Salted Caramel Broffle Bites

So what is a broffle? Well, ya know brunch? Well this is a broffle. It's a brownie meets waffle love story. Throw some caramel on top and a little kosher salt and we have ourselves the perfect bite sized dessert. 

I can attest that these will travel well once the caramel has set. As I type they are packed in my husband's carry-on flying to Houston, right next to the gougeres. You'd think he's a lucky man, but .....they are for my sister! Luckily for him she has no idea how many broffle bites and gougeres went into that box! He promised to save her a few. We'll see how that goes! 

Salted Caramel Broffle Bites
makes 25 broffles

for the broffles

10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Dutch cocoa
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cold large eggs
Scant 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 

for the salted caramel sauce
1 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt such as Maldon or Fleur de Sel
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

To Make the Broffles:
Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium heatproof skillet, tarte tatin, or 8-inch frying pan. Stir until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth.

Allow to cool slightly. Stir in the vanilla and add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one. When the batter looks thick, shiny, and well blended, add the flour.

Preheat your waffle or mini waffle iron. (I used a mini waffle iron). 

Spray the heated waffle iron with cooking spray. 

Drop tablespoon size dollops onto the waffle iron and close. Cook for 1-2 minutes. 

Carefully removed broffles from waffle iron. 

Allow to cool while you make the salted caramel sauce.

To make the Salted Caramel Sauce

Heat 1 cup sugar in a dry large heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring to heat sugar evenly until it starts to melt. Do not stir after this point, only swirl the skillet occasionally so sugar melts evenly, until it is dark amber.

Add 1 1/4 cups cream (mixture will spatter) and cook, stirring, until all of caramel has dissolved, and the mixture is thoroughly combines. Pass mixture through a fine sieve. Transfer to a bowl and stir in salt and vanilla.

VERY carefully dip the tops of each broffle into the warm salted caramel sauce. Set aside caramel side up. 

Sprinkle with additional if desired. 

Enjoy!


Nutritional Information per 1 Salted Caramel Broffle Bite
Calories:140   Total Fat: 7.2 g  Cholesterol: 35 mg  Sodium 103 mg  Potassium: 14 mg   Total  Carbohydrates: 20.1 g  (Carbs from Sugar: 18.1 g)   Protein: 1 g 

The Brownie

House purchasing is well underway. In just two days, I've filed and scanned every document for my mortgage lender, researched and quoted out my new insurance rates, closed my utility accounts, got a new tenant for my current spot, started packing, and looking into security alarm companies. Busy, busy, busy as ever. With all this comes stress, and with stress comes stress eating, and it's just a short ride on a slippery slope to making copious amounts of brownies. Dark rich brownies that are just a few tablespoons of flour away from being pure fudge. It makes you feel much better when you're staring at a mountain of requested financial statements and cursing adrenaline induced insomnia.

Those brownies are my favorites. When you bake them, you never really feel like they're fully baked, even when they are because they are so dense. I've handed out the recipe before, and those silly caterers burned every batch trying to get it to "bake fully." I wish they would just take an internal temperature and realize those little babies are done when the internal temp is 140 F. but no, they had this definition of a brownie that included a bizarre concept of being like unto cake. Why not just eat cake? This brownie isn't cake. It isn't fudge. It is what it is and that is a brownie. A yummy gooey, cocoa brownie with stress-reducing super powers.

I'm going to head off a comment question about how to put that powdered sugar pattern on the brownies. I know you. You will ask, I will sigh, and feel weird about putting answers in the comments instead of the post. Let's just skip the middle man. That pattern is my cooling rack. Yes, these brownies were set about an half inch under my overturned cooling rack and sprinkled with powdered sugar. It's that simple. Do that right before serving as the moisture will settle into the sugar and look pasty after a while.

I keep the leftovers (when there are some) in the fridge. I allow the pan to sit out for 20 minutes before cutting and then stick the brownie in the microwave for 8 seconds. It's divine, and legitimately just as good as it is fresh out of the oven.

Happy brownie making!

"The Brownie"
adapted from Epicurious

10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Dutch cocoa
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cold large eggs
Scant 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 325 F.

Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium heatproof skillet, tarte tatin, or 8-inch frying pan. Stir until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth.

Allow to cool slightly. Stir in the vanilla and add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one. When the batter looks thick, shiny, and well blended, add the flour.

Place the pan into the oven. If using a pan with a plastic handle, wrap the handle in aluminum foil first. Bake until a toothpick plunged into the center emerges slightly moist with batter, 20 to 25 minutes or until internal temperature is 140 F. Let cool completely on a rack. Cut and serve.

Enjoy!

Brownie Batter Ice Cream

What could be better than putting half your favorite brownie batter into an ice cream? Um. Nothing. Deep rich cocoa flavor of homemade brownie batter added to sweet cream ice cream will fix your ice cream and brownie craving in one shot!

Butch and I have been SUPER busy. For example, we spent lots of time this weekend at Cheesetique, a fabulous cheese shop and restaurant in Alexandria, VA. Why, might you ask? Frankly, if you find that odd, you must be new. We. Love. Cheese.

But there was an ulterior motive in this case: Butchie and I were there to sample some cheeses and pick out a few for our friends' wedding catering that I am doing (with the help of Butchie and two other fabulous sous chefs) FRIDAY! AAH! Honestly, the cheese tasting had to be the best part of this job. Going and spending lots of money that isn't mine on cheese? It may not be every little girl's dream, but I'm perfectly excited about it. All my days should be filled with farmers markets, bakeries, and cheese shops. That would be splendid, and if they were somewhere on the Mediterranean that would be perfect. [Can there be Vespas too? --B.]

Point is, Cheesetique is something we have come to fall in love with. Between artisan cheese, Savannah honey company products, an extensive collection of olive oils and vinegars, and a fridge full of creme fraiche and cultured butter, we were in heaven. [If you go, make sure to try some of the sheep's milk cheeses. They are super good, and a personal favorite. --B.] They also sell Lyon Bakery bread, and if you're in the area, that is worth it...thus I will be making my friend pick up bread for me for the big day on Friday! Woot! Note: they are a Washingtonian 2010 Best restaurant, and a 2009 Best Bargain Meal. Just sayin' you need to drop in if you're in the area.

With all that going on for wedding prep, it's no surprise that we chose a less intensive dessert for our weekly baking night. Less intensive, but no any less fabulous! [Seriously creamy and smooth. Make sure to use a good quality cocoa--it makes all the difference. --B.] And for the next post I promise to finally get to Iron Chef Fennel! It's been a busy week, so let's just be happy if I don't lose my mind!

Brownie Batter Ice Cream

2 egg
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup milk
2 cup cream
1/2 "the brownie" batter recipe

In a stand mixer combine the eggs and sugar. Beat for one minute until light and fluffy. Gently mix in the cream, milk and half the brownie batter.

Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker. Allow the ice cream to churn until finished and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

"The Brownie"

adapted from Epicurious

10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups sugar

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Dutch cocoa

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cold large eggs

Scant 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 325.

Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium heatproof skillet, tarte tatin, or 8 inch frying pan. Stir until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth.

Stir in the vanilla and add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one. When the batter looks thick, shiny, and well blended, add the flour.

Mix half the batter with the other ingredients for ice cream.

Place remaining batter into a pan and into the oven. Bake until a toothpick plunged into the center emerges slightly moist with batter, 20 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack. Feel free to eat these on their own, use as a base for the ice cream in a bowl, or crumble over the top for extra texture.