One of the best cooking magazines of all time is the always beautiful Fine Cooking magazine. In keeping with the times, and in keeping us chocoholics tickled, Fine Cooking has ingeniously come up with its first recipe maker app on the iPad and iPhone. And they enter the app arena with brownies!
I love them for that.
As part of Fine Cooking magazine’s award-winning Recipe Maker online tool this app allows you to create a mouth-watering customized brownie recipe in just a few easy steps.
With Fine Cooking’s Brownie Recipe Maker app you’ll have access to more than 45 million brownie choices. And thanks to the renowned Fine Cooking test kitchen, the recipes are certain to
be a real treat. Every single time.
Here’s how it works: Using a great basic fudge brownie as your foundation, you can add in array of mix-ins, swirl-ins, glazes, and toppings. From dried cherries, caramel, and pecans to cayenne pepper, Baileys, and raspberry jam… whatever suits your fancy. The Brownie Recipe Maker gives you a full recipe with exact amounts and instructions every time. Coming from Fine Cooking, as always, there are plenty of expert tips to help you along the way and guide your choices. Once you’ve built your recipe you can e-mail it to yourself or a friend.
I was sent an app to test out for myself and I created the recipe below. It was so much fun! You simply click through the options and devise your own, personalized brownie recipe. The Brownie Maker App is absolutely brilliant and I know you’re going to love it muchly. And, get this… it’s only 99 cents!
Below’s my personalized brownie recipe courtesy of the Fine Cooking Brownie Maker App. You knew there’d be coffee involved, right? That’s how I roll… caffeinated.
Joi’s Nutella Brownies, Courtesy of Fine Cooking’s Brownie Maker App
Yields 24 brownies
For the Brownies
12 oz. (1-1/2 cups) unsalted butter
3-3/4 oz. (1-1/4 cups) cocoa powder
2-3/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. table salt
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1-1/2 tsp. instant coffee granules
5 large eggs
7-1/2 oz. (1-2/3 cups) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
3/4 cup toasted, chopped walnuts
2/3 cup Nutella
For the Toppings
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 Tbs.unsalted butter
1 cup medium-finely chopped and toasted pecans
1 cup medium-finely chopped and toasted walnuts
Instructions:
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 325° F. Line the bottom and sides of a 9×13-inch straight-sided metal baking pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil, leaving about a 2-inch overhang on the short sides. Lightly butter the foil.
Put the butter in a large (4-quart) saucepan over medium-low heat and stir occasionally until melted, about 2 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth, 1 minute. Add the sugar and salt, and whisk until well blended. Use your fingertip to check the temperature of the batter — it should be warm, not hot. If it’s hot, set the pan aside for a minute or two before continuing.
Whisk in the vanilla extract and instant coffee and then the eggs, two and then three at a time, until just blended. Sprinkle the flour over the batter and stir with a rubber spatula until just blended. Stir in the white chocolate chips and walnuts.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Drop the Nutella by tablespoons evenly over the top and, using a knife or small spatula, swirl into the batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with small bits of brownie sticking to it, 35 to 45 minutes. Do not overbake. Cool the brownies completely in the pan on a rack, about 3 hours.
In a medium saucepan, cook the granulated sugar and 3 Tbs. water over low heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar is dissolved and the liquid is clear. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook without stirring until the sugar begins to turn golden brown on the edges. Gently swirl the pan over the heat to even out the color and cook until the sugar turns medium golden amber, about 3 to 5 minutes. Slide the pan from the heat and add the cream and butter. Whisk until well blended and smooth. Return to medium high heat and boil, without stirring, until it is reduced to about 2/3 cup, about 1 to 2 more minutes. Set aside until the caramel is cooled but still pourable, about 15 minutes.
Using the foil overhang, lift the brownies from the pan. Invert onto a cutting board, carefully peel away the foil, and flip again. Pour the glaze over the brownie and spread to within 1/2 inch of the edges using a small offset spatula. Sprinkle the pecans and walnuts over the glaze. Set the brownie aside until the glaze is firm. Cut the brownie into 24 squares and serve immediately, or wrap in in plastic or waxed paper and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Let the brownies come to room temperature before serving.
Read more about the Fine Cooking Brownie Maker App and grab your own today.
Look for other Recipe Maker apps this summer including: Ice Cream, Grilled Pizza, Pasta Salad and Potato Salad!
