Ooey, gooey and Peanut

I was looking for something ooey gooey and I happened to have Dorie Greenspan's, "Baking: From my Home to Yours" handy and found a recipe that just sounded too good!

Believe me when I tell you how I would love to join the group, Tuesdays with Dorie. But with the house in what now seems like never-ending construction, 2 puppies under 6 mos old and me still healing from surgery...commitment to anything is not in the cards. Today is what I call a Free Day and I can do whatever I want. Oops forgot I had to run 2 errands but they did not take too long so it's an almost Free Day!

Carmel-Peanut-Topped Brownie Cake
Recipe adapted from "Baking: From my Home to Yours"

1 c. flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick butter, cut into 8 pieces
5 oz bittersweet chocolate, cut into bite-sized pieces
3 large eggs
1/2 light brown sugar
1/4 sugar
3 TBL light corn syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla

For the topping:

2 c. sugar
1/2 c. water
1 1/2 TBL light corn syrup
2/3 c. heavy cream
2 TBL butter, at room temperature
1 c. salted peanuts

To Make the Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour an 8" springform pan and cut a piece of parchment paper to fit bottom. Tap out the excess flour. Place the springform pan on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper.

2. Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.

3. In a heat proof bowl over a pan of simmering water, put the butter and chocolate in the bowl and heat, stirring occasionally, until the ingredients are just melted. DO NOT over heat or else the butter will separate the chocolate. Remove the bowl from the heat.

4. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugars together until blended.

5. Whisk in the corn syrup and vanilla.

6. Whisk in the melted butter and chocolate.

7. Whisk in the dry ingredients a little at a time. Mixing ONLY until the chocolate mixture and dry ingredients are blended. You will have a thick, smooth, shiny batter.

8. Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan. Giggle the pan a bit to remove any air bubbles.

9. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until a thin knife inserted in the center comes out ALMOST clean with just a few moist crumbs clinging to the blade.

10. Transfer pan to a rack and cool for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen cake and remove sides of the pan. Cool on a rack until cake reaches room temperature.

The cake may have risen to the top of the pan which is just fine. Don't be concerned if the center collapses a bit or forms a small crater in the center.

11. When the cake is completely cool, invert it and remove the bottom and the piece of parchment. Wash and dry the springform pan and return cake to it right side up. Refasten the sides around the cake.

To Make the Topping:

12. Put the sugar, water and corn syrup in a medium heavy saucepan, stir just to combine the ingredients and then put the pan over medium high heat. Heat, without stirring, until the caramel turns a deep amber 5-10 minutes (mine took about 20 minutes). To test the color of the sugar just drop a bit on a plate. If the syrup is too light it will lack flavor so you want it deeper then say the color of honey.

13. When the syrup has reached the correct color, turn down the heat, stand back a bit and add the butter and cream. The syrup will spatter and bubble up quite a bit so be careful. When the spatters have calmed down stir in the peanuts. Pour the caramel and peanuts into a pyrex measuring cup or heat-proof bowl.

14. You will have more caramel then you need, so spoon out the peanuts and place on top of the cake. After you've removed all the peanuts, spread a another layer of the caramel over the peanuts.

Let the topping set a room temperature about 20 minutes before serving. I reheated the left over caramel, put it in a small glass pitcher and my guests could add a bit more caramel if they wanted. Caramel will keep in the refrigerator and can be reheated in the microwave. It is an excellent topping for ice cream or apple pie.

15. At serving time run a knife between the caramel and the pan and simply remove the sides of the pan. Bring the entire cake to the table so that people can say "Ahhhhh"!


My Review: Well some might go "ahhhhh" but I was disappointed in the cake. The topping was wonderful but the cake could have been much richer. If I was making this dessert again I would use the Mascarpone Brownie recipe and top it with the caramelized peanuts....now that would be out-of-this-world spectacular!

All Rights Reserved 2008 © Big Black Dog

UPDATE...UPDATE...UPDATE !

My Carpenter was here today working on our interior trim and he said my cake was "excellent" and he repeated it several times. So I sent home a BIG piece for his wife too. I am very good to the guys helping to build my home! :))


All Rights Reserved 2008 © Big Black Dog