merrifood

Brownies with dried cranberries

Posted by merrifood on July 20, 2013 · 1 Comment 

How many brownie recipes can one actually have?  If you’re me, a lot.  A brownie recipe was one of the first things I posted on this blog, but even when I have a good one, I am always looking for more.  This one is great because it combines both dark chocolate and cocoa powder for an additional chocolate hit (always a good thing), and adds dried cranberries for an unexpectedly delightful surprise.  These brownies are moist and the hidden cranberries are amazing (I will wax poetic on this more after the recipe because it needs to be emphasised).

Sometimes, after an up and down week, all you need is a brownie.  Make this brownie recipe the next one you try, and I promise you will not be disappointed.

Brownies with dried cranberries (adapted from Technicolor Kitchen)

Ingredients

100g (this is basically one stick) unsalted butter, chopped
200g (this is one big bar typically) dark chocolate, chopped – I used a mixture of 50ish percent and 70 percent
3 eggs
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup dried cranberries, dusted with 1 teaspoon all purpose flour if you wish (this keeps them from sticking together but I’m typically too lazy to do this)

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F and line a square baking pan with foil or parchment paper.  Also spray lightly with nonstick spray if you wish.

Melt the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl placed over a pan of simmering water.  Or, you can use my usual microwave method.  Just make sure you check every 30 seconds if you are doing it in the microwave.   Stir, then leave to cool slightly. Then beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the sugar.  Beat in the vanilla, followed by the baking powder and salt.  Finally, fold in the cocoa powder and flour.  The last step will be to fold in the dried cranberries and if you like, you can even add some extra chocolate chips at this point (I mean, why not).

Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan and bake for 25ish minutes – a knife or toothpick put in the centre should come out with a few moist crumbs as opposed to completely clean, as it will settle when it cools and still be nice and soft that way.  Cool completely if you feel like it (I never do) and cut into squares.

The usual melted butter and chocolate brownie base

After adding eggs and sugar and vanilla – it doesn’t look too difference except you can tell I’ve been stirring vigorously

Then adding cocoa and flour

Spread in the pan – you can see the little lumps of goodness which are the dried cranberries

I know – they just look like normal brownies.  But they hide a secret greatness in the form of those dried cranberries!

I’m telling you, the addition of dried cranberries to brownies is simply brilliant.  They honestly take this from a humble brownie to a shockingly addictive one.  The combination of dark chocolate and cocoa powder is already good, but I was actually shocked at how much better the dried cranberries made this recipe.  They are a surprise hit of tartness and sweetness hidden throughout the brownie and a total change from just getting some casual extra chocolate chips in your brownie.  Unexpected delight, seriously.  Add dried cranberries to your next batch of brownies and you will see what I mean!

One year ago: Butternut squash soup and carrot cake with candied carrot curls