In the planning stage of any outdoor adventure, when a fellow trekker claims responsibility for the river brownies, there’s no question what you’ll get: a big ol’ pan of gooey-rich and decadent brownies.
Unlike plain ol’ fudge brownies — which are perfectly fine in their own right — river brownies come laden with all sorts of hidden treasures: chunks of chocolate, drifts of toasted nuts, big puddles of caramel and peanut butter. Anything that will provide an extra boost of energy to hurl you further along the stream or up the mountain or over the granite scree. Gorp on steroids.
And so much better with that 3 ounces of Scotch you’ve tucked into your pack for after dinner!
Classic river brownies
24ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1cup butter, cut into chunks
6large eggs
2cups granulated sugar
1tablespoon vanilla extract
11/2cups all-purpose flour
1teaspoon baking powder
1/4teaspoon salt
First optional additions (select 2 or 3): 1/2 cup toasted and chopped walnuts, 1 cup peanut butter or butterscotch chips, 1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut, 1/2 cup raisins, 1 cup chopped peppermint bark (either commercially made or homemade) or coarsely chopped Andes Creme de Menthe thins (the ones in the green foil wrappers), 1 cup chocolate-covered peanuts
Peanut-buttery variation: 16 miniature chocolate-covered peanut butter cups (see note below)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan and set aside.
Melt the chocolate and butter in a glass or stainless steel bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Remove from heat and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk (or use a hand-held mixer) together the eggs and sugar. Fold in the melted chocolate mixture and vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt, then fold into the chocolate and sugar mixture, until just combined.
At this point, if you’re adding any ingredients from the “first optional additions list, stir them in now, then scrape the batter into the prepared pan.
If you’re going with the “peanut-buttery variation” then scrape half the prepared batter into the baking pan. Arrange the peanut butter cups upside down on the batter, spacing them evenly in rows. Push the cups down into the batter slightly, then top with the remaining batter and gently spread smooth.
Bake in the preheated oven on the center rack just until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs, about 40 to 50 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely before cutting.
Makes 24 2-inch brownies.
Note on peanut-buttery variation: If you choose this variation, consider NOT adding any ingredients from the “first optional additions list” because the brownie tend to be too rich.
Butter pecan turtle brownies
2cups flour
11/4cups golden brown sugar, divided
1/2cup butter, softened
11/2pecan halves
2/3cup butter
2cups semi sweet ch chips (or milk chocolate)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees .
Using a pastry blender, combine the flour with 3/4 cup of the brown sugar and the 1/2 cup of softened butter. Blend until crumbly. Pat firmly onto bottom of ungreased 9-by-13-inch pan. Sprinkle pecan halves on unbaked crust and set aside.
In small saucepan combine the remaining 1/2 cup of brown sugar with the 2/3 cup of butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to boil. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Drizzle caramel over pecan crust. Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven until caramel layer is bubbly and the crust is light brown, about 18 to 20 minutes.
Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with the chocolate chips. Using a spatula, spread the chips into an even layer as they melt. Cool completely before cutting.
Makes up to 48.
Recipe from Marcia Locke of Corvallis
Espresso river brownies
3/4cup butter, divided
3ounces unsweetened chocolate
3/4cup granulated sugar
1/4cup instant espresso powder (or instant coffee), divided
2large eggs
1tsp vanilla
1/2cup all-purpose flour
11/4cups powdered sug
2to 3 tablespoons Kahlua
1/3cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
In a 3-quart saucepan combine 1/2 cup of the butter (cut into chunks) with the unsweetened choc. Stir often over low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and beat in sugar, espresso powder, eggs and vanilla until well blended.
Stir in flour just until incorporated.
Pour batter into lightly oiled buttered 8- or 9-inch cake pan. Bake at 350 until center springs back (20 to 25 minutes). Let cool completely in pan on rack for about an hour.
In a bowl combine remaining 1/4 cup butter and 1 tablespoon of the espresso powder with the powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of the Kahlua. With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the mixture until smooth and fluffy, adding up to 1 more tablespoon of the Kahlua. Spread evenly over the top of the cooled cake.
Place chocolate chips in a small re-sealable plastic bag. Microwave on full power for 15 second intervals, until melted the chips are completely melted. Squeeze the melted chocolate into one corner of the bag. Clip off about 1/4 inch of the corner and drizzle the chocolate over the brownies. Chill until chocolate is firm.
Recipe from Chris Peterson, Corvallis, Ore.
Creamy-caramel river brownies
1package of your favorite brownie mix
1/2cup butter, softened
2/3cup chunky peanut butter
1egg
16ounces cream cheese, softened
1cup granulated sugar
3tablespoons flour
1/3cup sour cream
2teaspoons vanilla
2eggs
12unwrapped caramels
3tablespoons heavy cream
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
In a large bowl, combine the brownie mix, butter, 1/3 cup of the peanut butter, and egg, either by hand or with a hand-held electric mixer. Spread the dough into the bottom of the prepared baking pan.
In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese with remaining 1/3 cup peanut butter, beating until smooth. Beat in the sugar, flour, sour cream and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each one is added. Spread the cheese mixture over the brownie base.
Gently heat the caramels with the cream in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until the caramels are melted and blended into the cream. Spoon the caramel-cream mixture over the top of the cheese filling and using a spatula or wide knife, swirl it through the batter in wide curves to marbelize.
Bake in the preheated oven until the center is just barely firm and the edges are a light golden brown, about 35 minutes. Cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting.
Butterscotch brownies with toasted pecans, macadamias and milk chocolate chunks
3/4cup pecan halves, toasted and coarsely chopped
1/2cup lightly toasted and coarsely chopped macadamia nuts
3/4cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4teaspoon salt
1/4teaspoon baking soda
1large egg
3/4cup packed light brown sugar
1teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2cup butter, melted and cooled
6ounces (or 1 cup) milk chocolate chips or chunks
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter (or spray with a non-stick vegetable oil spray) an 8- by 8-inch square baking pan.
Toast the pecan halves and macadamia nuts and let cool.
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda.
In a medium size bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together the egg and brown sugar until light and frothy. Beat in the vanilla extract and then the melted and cooled butter.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then, on low speed, or by hand, beat in the flour mixture until incorporated. Fold in the nuts and chocolate.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and bake on center rack in the oven until the top of the brownies are dry, golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean (with a few moist crumbs), about 25 to 30 minutes.
Alternate ingredients: substitute good quality white chocolate chunks (such as Lindt) for the milk chocolate; substitute toasted and chopped hazelnuts for the pecans.
Adapted from “Classic Home Desserts,” by Richard Sax
Magic river bars
1/2cup butter, melted
11/2cups graham cracker crumbs
11/3cups sweetened flaked or shredded coconut
6ounces (about 1 cup) semisweet chocolate chips
1cup toasted and chopped walnuts or or pecans
1(14 ounce) can of sweetened condensed milk
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Scrape the melted butter into a 9-by-9-inch baking pan. Sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs evenly over the butter. Sprinkle the coconut over the crumbs. Then sprinkle on the chocolate chips over the coconut. Sprinkle the nuts over the chocolate chips.
Finally, drizzle the sweetened condensed milk over all the ingredients.
Do NOT mix the ingredients together, just layer them.
Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven just until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Cut into squares.
Adapted from “New York Cookbook,” by Molly O’Neill
Jan Roberts-Dominguez is a Corvallis, Ore., food writer, cookbook author and artist. Readers can contact her by e-mail at janrd@proaxis.com.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
