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A Taste of Rome

YumSugar — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 14:24:56 -0800

Leave it to the folks over at the premium cable channels to come up with another fun marketing campaign. This time HBO has graced 100 Italian restaurants in LA, NY and Chicago with bottles of Rome wine. The cabernet sauvingnon, which is bottled in California, will be offered free to patrons. Each table will have a card that states:

And our house wine tonight is brought to you by HBO. A taste of 'Rome' awaits you. Ask server for details.

I'm not sure what the entire marketing strategy is, but I wonder if it will cause as much buzz as rival Showtime's clever Weeds brownie promotion.

Source: Ad Age

The World's Easiest and Most Delicious Brownies. Ever.

partysugar — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 10:30:31 -0700

OK, so that title might be an exaggeration, but it got your attention, right? If you're looking for a delicious brownie recipe, I highly recommend you use this one. I've made it a million times and it always gets rave reviews.

Don't believe me? Well, 172 people praise it over on the Food Network's website. It's decadent, rich, and insanely chocolaty. Thanks to the help of a hand mixer and microwave, it takes about 15 minutes to make and another 15 to bake.

Since everything is more appealing mini, I like to slice them into small squares and serve as brownie bites. When paired with vanilla ice cream, they also make one mean brownie sundae. If you're a fan of fudgy brownies, you should stop reading this and make these - now! Get the recipe.

Celebrate the Season With Pumpkin Brownies

YumSugar — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:15:34 -0800

Now that everyone knows that solid packed pumpkin is nothing but 100 percent pure pumpkin, here is a delicious and unexpected Thanksgiving dessert that combines pumpkin with brownies. The spiciness of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cayenne in the pumpkin layer complements the sweetness of the rich brownie layer. I halved the original recipe and rather than bake them in a square pan, I opted to use a mini muffin pan. With a smaller pan, they didn't swirl as well, but it did create a distinct two-layer presentation with just enough richness in the bite-size dessert. If you are over the traditional pumpkin pie, give these delectable pumpkin brownies a try and keep reading for the recipe.

Come Party With Me: Vampire Party - Desserts

partysugar — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:45:41 -0700

Since vampires are so hot right now, I'm jumping on the bandwagon and throwing a fangtastic Halloween party. The savory menu consists of fun finger foods, so to ensure that no extra plates and utensils are necessary, I'm serving a portable, pop-in-your mouth dessert. No vampire travels without a coffin - unless he has a special ring like the Salvatore Brothers - that's why these almond brownie coffins fit the theme perfectly. The brownies are chocolate with chunks of dark chocolate covered almonds with a marzipan coffin topping. To check out the recipe, read more.

Almond Brownie Coffins
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
1 teaspoon coarse salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus more for pan
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder, plus more for marbling
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
8 ounces dark-chocolate-covered almonds, chopped
3 ounces marzipan
Royal Icing and Fleurs-de-lis

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square pan, and line it with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on 2 sides. Butter and flour parchment, tapping out excess.
Combine flour and salt in a small bowl.
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Sift cocoa powder on top of butter, and whisk to combine. Let cool 3 minutes.
Gently whisk in vanilla and eggs, then stir in sugars and flour mixture until just combined. Fold in almonds, then spread batter evenly in prepared pan.
Bake until the top is firm and set, about 30 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack, and let cool for 20 minutes. Remove brownies from pan using parchment overhang, and let cool on wire rack. (Brownies will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days.)
Using the large coffin template, cut out brownies.
Dust marzipan lightly with cocoa powder, and mix until marbled dark brown. Roll out marzipan to 1/4-inch thickness. Using the small coffin template, cut out 1 marzipan coffin for each brownie. Gently press a coffin on top of each brownie.
Fill a pastry bag fitted with the smallest plain round tip with royal icing. Decorate marzipan with small dots around the edges, and apply 1 fleur-de-lis to each coffin with a small offset spatula, securing each with a dot of royal icing.

Makes 12 coffins.

