Warren Buffett Brownies

Warren Buffett Brownies. Why the name? Because they are rich, rich, rich!


I guarantee you that this is the best brownie you will ever eat. Go ahead, take me up on that challenge. If it's not the best brownie you've ever tasted in your entire life, email me and I will send you a hand written apology letter. Truthfully, it will most likely be a sympathy card for having sub-par taste buds.


There are only 5 ingredients in this recipe, and as an added bonus, it is gluten free. There is a little bit of technique involved so be sure to follow the recipe carefully. This recipe originally came from Gourmet Magazine via the very lovely cook/baker extraordinaire @itiswrittennow.


You can enjoy this at room temperature but I prefer eating brownies a little bit warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and some caramel sauce. I figure if you are already having the brownie, you might as well go all the way.


WARREN BUFFETT BROWNIES 
(adapted from a recipe in Gourmet Magazine)
- 4-oz dark or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup butter
- 3/4 cup white sugar

- 3 large eggs

- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

- 1/2 cup cocoa powder (pref. dutch process)
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METHOD:

- Preheat oven to 375F. Line an 8-inch square cake pan with parchment paper and lightly grease.

- Chop chocolate into small pieces. In a double boiler or metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolate with butter, stirring until smooth. 

- Whisk sugar into chocolate mixture until crystals are dissolved and mixture is shiny.

- Remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat and let it cool until the chocolate mixture is just warm to the touch.

- Transfer warm chocolate mixture into a medium mixing bowl. Beat in eggs one at a time, waiting until each has been fully incorporated before adding the next, then mix in vanilla extract. 


- Sift cocoa powder into the bowl and whisk until well-combined.


- Pour brownie mixture into prepared cake pan. They will rise only a 1/4 inch more than the level they went into the oven at. Since these brownies are so rich, it's best to keep them under an inch in thickness. 

- Bake for about 25 minutes.

- Allow cake to cool in pan for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the cake and invert onto a cooling rack. 

- Cool overnight before attempting to cut into these brownies.

- Cut into triangles or squares.

- Dust with icing sugar and serve with fruit.

- Store leftovers if there are any, in an airtight container.

- Serves 8-10

Carrot Cake

Everyone has their specialty. Everyone has a signature dish. Something that they make, that for some reason you no matter how hard you try, you just can't make it as good as them. Luckily for me I grew surrounded by people who were really good at cooking a lot of dishes.



Our family friend Charlotte is one of these people. Charlotte and her husband Larry were like second parents to me and my siblings. While Charlotte fed us many delicious meals over the years, the one thing that I think that she made the best was her carrot cake.


I was recently given some fresh, organic carrots that you could tell how good they tasted just by looking at them. It was an easy decision as to what I was going to make with them.


I added some nutmeg and used a slightly different method than her original recipe called for, but it turned out delicious.


I can brag about how good this cake is because the recipe isn't mine. I made this and gave a lot of it away to friends and it garnered rave reviews.  This is a serious carrot cake. Make one and find out for yourself!




CHARLOTTE'S CARROT CAKE


1 1/4 cup oil
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
3 cups of grated carrots
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)


METHOD:
Beat oil and sugar together for 5 minutes. Add your eggs, one a time. In a bowl, sift, or combine together your dry ingredients and then add it to the wet mixture. Add your carrots and then the walnuts. 


I always had carrot cake that was baked in a Bundt (tube, angel food) pan so that is what I used. If you don't have one use whatever you have.


Bake at 350 for about an hour. Poke it with a cake tester (I often use a butter knife) to make sure it is ready to go.


ICING:
1 pkg cream cheese
2 Tbsp butter
2 tbsp condensed milk
2 cups icing sugar


METHOD:
Beat together the cream cheese and the butter. Add the condensed milk and then the icing sugar, one cup at a time. Make sure the cake is completely cool and then spread the icing over the cake and you are good to go.


BAKING TIPS:
Use vegetable oil. Canola oil will work just fine, but vegetable oil is better for baking.


Add your eggs one at a time to the mixer


I said this already, but make sure the cake has completely cooled before icing it.