Forum Thermomix

Thermomix Recipes for TM5 and TM31 => Desserts => Topic started by: natslim on February 09, 2010, 06:05:38 am

Title: Best Cocoa Brownies - adapted from a recipe by Alice Medrich
Post by: natslim on February 09, 2010, 06:05:38 am
Name of Recipe: Best Cocoa Brownies - adapted for Thermomix from a recipe by Alice Medrich
These are my favorite brownies. They are fudge-like and dense and full of rich chocolate flavor. Thanks to all the forum members for helping me convert this recipe!

Number of People: Makes 16 to 25 brownies

Ingredients:
- 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter (145 g butter)
- 280 grams sugar
- 85 grams unsweetened cocoa
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cold large eggs
- 60 grams all-purpose flour
- Special equipment: An 8-inch square baking pan (20cm x 20cm)

Preparation:
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F/160˚C. Line the bottom and sides of the baking pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides.

Cube butter and add to the TM bowl along with the sugar. Heat butter/sugar mixture at 50˚C/5 min/Speed 2. Add cocoa and salt to the bowl and mix 10 seconds/Speed 3. Scrape down the sides of the TM bowl. Mix an additional 5-10 seconds/Speed 3 until cocoa is incorporated. Mixture will be very thick and look somewhat gritty.

Add the vanilla to the TM bowl. With the blades running at Speed 3, add the eggs one at a time through the hole in the TM lid for a total of 30-45 seconds. Batter should look shiny and well-blended. Add the flour and mix 30 sec/Speed 3. Insert the spatula and turn in a counterclockwise direction to help incorporate it. The batter will be very thick. Use TM spatula to spread batter evenly in the lined pan.

Bake until a toothpick plunged into the center emerges slightly moist with batter, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack.

Lift up the ends of the parchment or foil liner, and transfer the brownies to a cutting board. Cut into 16 or 25 squares.

Photos: coming!

Member's comments
Amanda - I used a good quality Dutch cocoa and they are rich and gorgeous and deserving of a place as a formal dessert with a berry coulis and some good cream!!
Because of the density of the batter, I didn't use the butterfly.
I melted the butter, added the sugar, cocoa and salt  Speed 4/30 seconds.
Added vanilla and eggs, then flour, then baked them.
\Am now going to gaze adoringly at what is left of the
The batter is very thick! You may need to unscrew the blades and let them fall out with the batter like you do with bread dough.
It is easiest to cut the brownies with a plastic knife.

Leej - Well, I had to try them. I have a tried and tested cocoa brownie recipe we use weekly.
And this was amazing... My brownies are more cakey, this was fudgy gorgeous goodness!
Thank you so much for telling me about the home-brand cocoa!! I got some, it is amazing! So different to the cadbury one! I know what I'll be buying from now on. Thanks so much for the recipe.
Title: Re: Best Cocoa Brownies - adapted from a recipe by Alice Medrich
Post by: cookie1 on February 09, 2010, 12:00:50 pm
Brownies are so moorish. I'm glad you got it all to work for you.
Title: Re: Best Cocoa Brownies - adapted from a recipe by Alice Medrich
Post by: Amanda on February 10, 2010, 01:18:34 am
I am so keen to try these, but it is just too hot to put the oven on here!
I'll just have to be patient!
Title: Re: Best Cocoa Brownies - adapted from a recipe by Alice Medrich
Post by: trudy on February 10, 2010, 01:37:11 am
These sound great!!  Can't wait to try!!
Title: Re: Best Cocoa Brownies - adapted from a recipe by Alice Medrich
Post by: Thermomixer on February 10, 2010, 08:04:58 am
Thanks - glad you sorted it out
Title: Re: Best Cocoa Brownies - adapted from a recipe by Alice Medrich
Post by: Meagan on February 10, 2010, 09:04:27 am
These are on my list  ;D watch out hips  :o
Title: Re: Best Cocoa Brownies - adapted from a recipe by Alice Medrich
Post by: Amanda on February 11, 2010, 06:45:05 am
I have just put these in the oven.  the batter is rich, dark and full of sin!! :D :D
Title: Re: Best Cocoa Brownies - adapted from a recipe by Alice Medrich
Post by: Amanda on February 11, 2010, 07:17:36 am
I used a good quality Dutch cocoa and they are rich and gorgeous and deserving of a place as a formal dessert with a berry couli and some good cream!!

Because of the density of the batter, I didn't use the butterfly.
I melted the butter, added the sugar, cocoa and salt  Speed 4/30 seconds.
Added vanilla and eggs, then flour, then baked them.

Am now going to gaze adoringly at what is left of them.
Thanks!
Title: Re: Best Cocoa Brownies - adapted from a recipe by Alice Medrich
Post by: natslim on February 15, 2010, 04:27:42 pm
So glad you liked these, Amanda. I made these brownies again last night and tried it without the butterfly. Much better and much easier to get out of the bowl. I will revise the original recipe. Thanks!
Title: Re: Best Cocoa Brownies - adapted from a recipe by Alice Medrich
Post by: tonydav on May 01, 2010, 11:46:19 am
I used a good quality Dutch cocoa and they are rich and gorgeous and deserving of a place as a formal dessert with a berry couli and some good cream!!

Hi Amanda, where did you buy your dutch cocoa?  I've looked everywhere around here, googled it, requested info from Better Homes & Gardens (the interestingly named "Fast Ed" uses it all the time) - all to no avail.

Thanks,
tony
Title: Re: Best Cocoa Brownies - adapted from a recipe by Alice Medrich
Post by: AmandaN on May 02, 2010, 01:02:43 am
I am another Amanda, and I am not sure where you are.......

