There are brownies, and there are HEAVY DUTY brownies like these. The kind of brownies that discourage driving or operating complicated machinery, immediately afterward. Brownies that make your primary care physician gasp in horror at the blood test results.

Heavy. Duty. Brownies.

Not only intensely decadent and fudgy, these also have a hit of espresso. [Ed. note: WAIT A MINUTE YOU DIDN'T TELL ME THAT BEFOREHAND WHY AM I FLYING DID YOU SEE THAT ROLLER-SKATING ELEPHANT IS THIS MUCH FUN LEGAL]

However the most important aspect of this dessert is the frosting-to-brownie ratio, which you can properly see in the photo below. Am all about the frosting. As far as I'm concerned there can never be enough, and if you're the same these won't disappoint.

You could wait until Halloween to treat yourself to this, but if you make it now I won't tell. (It actually freezes very well, if you want to put some of it away for later.)

All of the usual "healthy" disclaimers, well, yeah. Kind of out the window. But you knew that at the title, right?

Look at that frosting, and check out the chocolate chips in there. [Ed. note: WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE]

The recipe was adapted from Thalia's blog Butter & Brioche. Didn't really change a thing. And I even kept her measurements in grams, as you really want to be extra careful of amounts. If you over-measure the flour, you will have a disappointingly dry brownie. If you're serious about baking, I strongly recommend buying a kitchen scale (have a Oxo digital food scale that kicks ass).

Enjoy!

PS: Because we can't be all sweets all the time, last year's countdown to Halloween included a vegan garam masala carrot soup (www.moveablefeast.me/blog/vegan-garam-masala-carrot-soup).

Adapted from: Butter & Brioche
Number of servings: Makes one 8 x 8" pan 

Ingredients
Brownies

• 85 g all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp espresso powder
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 175 g unsalted butter, cubed
• 300 g granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 75 g dutch processed cocoa powder (make sure to use dutch processed)
• 1 tbsp vanilla bean extract
• 200 g dark chocolate chips (70% cocoa solids were used here, but you could use a chocolate that’s a little lighter in percentage. Do not use milk chocolate. Specifically, I used 100 g of dark chocolate chips and 100 g Callebaut dark chocolate block, chopped into small chunks or small squares.)

Frosting

• 120 g dark chocolate, finely chopped
• 200 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 400 g confectioners’ sugar
• 100 ml heavy cream
• 50 g dutch processed cocoa powder
• 2 tsp espresso powder
• 1 tsp vanilla bean extract
• Flaked salt or fleur de sel, for finishing

Directions
Brownies

1. ​Pre-heat the oven to 350 °F. Grease and line a 8 x 8" square baking pan with non-stick parchment paper. Let the paper slightly overhang the sides.
2. Whisk together the flour, espresso powder, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. Put the butter and sugar into a medium-sized saucepan. Heat over medium-low, whisking often, until the sugar is dissolved and mixture is shiny and smooth. Do not allow it to bubble or foam. If you have a candy thermometer, you can tell it is ready when it registers at 122 °F.
4. While the butter mixture is melting over the stove, whisk the eggs, cocoa and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until it is glossy and flows like lava, about two minutes. Set the mixer speed on medium and slowly stream in the melted butter mixture. Whisk until evenly combined. Pause mixing and sift over the dry ingredients. Again, whisk until just combined.
5. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer. Use a large wooden spoon or rubber spatula to fold in the chocolate chips until evenly incorporated throughout the batter. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan and use an offset palette knife to smooth out the top.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the brownie is firm around the edges and just set in the middle (do not overbake). A wooden skewer inserted into the middle should not come out clean but with a few moist crumbs attached.
7. Remove from the oven and allow the brownie to cool completely in its pan. Once cool, coat the top of the brownie with the salted espresso frosting before sprinkling with salt and serving.

Frosting

1. First, melt down the chocolate. Place chocolate into a medium-sized heat-proof bowl set over a saucepan filled with a few inches of barely simmering water. Do not let the bottom of the bowl touch the water below. Heat over medium-low, stirring often, until melted and smooth. (I microwaved the chocolate in 30 second intervals.) Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
2. Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the beater attachment, beat together butter and sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about four minutes. Set the mixer speed to medium-low and slowly stream in the melted chocolate. Return the speed back to medium and beat until well combined, a further two minutes. Beat in the cream, cocoa, espresso, and vanilla until incorporated. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat for a further minute, or until the frosting is lightened in color, smooth, and aerated.
3. When you’re ready to frost the cooled brownies, use an offset palette knife or the back of a metal spoon to thickly spread the frosting over the top of the brownie. At this point, I like to chill the brownie for about half hour to slightly set the top so it’s easier to cut, but you could serve the brownies straight away. Make sure to sprinkle over a little pinch of flaked salt or fleur de sel, right before serving.

"Chocolate doesn't ask silly questions, chocolate understands."
-author unknown

You don't see too many chocolate desserts in the summer. Usually it's all about summer fruit pies, tarts, crostatas, cobblers, crisps, ice cream, sorbets. Nothing against them, all delicious, but my soul still craves chocolate. So this is an attempt at the best of both worlds. Even the BF loves it and he's not exactly fond of mixing fruit with cake. [Ed. note: As The Offspring once eloquently opined, gotta keep 'em separated. (I'm just kidding, this is really good.)]

​The best part of this dessert is that it's the best hack of the summer.

I make every single meal for my clients and family from scratch. Every day. But once in awhile, especially in the summer heat, it's nice to make things a little easier for the BF and me. Here you can be versatile, feel free to use your favorite boxed brownie mix (Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate Fudge Brownies "Extra Thick and Fudgy" was used here) or a time-tested from-scratch recipe. You can make homemade whipped cream or Cool Whip, I won't tell. Like another berry better than strawberries? Go for it.

