Jan 23

Dark chocolate & dried cranberry brownies with infused ice-cream

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Today’s food experiment starts in reverse gear. Had some leftover balsamic strawberries and started the planning process from there. Google baba to the rescue. Finally zeroed in on an ice cream topping. But wasn’t too happy keeping it simple. So added sugar and cooked the strawberries out. Then blended it with vanilla ice cream in the mixer. Added some fresh chopped strawberries and baileys just for kicks. Put it in the freezer overnight. The next dilemma was what to serve it with. Was keen on a simple sponge cake then a story came to mind. The best love story of all. So finally settled on a chocolate brownie. Now it’s time to tell u all about the inspiration behind this.IMG_7437
When I was pregnant with my first child, as any pregnant lady will agree sometimes we have huge cravings and the hubby can’t say no. I lived in Jodhpur then and in my last trimester all I wanted was ice cream and chocolates. My poor hubby a health freak, would ensure the fridge was stuffed with chocolates and ice creams. We used to order kilos of homemade chocolates from a lady there and since there weren’t too many options, there were tubs of Kwality strawberry sundae at hand. Would happily gorge on them at all odd hours. Dedicated to my gorgeous daughter Inaya – balsamic strawberries blended with baileys infused vanilla icecream sandwiched between dark chocolate and dried cranberry brownies. A drizzle of salted caramel sauce to finish it off.

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Dark Brownies with dried cranberries

Dark Chocolate/ Compound- 220 gm
Butter- 110 gm
Eggs- 3
Brown Sugar- 210 gm
Flour- 80 gm
Cocoa powder- 10 gm
Vanilla extract- 1 tsp
Choco chips- 2 tbsp 
1/4 cup dried cranberries 

1) Melt the butter and chocolate together. Cool to room temp. 
2) Add the sugar to the chocolate mix and whisk. 
3) Add the eggs, one by one, whisking between each addition. 
4) Add the vanilla and give another quick whisk. 
5) Fold the flour in two increments. Do not over-mix. Fold in 1/4 cup dried cranberries
6) Pour into an oven-proof dish lined with butter paper, leaving a little bit of overhang on all sides, just enough to be able to pull the baked layer from the dish. Smoothen the top with a spatula. 
7) Sprinkle the choco chips over the surface. 
8) Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180 C for 35-40 minutes. 
9) The tops should be firm and a toothpick inserted in the centre should come away with just a little stickiness. 
10) Leave it in the oven for a few more minutes. Cool. 
11) Holding firmly to both sides, tug the paper free from the baking dish and place on a flat surface. Cut into bars.
Recipe – saloni sharma

Infused Ice-cream 

1) Heat 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar, 1/2 cup sugar and 15 diced strawberries. Dash of lime

2) when blended well and strawberries have emitted juice. Shut gas and cool

3) soften 500 gms vanilla icecream

4) blend the strawberries and icecream in a mixer

6) dice 5-6 fresh strawberries and add it with 2-3 tbsp of Bailey in the ice cream mix. 

7) pour in a container and freeze overnight.

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Salted Caramel Sauce

Ingredients:

1.5 cups granulated sugar

1/3 cup water

4 tbsp butter, cubed and room temperature

1/2 cup heavy cream, room temperature

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

 

  1. Add water and granulated sugar into a pan. Heat it over medium-high.
  2. RESIST any attempt to stir with a spatula or wooden spoon while sugar melts. Let it do its thing. It’ll bubble vigorously but DON’T be tempted to stick a wooden spoon to STIR. DON’T DO IT. You’d only risk a huge clump of mess! Crystalized sugar, no bueno.
  3. Instead, swirl the pan once or twice to evenly melt sugar and caramelize. Do not over-do it.
  4. Once sugar caramelizes into a nice dark amber shade, remove pan from heat and carefully drizzle in cubes of softened butter and cream. With a wooden spoon, continue whisking even though it looks like everything would bubble over, but trust me, it will settle. Just continue whisking, carefully and AVOID BURNS.
  5. DO NOT STICK YOUR FINGERS IN FOR TASTE. You will be awarded with 3rd degree burns. No joke.
  6. Once caramel is pourable, whisk in sea salt and vanilla extract. Store salted caramel sauce in airtight jars for up to a week.

Recipe – Kiran Tarun