Transition into Fall Baking

Fall baking is my favorite time of the season. Whether it’s the plethora of pumpkin flowing in the grocery store aisles, or the weekend adventures to orchards to whip up an apple treat, fall baking is just the best. Truth be told, I sort of loathe baking in the summer, because my apartment gets way too hot. But in the fall, it’s just the right amount of warmth to mix in the window breeze. Although Chicago’s weather has not transitioned over to fall weather (no complaints here), I started crafting recipes that would aide the changeover from summer baking to fall baking.

It begins with these salted brownie cookies.

If you’re an avid follower of Gilly’s you will know that I absolutely love two desserts: chocolate chip cookies and brownies. Out of all the treats I can skillfully craft, I stick with the classics. Last week, I whipped up brownies and so it seemed natural that the cookie craving would approach. It was Sunday and I was deeply involved with Season 3 of Breaking Bad. Upon the cliffhangers and me screaming at the television, I wanted some chocolate. Researching recipes, I wanted a circular shaped dessert that was easy to bake. I will say some of this craving was inspired from Cupcake Jemma's YouTube page. Brownie cookies equated to the perfect Sunday bake, and proved to be a fantastic recipe to transition into fall.

What makes these crownies (brownie + cookie) so good? They’re simple! You know exactly what they will taste like. The flavor is soft and fudgy, and the best part is they bake on the thinner side so you can have 7 without anyone noticing.

After research, I found the recipe from Jen's Favorite Cookies. All the ingredients needed are often found in anyone’s pantry. To begin using a double boiler, melt the chocolate chips and butter until smooth.

In the bowl of the stand mixer, mix the eggs and sugar. I used the method Cupcake Jemma mentioned in her YouTube video. Using the whisk attachment, mix the eggs and sugar on a medium speed for 5 minutes until it’s light and volume rises in size. Next add the melted chocolate and mix on a low speed.

Finally add the rest of the ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, vanilla, salt and baking powder. Mix on a low speed until incorporated. Since the mixture was watery, I placed my blend in the fridge for 30 minutes. I should mention that I excluded white chocolate chips because I did not have any.

After 30 minutes, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Drop spoonfuls on the sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Let the cookies rest for 5 minutes and move to a wire-baking sheet. I topped my crownies with some sea salt and it was amazing.

Try out these treats and get ready for fall baking!

Brownie Cookies

recipe from Jen's Favorite Cookies

Ingredients:

• ½ cup butter, cut into chunks
• 1 bag (10 - 12 oz.) semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup + 2 T. sugar
• 2 T. cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. baking powder
• ¾ cup flour
• ½ cup white chocolate chips 

Instructions:

1. Over a double boiler, melt butter and chocolate chips together, stirring until completely melted and smooth.
2. Meanwhile, mix together eggs, cocoa powder, and sugar, beating 3-4 minutes on high.
3. Add melted chocolate to egg mixture, and mix well.
4. Add vanilla, salt, and baking powder, and mix. Add flour and mix just until combined.
5. Fold in white chocolate chips.
6. Drop spoonfuls onto a baking sheet, and bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes.

Caramel Stuffed Brownies

I have a love affair with caramel. There is absolutely nothing wrong with it. It’s soft, it’s chewy, and it pairs with chocolate, or salt (two of my other favorite things). Back in the day when I worked in a candy store, the caramel shelf was my favorite to package. I loved the uniform shape and when the caramel was freshly made, it was hard not to sneak the whole tray into my car and drive off into the sunset. Caramel evokes insane reactions on my part. This weekend, I was dog watching for my professor and she said the best words I could ever hear, “I have some extra caramel…do you want it?”

The hallelujah chorus in my head went off as I tried to keep cool. I thought about Netflix and me in bed pounding back caramel, pure bliss. I responded calmly and said, “oh sure if you don’t want it.” I got a tupperware full and I was a happy girl.

The thing that excites me about caramel is that it fits with any dessert. You can have it as a sauce for a tart, a frosting for a cake, or swirl it in really anything. As my favorite season of fall baking approaches, caramel becomes a staple in ensure a comforting flavor. While I wanted to eat the caramel in its true form, I decided against it and decided to make…caramel stuffed brownies.

This idea actually derived from my professor. When she gave me the caramel she mentioned heating it up and swirling it into brownies. I was sold. However, since the move, I have yet to invest in a microwave, because are they really necessary? In this case, yes it would have been helpful, but I went with the traditional stovetop melt.

The recipe I stumbled on was from Show Me the Yummy. Flourless salted caramel brownies. Sold. As much as I love a traditional brownie, I have grown to crave the flourless structure. Using cornstarch instead of flour provides the brownie with the structure it needs, but makes the center feel much fudgier in my opinion. Overall, the taste seems softer.

To begin, I started by melting the chocolate, butter and espresso powder. It is important to keep an eye on this mixture, because if you’re like me and get distracted, it may burn. Luckily, I ran back just in time, but yes, chocolate melting requires the utmost attention.

Next in a large bowl, mix the brown sugar, eggs and vanilla until mixed thoroughly. Then add the cooled chocolate mixture. Finally add the cocoa powder, cornstarch and salt and mix until together. On Show me the Yummy, they suggest pouring half the brownie batter into the pan and baking for 10 minutes. Personally, I dumped the whole batter in and baked for 10 minutes. I then melted the caramel in the pan and poured it directly onto the hot batter. Smother with chocolate chips and bake for around 25 minutes at 350 degrees.

The consensuses of these brownies are that they are amazing. They are soft, chewy, and stuffed with caramel. What more does a dessert need? Add these brownies to your baking list and enjoy!

Flourless Salted Caramel Brownies
recipe from Show Me the Yummy

Ingredients

For the Brownies:

• 6 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 8 oz semi sweet chocolate chips (about 1 cup)
• 1 tablespoon instant coffee or espresso granules 
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• ¼ teaspoon salt 

For the Caramel head over to Show Me the Yummy

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Prepare an 8x8 baking pan by lining it with parchment paper.
3. Set a small saucepan over low heat and add in butter, chocolate chips, and coffee granules.
4. Stir until the butter and chocolate have fully melted. Allow to set and cool slightly.
5. Using a stand mixer beat together eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract for 2 minutes.
6. Add melted chocolate mixture and mix thoroughly.
7. With the mixer on low, add cocoa powder, cornstarch, and salt, mixing until well combined. Scrape down the bowl.
8. Pour half of the batter into prepared pan, spreading it evenly with a greased spatula. Bake for 10 mins minutes or until top has just set in the center.
9. Evenly pour caramel over the brownies.
10. Top with remaining brownie batter.
11. Sprinkle the top with sweet chocolate chips.
12. Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until center is set.
13. Cover with foil and place in fridge for at least 2 hours, or until the brownies are completely cold.