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Cinco de Mayo Dessert: Jalapeño Brownies

partysugar — Mon, 05 May 2008 16:13:37 -0700

A couple of weeks ago, Conde Nast Traveler hosted its 8th Annual Hot List party in New York City. One of the desserts on the menu, which was catered by Mary Guilani, were these jalapeño brownies. I thought they would make an exceptionally original dessert for Cinco de Mayo, so I whipped up a batch and brought them to work. The recipe is simple - it's basically a classic brownie recipe with minced jalapeños folded in - and interestingly complex. The result is a spicy meets sweet flavor explosion. Although the office had mixed feelings about these brownies, I thought they were innovative and exciting. To take a look at the recipe, read more.

Jalapeno Brownies
From Mary Guilani Catering

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
4 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
5 large jalapeño peppers, minced
6 to 8 Thai chiles, minced*
3/4 cup walnuts, toasted, chopped**

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
Melt butter and chocolate chips together. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, whisk or beat eggs with salt until foamy.

Add sugar and vanilla and beat until well-blended. Add chocolate-butter mixture and stir until just combined. Add flour and cocoa and mix until almost blended.
Fold in jalapeños, Thai chiles and nuts.

Transfer batter to prepared pan and bake until top forms a cracked crust and inside looks slightly moist, 30 to 35 minutes.
Allow to cool, then cut into squares.

Makes 12 large squares.

*I was unable to find Thai chiles at my local super markets. Instead I substituted one habanero chili for all of the Thai chiles.
**Since I dislike walnuts in brownies, I omitted them from the recipe.

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Earn Brownie Points With Peanut Butter

YumSugar — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 16:15:03 -0700

After drooling over Party's amazing brownies, I knew I was going to have pull out the butter and flour and get to baking my own batch. Rather than making an uber chocolate one like she did, I opted for a peanut butter and chocolate variation. Initially, I wanted a recipe for chocolate brownies with a peanut butter swirl, but I came across the reverse - peanut butter brownies with chocolate chunks - and had to give it a try!

These peanut butter brownies are dense, moist, and full of flavor. I added three quarters of a cup of chocolate chips and next time will make it an even cup, so every bite has both peanut butter and chocolate. These brownies are easy to make and would be out of this world served fresh from the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. If you want to earn brownie points with your friends and family who are obsessed with the combination of peanut butter and chocolate, keep reading.

Yummy Links: From Hamburgers to Cheesecake Brownies

partysugar — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 06:45:14 -0700

A brief history of America's greatest food icon: the hamburger. - Chow
Potatoes make a tasty companion to hamburgers, here's how to cook them under the grill. - The Kitchn
Consuming fruit juice may be linked to type 2 diabetes. - Slashfood
Does one's political leanings affect the taste of wine? - The Epi-Log
Meet the ten healthiest beverages. - FitSugar
Pack a budget friendly and healthy lunch. - GlamDish
McDonald's has cracked a giant egg in Chicago. - Serious Eats
Treat your loved ones to delicious cheesecake brownies. - Baking Bites

Source

Yummy Link: Chocolate Mascarpone Brownies

partysugar — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:15:51 -0800

I couldn't let chocolate month end without tantalizing your taste buds with one more mouthwatering chocolate recipe. Chocolate mascarpone brownies, need I say more? -The Recipe Girl

Happy Hour: Brownie Cognac

partysugar — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 16:18:31 -0800

Valentine's Day is an excellent excuse to experiment with chocolate cocktails. I'm especially interested in this recipe because it creates a cocktail that tastes like a brownie!

This drink has a rich, glossy color and a decadent, smooth taste. It's a great dessert cocktail, perfect for when you feel like a sweet treat, but don't want something too heavy. To take a look at the recipe, read more.

Brownie Cognac
From Fine Living

1 1/2 oz. Courvoisier or other type of cognac
1 oz. amaretto
Dash of chocolate syrup

Fill pint glass with ice.
Add the cognac, the amaretto, and a dash of chocolate syrup.
Shake and pour into a chilled martini glass.

Serves 1.

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Yummy Link: Marbled Ricotta Cheesecake Brownies

YumSugar — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 02:48:12 -0700

You'd have to be a fool - YumJimmy I'm talking to you - to not think these Marbled Ricotta Cheesecake Brownies are one of the best looking treats you've ever seen. - Tartelette