Red Velvet Brownies

My views on fate and destiny are somewhat skewed, in that I tend to believe in them only when it's convenient to do so. But, when I can muzzle the logical half of my brain (not an easy task), part of me likes to believe in fairy tales, happily ever afters, and soul-mates. These brief lapses in reason may not last long, but they visit just often enough allow for wishing on stars, stray eyelashes, and birthday candles. :)

This morning I woke up with Ruth Moody's song "Never Said Goodbye" playing in my head, which in turn, made me think of this, again. Maybe it's the Holidays, or maybe I just want like to feel wistful and nostalgic, but lately I keep returning to that moment in time and wondering if maybe there's a reason why, after all these years, I keep thinking about such a bittersweet event...

I did watch Melancholia last weekend, maybe it's still messing with my mind?


Speaking of fairy-tales and the surreal, how about these red velvet brownies?

Initially I had visions of a fluffy, cakey, brownie/cake hybrid. But these are, in fact, brownies. And I think that as long as you bear that in mind, you will love this recipe!

Because I used an 8x8-inch pan instead of the required 9x9-inch, my brownies ended up with a puffed, dry, cracked top which I had to peel off and, unfortunately, discard. However, underneath that dry 'roof' lay a dense, fudgy, perfect brownie. And lets not forget about the cream cheese frosting. As you can see, the ratio of frosting to brownie was slightly unbalanced...I didn't hear any complaints.

So my advice on this recipe is to use the right pan size (9x9-inches). If you want the same high-hat frosting, increase the amount of cream cheese by 4 oz. and up the confectioners' sugar to about 3 cups. And be sure to have people around to share these with! They're extremely addicting, and rich.



Red Velvet Brownies (adapted from Southern Living magazine)

brownies
4 oz chopped bittersweet chocolate
3/4 cup (that's 1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into Tablespoon-size pieces
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 oz bottle of red food coloring
1 1/2 tsp. baking Powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt

frosting!
8 oz. cream cheese, softened to room temperature
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 1/2-2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

method
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a 9x9-inch square baking pan with foil, butter the bottom and sides. [Note: Do not use an 8x8-inch pan for this recipe. I did, and my brownies almost didn't survive their stay in the oven.]
In a large, heat-proof bowl, combine the chopped chocolate and butter. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water (make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water). Stirring occasionally, melt the chocolate and butter together until smooth. As soon as the mixture is smooth, remove the bowl from the heat. Whisk in the sugar until well blended. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking till each one is just blended. Add the flour, food coloring, baking Powder, vanilla, and salt. Using a large spatula, gently fold everything into the chocolate mixture just until all the streaks of flour have disappeared. Pour the batter into prepared pan.
Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center holds only a few moist crumbs. Remove from the oven and place the pan on a cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting.

Frosting: In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and butter. Beat on medium speed until creamy (about 2 minutes). Add the confectioners' sugar in 1/2-cup increments, beating well after each addition. If the frosting looks thin, and un-spreadable after adding 1 1/2 cups, add an additional 1/2 cup of sugar. Add the salt and vanilla. Beat on high speed until fluffy (about 1 minute).
Spread the frosting over the cooled brownies.

Makes about 12-14 brownies.