Brownies are a great way to satisfy a chocolate fix. These dense pastries give a full chocolate taste and can also be complemented by different toppings, frostings and additional flavors. There are different kinds of brownies but most of them start with a good chocolate brownie recipe. A simple brownie recipe can give you a great base to work with if you want to get creative and try something new.  You can check the simple brownie recipe below as a guide and use the different suggestions that follow to make a great brownie dessert.

Ingredients

• ½ cup all purpose flour
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 teaspoons water
• ½ cup butter
• 1 cup fine sugar
• 2 eggs at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350oF. Grease an 8 inch square cake pan.

Sift the flour and cocoa powder into a bowl. In a medium saucepan put the butter, water, and sugar and place over low heat; stir to melt the butter and then remove it from the heat. Beat eggs in a bowl and beat into the butter mixture. Put in the flour mixture and beat until the batter is smooth and shiny.

Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake for 20 minutes in the oven. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes. Slice the brownie with a knife into the desired amount of servings. Serve at room temperature or warm.

Must Have Bakeware: Baker’s Edge Nonstick Edge Brownie Pan

Notes

This simple brownie recipe will yield about a dozen small brownies. Brownies are moist and dense so you do feel the richness of the chocolate with every bite. If you wish to complement your brownies you can add the following:

• Add sweetened cherries to the mix or on top of the brownies
• Make a frosting by melting semisweet chocolate with hot cream and allowing this mixture to cool before spreading over the brownies
• Add chopped nuts for some crunch to the brownies
• Chocolate chips can also be added, white chocolate is suitable as well
• Marshmallow crème can be used to top the brownies, mini marshmallows can also be used

This simple brownie recipe can also be enhanced by warming the brownies first and then serving it with ice cream. Storing the brownies in the refrigerator can lengthen the shelf life for several days.

Enjoy this simple brownie recipe and the many ways you can add to it to make it an even tastier dessert.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 cups peach yogurt
1 ¼ cups of fresh raspberries
1 ½ cups canned pineapple chunks
Handful of chopped pistachio nuts

Instructions:

Arrange the peach yogurt in four small glass dishes. Top with raspberries and pineapples. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios and enjoy immediately.

This chocolate covered coconut candy tastes like almond joy, only without the almonds. They are so easy to make, you can have the kids help you.

Ingredients:

½ cup + 2 Tbs sweetened condensed milk
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 (14-ounce) package sweetened flaked coconut
Chocolate almond bark or milk chocolate chips

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the condensed milk, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Stir well until thoroughly incorporated and smooth.

Add the coconut and stir well to combine.

With a tablespoon, scoop out portions of the candy mixture onto a baking sheet. With wet hands roll the candies into rounds.

Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

After the coconut balls have become firm, it’s time to add the chocolate.

Microwave the almond bark or the milk chocolate chips, stirring every 15 to 20 seconds, until melted. The chocolate chips will burn if you don’t stir them often.

Pour the chocolate into a shallow bowl.

Using 2 forks or toothpicks dip the coconut rounds into the melted chocolate and roll to coat completely. Shake off the excess, and place on baking sheet or rack covered with waxed paper.

Repeat with the remaining candies and let air dry, or refrigerate to harden.

Tip: If you like almonds or any other kind of nut, add them in along with the coconut.

This recipe makes over 2 dozen, depending on the size you roll the candies. Anything you don’t eat can be frozen in freezer bags.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 cup milk
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except the flour. Beat until well blended. Slowly add flour while continuing to mix.  Do not over mix.

In a lightly greased or lined muffin pan, spoon in batter to 2/3 full.

Bake at 350F for 20 minutes or until golden and inserted toothpick comes out clean.  Cool completely

OPTIONAL TOPPING:

1/4 cup butter, cubed
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup pecans, chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

In a small bowl, combine everything. Using a pastry blender or two knives ‘cut’ ingredients to mix until crumbly. Sprinkle over batter before baking.

What can be wrong when you have a dish of hot cobbler and warm cream in front of you? With the availability of frozen fruit, you can make any cobbler anytime you want!

Serves 6

Ingredients:

16 ounces of frozen strawberries, whole or halved
16 ounces of frozen rhubarb
1 cup plus 3 Tablespoons of sugar
6 Tablespoons of unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon of cornstarch
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1 cup of all-purpose flour
1 egg
¼ teaspoon of salt

Directions:

Set the frozen fruit out to thaw. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Coat an 8 inch square baking pan with non-stick spray or grease and lightly flour the pan.

In a large bowl, combine the fruit with 1 cup of sugar, 2 Tablespoons of butter, the cornstarch and vanilla. Blend well. Pour into your prepared baking pan.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, the egg, salt, 3 Tablespoons of sugar and the remaining butter. Mix until crumbly (I like to cut it with 2 knives) and sprinkle over the fruit.

Bake in the pre-heated oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until bubbling and golden brown. Serve warm with evaporated milk or ice cream.