspberry flavor to the batter before baking. Bake the brownies  for 28 to 30 minutes. Allow the brownies to cool for 30 minutes before spreading with the glaze.

To make the glaze: Combine all of the ingredients and cook over low heat, or in the microwave, until the chocolate and butter are melted. Stir until smooth, then spread over the cooled bars. 

Cool for several hours before cutting the brownies with a knife that you've run under hot water, to prevent sticking.

Catalina Offshore Products Taste Seafood as It Was Meant to Be! Half the Price, Twice as Fresh! High Quality Fish and Shellfish, Including Sushi/Sashimi Grade Seafood.

Cheesecake Swirl Brownies

The creamy swirl of cheesecake in these brownies makes them a lovely-looking choice for a dessert buffet.

Makes two dozen 2-inch brownies

Ingredients:

Brownies:

1 recipe On-the-Fence Brownies (recipe above)

Cream cheese swirl:

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounces) sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
1/4 cup (2 ounces) heavy cream or sour cream
2 large eggs

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Prepare the brownie batter. Beat the cream cheese until no lumps remain, add the sugar and extracts, blending until smooth. Stir in the cream and eggs, mixing until everything is well combined.

Spread three-quarters of the brownie batter into a lightly greased 9 x 13-inch pan. Spoon the cheesecake batter over the brownie batter, smoothing it out. Drop the remaining brownie batter by tablespoonfuls atop the cheesecake. 

Draw a dull knife through the top third of the batter, gently swirling it to make a nice design. Bake as directed in the On-The-Fence Brownie recipe, adding 5 to 10 minutes to the baking time.

When the brownies are done, the top should be set, and the edges puffy, they'll have much the same look as a fully baked cheesecake. Remove the brownies from the oven and cool them on a rack. Chill till you're ready to serve them and refrigerate any leftovers.