In search of CHEWY brownies

I love chewy brownies. Love. But, they must be CHEWY. Not fudgy, not cakey. Chewy. Who knew chewy brownies were so hard to make?

My standby is good 'ol Betty Crocker Brownies


Now, I'm not saying they are the best brownies ever, but, they have the texture I love.

I think I'm on recipe number 82 in search of chewy brownies. I'm beginning to think it's a lost cause. My latest attempt was a recipe from Cooks Illustrated that assured me they figured it all out and mastered the chewy from scratch brownie. I have to say, they've let me down. It was a good try, but again, not chewy.

So, it's back to Betty Crocker for me. If you have a CHEWY brownie recipe, let me know. I'm sure I'll attempt it if I haven't already.

Long time gone

Trying to get back into the groove after an unintentional blogging break.

I'm spending this very dreary Sunday trying to add some life into January! Cleaning, organizing and baking. One room down, so far. :)

Mixed up a batch of pizza dough--a new recipe. It's from my very favorite restaurant. We'll see if it resembles the real thing. I'm also going to make a batch of granola bars.

Have you read the ingredients in granola bars? Just a few of the ingredients in Quaker's 25% Less Sugar Chocolate Chip Granola Bars:
Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and Cottonseed Oils (Adds a Dietary Insignificant Amount of Trans Fat) with TBHQ and Citric Acid Added to Preserve Freshness. For real? Nasty. The same thing, TBHQ, is used in varnishes and lacquers. Good times.

French Breakfast Puffs

It didn't take long for me to decide to make the French Breakfast Puffs. I'm so glad I did. They are light and fluffy and buttery and cinnamony goodness.

YUM.

Here is the recipe, courtesy of Pioneer Woman:

French Breakfast Puffs
3 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup shortening (Crisco)
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 teaspoons cinnamon
2 sticks butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 12 muffin cups. Stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Set aside. Pray. In a different bowl, cream together 1 cup sugar and shortening, then add eggs and mix. Add flour mixture and milk alternately to creamed mixture, beating well after each addition. Fill prepared muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until golden. In a bowl, melt 2 sticks butter. In a separate bowl combine remaining sugar and cinnamon. Dip baked muffins in butter, coating thoroughly, then coat with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Eat. Faint.

NOTES:

I used butter instead of shortening and cinnamon instead of nutmeg in the muffins. I would up the amount of cinnamon next time.

Baking Stuff

No, I'm not listening to Christmas music. Not when it is only Nov 6 and it's gorgeous and 62 degrees. No siree.

I am, however, thinking about baking.

Light Oat Bread and perhaps some of these tasty looking French Breakfast Puffs. Mmmm.