Monday, October 27, 2014

Brownie Pudding

The ice cream truck is alive and well in Dallas, TX.  This guy either gets around and has tapped into the cloud which houses our schedule or this is big business and there is a fleet of trucks canvassing the Dallas parks.  So when the jingle started playing and the kids came running “can we have an ice cream?”, I distracted them with a “I’ll make you a ‘real’ dessert at home tonight” comment.  As if I have ever turned down an ice cream sandwich or a Lemon Chill before.  And now I had to come up with a dessert.  Fortunately, I had most of the ingredients for this brownie pudding recipe by Barefoot Contessa in the pantry. 
Brownie Pudding

The kids were pleased with the delay in satisfaction (David even tried a bite).  This dessert is crunchy on the outside and gooey on the inside.  Home run!!

Her new book, Make it Ahead, is coming out this week!  I’m so excited!!    


Ingredients
  1. 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus extra for buttering the dish
  2. 4 large eggs
  3. 2 cups sugar
  4. 3/4 cup good cocoa powder
  5. 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  6. 1 tsp vanilla extract
  7. Vanilla ice cream, for serving
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly butter a 2-quart (9 by 12 by 2-inch) oval baking dish. Melt the 2 sticks of butter and set aside to cool.

In the bowl of an electric mixer (Ina says paddle attachment – I couldn’t find mine so used the whisk one instead), beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed for 5 to 10 minutes, until very thick and light yellow. Meanwhile, sift the cocoa powder and flour together and set aside.

When the egg and sugar mixture is ready, reduce the speed to low and add the vanilla, then the cocoa powder and flour mixture. Mix only until combined. With mixer still on low, slowly pour in the cooled butter and mix again just until combined.

Pour the brownie mixture into the prepared dish and place it in a larger baking pan. (Don’t let this step deter you – the oval dish fits nicely inside a 9x13 – 3 qt Pyrex dish).  Add enough of the hottest tap water to the pan to come halfway up the side of the dish and bake for exactly 1 hour. A cake tester inserted 2 inches from the side will come out 3/4 clean. The center will appear very under-baked; this dessert is between a brownie and a pudding.

Allow to cool and serve with vanilla ice cream.


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