a peck of purple peppers

The local farmer's market has purple bell peppers. They taste more like green peppers than like red or yellow ones.

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Brownie Cookies

Mrs. Essen made these cookies last week, and declared them her new favorite cookies. They are like mini brownies, with a light, moist texture. You can really taste the chocolate, so use good quality chocolate. They are fabulous with a scoop of good vanilla ice cream.



I recommend decreasing the sugar in the recipie depending on the chocolate you use. Mrs. E. used Ghirardelli 60% bittersweet chocolate chips and reduced the sugar to 1/2 c, which was perfect.

Chocolate Brownie Cookies
Mrs. E. found this recipe on http://chezmegane.blogspot.com/

2 oz. (4 Tbsp) unsalted butter
12 oz./340 g bittersweet chocolate, chopped (e.g. Lindt 70%)
3 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1-1/2 oz. (1/3 cup) all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
4 oz. (1 cup) chopped toasted pecans or walnuts

Position an oven rack on the center rung. Heat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment (or grease and flour the pan).

In a double boiler over simmering water, melt the butter and chocolate. Stir to combine; let cool. In an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs and sugar on medium high to a ribbon consistency, 3 to 4 min. Take the bowl off the mixer. Add the cooled chocolate mixture and the vanilla; stir to combine. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Stir the flour mixture and the nuts into the batter; let the batter rest for 5 min.

Use 2 spoons or a pastry bag fitted with a #4 tip (or into a heavy-duty zip-top bag with one bottom corner snipped to create a 2/3-inch diagonal opening). For each cookie, pipe or spoon 1 Tbs. batter onto the lined baking sheet. While you pipe the second tray, bake the first until the cookies are puffed and the tops barely spring back when pressed, 8 to 10 min. Cool the cookies on a wire rack.

Makes 4 dozen cookies.

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