Ginger-Jazzed Brownies

Life without a computer has been tough these last few weeks. I was always worried about my poor, neglected blog, wondering how many embarrassing spelling errors and run-on sentences I may have overlooked in previous posts (I always seem to find them no matter how many times I edit). On the plus side I filled in all that free time with baking. There were a few days when I baked something every evening. I snapped pictures but could not edit them so I had to be extra finicky about the whole process and wait until the next day for natural lighting. These short, dark days are going to be difficult for my stone age camera.

Another perk (or not) to having some free time was...should I admit this to the entire online community? Ok. I um...I'm...*hmmm*...Alright. I got into the Twilight series. There, I said it. Never in my wildest thoughts did I ever entertain the notion that I would allow myself to get sucked into such a fad. I refused to even pick up the book just out of spite. Everyone I know turned into a zombie while they read the books. Shutting their phones off and staying in on weekends with their noses buried in a book. Well someone conveniently 'forgot' the first novel on my coffee table. I stared at it a few days. Finally I picked it up and began reading a few pages but I always put it back on the table just as it had been left. For some reason I was paranoid that my cats were thinking of me as a sell-out. They had that smug look on their furry little faces.

I reached to point where I didn't care anymore and I immersed myself into the Twilight world and yes, I was very pleasantly surprised. When I finished the fourth and final book I was depressed. So I made these brownies to help take my mind off of the void.

These did help. If you want a spicy twist on the usual brownie, look no further. The ginger gives these morsels a lovely heat and rich punch. They are perfectly thick and sinfully fudgy. I think they would be a nice alternative dessert for Thanksgiving, or for whenever you need to cheer up after realizing that you can't become a vampire.

Ginger-Jazzed Brownies

( recipe by Dorie Greenspan. Found in Baking: From My Home to Yours )

* printer friendly Recipe *

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup of all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. of salt
• 1/2 tsp. of ground ginger (increase to 3/4 if you are not using fresh ginger)
• 2 Tbsp. of finely minced, peeled fresh ginger
• 1 cup + 1 1/2 Tbsp. of sugar
• 4 ounces of unsweetened chocolate (coarsely chopped)
• 2 ounces of bittersweet chocolate (coarsely chopped)
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) of butter at room temp.
• 1/3 cup of light corn syrup
• 1/2 tsp. of vanilla extract
• 3 eggs

Method:

Preheat the oven to 325F. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with foil and place the pan on a baking sheet.

Whisk the flour, salt, and ground ginger together.

*Put the minced ginger and 1 1/2 Tbsp. of sugar in a small bowl,stir and set aside. You may do this ahead and cover securely with plastic wrap.*

*If you don't have fresh ginger simply increase the amount of ground ginger to 3/4 tsp.*

In a heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water, Melt both chocolates. Be careful not to allow it to get too hot, just enough to melt enough so you can stir out the lumps. Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl on medium speed, beat the butter until it is smooth and creamy. Beat in the corn syrup, then the remaining 1 cup of sugar. Beat for 2 minutes or until the butter is smooth. Add the vanilla. On medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat for another minute. On low speed, add the macerated ginger (even the liquid). Add the dry ingredients. Mix just until the flour disappears. Using a large rubber spatula, gently stir in the melted chocolate. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for 30-35 minutes. The top will form a beautiful sugar crust. Insert a knife into the center, there should be a few streaks of moist chocolate. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack. When the brownies have cooled off completely, turn out onto a piece of parchment paper and carefully peel away the foil. Invert and cut into pieces as big or as little as you wish.

Enjoy!