For years, I had prepared this dessert with homemade brownies and fresh whipped cream. Then one night a friend came over for an impromptu dinner. I was short on time, knew the guest couldn't eat dairy, and hates coconut milk. So out came the boxed brownie mix (no butter) and Cool Whip (no cream), and it was awesome. She loved it.

It also held up better in the warm weather than homemade and did not wilt or weep in the fridge.  The BF and I had leftovers for a few days and there wasn't a single crumb left.

Hope you enjoy this one over a very Happy Fourth of July! Not only is it our nation's birthday, but it's also our rescue lab Marlowe's fifth. [Ed. note: She doesn't look a day over four.]

And as a final note, it is also a year since I started this blog, the one-year blogaversary, and I want to sincerely thank you for reading. Feel free to reach out to me here, or on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter (links above).

Cheers!

Flashback to blog #1: ​www.moveablefeast.me/blog/crispy-salmon-with-strawberry-salsa

Number of Servings: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 box brownie mix (Duncan Hines Dark Chocoalte Fudge "Extra Thick and Fudgy" Brownie Mix was used here)
• 1 large egg
• ⅓ cup canola oil
• ⅓ cup water
• ½ cup sour cream
• ½ cup prepared whipped cream (homemade or use Cool Whip for a non-dairy option)
• ½ pint strawberries, hulled, halved and quartered

Directions

1. Preheat oven to temperature indicated on the brownie mix box. Lightly butter an 8-inch (20-cm) round cake pan. Cut out a round piece of parchment and place in bottom of pan. Lightly butter top of parchment (I use a pastry brush).
2. Using an electric mixer, combine brownie mix, egg, water, and oil.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake according to the box instructions. I baked mine between 31-33 minutes. Do not overbake. 
4. Let cool completely on a wire rack, then turn out of the pan. Peel off the parchment.
5. Put brownie cake on a serving platter.
6. Fold the sour cream into the whipped cream. Spoon the mixture on top of the brownie cake and top with berries. Alternatively, top with Cool Whip.
7. Slice and serve with additional berries and whipped cream if desired.

Born on the Fourth of July. Happy Fifth Birthday Marlowe!

Family is not an important thing, it's everything.
~Michael J. Fox

Six years ago today, my beloved momala passed away. The best way we have honored her life and kept her memory alive is to embrace our little family and celebrate each other as often as possible. She used to say, "If you don't have something to celebrate, celebrate anyway." [Ed. note: Spinal Tap keyboardist Viv Savage also said it well, "Have a good time. All the time." youtu.be/WrhzX3dRRiI]

Our family recently got a little bigger. My little sister Julie brought the new man in her life, Frank, by for a whirlwind visit, our first time meeting him. Seems there couldn't be a more perfect person for Julie than Frank; they share a love of nature, geology, animals and family. Bonus, he has an encyclopedic knowledge of sports and wine (we were excited to try riesling and pinot noir from his own vineyard), which endears him even more to the BF. [Ed. note: We even coexist with his love for the St. Louis Cardinals and ours for the San Francisco Giants.] We feel like he's been here all along.

Unfortunately I ran out of time and could not make cookies for them to take home, but had I been able, these would have been the choice.

My momala would have adored them as well. Chocolate and orange coupled and a hint of fresh ginger and brownie texture. It would have sent her over the edge.

Dorie Greenspan (this is originally adapted from her book Dorie's Cookies) is an excellent source for all things baking. She mentions that this cookie is best on the day it is made, but I have found it stays fresh, moist and chewy for at least 3 days. So it works well for shipping or gift giving.

Number of servings: about 20 cookies
Adapted from: Saveur (Dec/Jan 2017) and Dorie's Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 ½ teaspoons minced fresh ginger
• ¾ cup plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• Finely grated zest of ½ orange (¼ teaspoon)
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 2 large cold eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt or kosher salt
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼  cup plus 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar, for dredging

Directions 

1. ​In a small bowl, combine the ginger and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, mixing with fingers to coat. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, add the remaining ¾ cup sugar and the orange zest. Mix well.
3. Fill a medium saucepan 1 inch high with water and set a medium heatproof bowl over the top (be sure bowl does not touch water). Add the butter and ¾ of the chocolate to the bowl. Cook, stirring occasionally with a heatproof flexible spatula, until just melted (do not overheat).
4. Remove the bowl and whisk in the sugar-zest mixture; it will be grainy. One by one, add the cold eggs, whisking energetically after adding each, for 1–2 minutes. Whisk in vanilla, salt, and ginger mixture, which will be syrupy. Using a spatula, gently stir in the flour. Add the remaining chocolate, stirring to blend. Place plastic wrap directly against surface of the dough and chill for at least 3 hours or up to overnight.
5. Set a rack in center of the oven and preheat to 350 °F. If you've refrigerated dough overnight, let it sit on the counter for 10 minutes.
6. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Put confectioners' sugar in a bowl.
7. Using a medium cookie scoop (1 ½–2 tablespoons) or spoon, scoop out level amounts of dough and briefly shape into a ball using fingers (do not overwork or cookies will not have craggly tops); drop into the bowl of confectioners' sugar and toss to coat well. Transfer to the first baking sheet. Repeat until you have 10 cookies, leaving at least 2 inches between the cookies. Cover and refrigerate the remaining dough.
8. Bake for 8 minutes. Rotate the sheet, then bake again until the dough has spread and cracked, sides look set, and centers are a little soft, about 4 minutes more.
9. Remove and let cool for 2 minutes, then carefully transfer cookies to a cooling rack. Repeat with remaining dough and second baking sheet. Cookies are best eaten the day they are made.