I got my Dutch processed cocoa from Dijon Foods, as they are local to me.   www.dijonfoods.com

Title: Re: Best Cocoa Brownies - adapted from a recipe by Alice Medrich
Post by: tonydav on May 02, 2010, 03:03:41 am
Hi Amanda,

Thanks for that. I work at Norwest a couple of days a week so the Castle Hill store isn't far away.

cheers,
tony
Title: Re: Best Cocoa Brownies - adapted from a recipe by Alice Medrich
Post by: meganjane on May 02, 2010, 04:09:17 am
I'm pretty sure that Woolies Home Brand Cocoa is dutched. It comes from Germany and is very dark brown, nothing like my regular Cadburys Cocoa.
Title: Re: Best Cocoa Brownies - adapted from a recipe by Alice Medrich
Post by: Very Happy Jan on May 03, 2010, 03:48:59 pm
I'm pretty sure that Woolies Home Brand Cocoa is dutched. It comes from Germany and is very dark brown, nothing like my regular Cadburys Cocoa.
have you used the woolies home brand MJ?
Title: Re: Best Cocoa Brownies - adapted from a recipe by Alice Medrich
Post by: Meagan on November 28, 2010, 12:02:40 pm
I use woolies home brand it is really dark in colour.
Title: Re: Best Cocoa Brownies - adapted from a recipe by Alice Medrich
Post by: meganjane on November 28, 2010, 02:49:23 pm
Yes, the Woolies Home Brand Cocoa is now the only one I use! It's truly lovely - dark and rich.
Title: Re: Best Cocoa Brownies - adapted from a recipe by Alice Medrich
Post by: cookie1 on December 01, 2010, 12:46:40 am
I've always used Cadburys. I'll try the Woolies one.
Title: Re: Best Cocoa Brownies - adapted from a recipe by Alice Medrich
Post by: Very Happy Jan on December 01, 2010, 04:27:25 am
I've always used Cadburys. I'll try the Woolies one.
So do I. Left over influence from my mother. I'll try woolies brand next time as well.
Title: Re: Best Cocoa Brownies - adapted from a recipe by Alice Medrich
Post by: Wonder on December 01, 2010, 04:29:01 am
I find woolies/safeway home brand much better than cadbury's - very dark and much richer flavour and half the price.
Title: Re: Best Cocoa Brownies - adapted from a recipe by Alice Medrich
Post by: Meagan on December 01, 2010, 03:24:52 pm
Plus cadburys has 'flavour' listed in the ingredients, which is why we switched in the first place. Quite often you need less of the woolies brand than stated in the recipe, I find. Especially with custard.
Title: Re: Best Cocoa Brownies - adapted from a recipe by Alice Medrich
Post by: andiesenji on December 01, 2010, 07:23:12 pm
I would like to add one helpful hint for the best way to "cut" brownies.

Remove the brownies and liner from the pan and place on a cooling rack.

Take a length of dental floss sufficient so you can get a good grip on each end - I wind the ends around a couple of corks
then cut down through the brownies with the floss, first one direction and then the other.

No knife will give you as clean a cut.  I've been doing this for many years and it works well on any gooey item - homemade caramels, for instance and I always use this method for a super clean cut when I make lakhoum or Turkish delight. 
Title: Re: Best Cocoa Brownies - adapted from a recipe by Alice Medrich
Post by: Cornish Cream on December 01, 2010, 09:03:40 pm
Thanks for the very useful tip Andie.
Title: Re: Best Cocoa Brownies - adapted from a recipe by Alice Medrich
Post by: CreamPuff63 on December 02, 2010, 03:27:48 am
when I make lakhoum or Turkish delight. 

oh andie can you post us a recipe for Turkish Delight? If you are able to convert to TM all the better, but would love to have a go at making this. A local shop sells a beautiful one that is a really pretty rosey pink and has pistachios in it.
Title: Re: Best Cocoa Brownies - adapted from a recipe by Alice Medrich
Post by: LeeJ on December 06, 2010, 10:24:09 am
Well, I had to try them.

I have a tried and tested cocoa brownie recipe we use weekly  :o

And this was amazing... My brownies are more cakey, this was fudgy gorgeous goodness!

Thank you so much for telling me about the homebrand cocoa!! I got some, it is amazing! So different to the cadbury one! I knwo what I'll be buying from now on.

Thanks so much for the recipe.
Title: Re: Best Cocoa Brownies - adapted from a recipe by Alice Medrich
Post by: Very Happy Jan on December 06, 2010, 10:30:53 am
Went to Woolies today and looked for their cocoa but all my local store had was Nestle. Will have to try another store.
Title: Re: Best Cocoa Brownies - adapted from a recipe by Alice Medrich
Post by: Meagan on December 06, 2010, 10:57:29 am
They have it at the vic park centro woolies Jan
Title: Re: Best Cocoa Brownies - adapted from a recipe by Alice Medrich
Post by: LeeJ on December 06, 2010, 11:12:08 am
(http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/tommo787/SDC13174.jpg)

oh, here is a pic!
Title: Re: Best Cocoa Brownies - adapted from a recipe by Alice Medrich
Post by: Very Happy Jan on December 06, 2010, 02:34:18 pm
They have it at the vic park centro woolies Jan
Thanks Meagan.
Title: Re: Best Cocoa Brownies - adapted from a recipe by Alice Medrich
Post by: cookie1 on December 08, 2010, 12:44:14 am
Oh yum.  I saw a lovely plan for a dessert treat the other day. It was a brownie as a base, with icecream on top (you choose the flavour), with pashmak on that and then a berry couli around it. I think it would look lovely and be ever so easy to make. I thought I would try it with a berry icecream and couli.