Canadian Trish Magwood has won the prestigious James Beard Award in the entertaining category for her recent book of recipes and entertaining strategies, Dish Entertains. The James Beard awards, considered the “Oscars” of the culinary world, were announced in early June during a three-day gala celebration in New York City.
Magwood is the entrepreneur and creative spirit behind the DISH concept, a cooking school, catering company, café, retail business and television show Party Dish. Harper Collins Canada offered Metro this chewy, delicious recipe that kids will love from the award-winning book Dish Entertains:
Mocha Brownies
There are two camps when it comes to brownies — fudge brownies and cake brownies. If you fall into the fudge camp, you have found heaven with this recipe. Makes 12 large or 24 mini brownies.
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour
1 tbsp (15 mL) instant espresso powder
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
6 oz (175 g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 oz (60 g) unsweetened chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup (175 mL) unsalted butter, cubed
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) sugar
2 1/2 tsp (12 mL) vanilla
4 large eggs
3/4 cup (175 mL) semi-sweet chocolate chips
METHOD: Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Butter a 13×9-inch (3 L) baking pan and line with parchment paper (or grease pan and dust with flour).
In a small bowl, combine flour, espresso powder and salt. Set aside.
In a medium heatproof bowl over a pot of barely simmering water, melt bittersweet chocolate, unsweetened chocolate and butter together, stirring occasionally. (Make sure no water touches the chocolate.) Remove from heat and add sugar and vanilla; stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until smooth. Stir in eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. Fold in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips.
Spread in prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until set but a few crumbs stick to tester when inserted. Let cool on a rack.
Chocolate tips:
• “Like water for chocolate” — ever wonder what that phrase meant? When chocolate is being melted, any amount of water in the chocolate will make it seize. (Don’t ask. You’ll have to start over.) Chocolate doesn’t like moisture, so don’t keep it in the fridge — best to keep in a cool, dark, dry place.
• Once brownies have cooled, using a small round cookie cutter, cut into rounds and skewer onto popsicle sticks for brownie lollipops. Serve them with warm chocolate and dulce de leche dipping sauces, if you like.
