Some Experimenting: Gluten-free Carrot Cake, Tartine Brownies and Chocolate Chip Cookies

So I tried some things. I tried to do a little gluten-free baking, tried a new brownie recipe (one of the peculiar dislikes of mine) and I tried a variation of good old fashioned chocolate chip cookies. Out of the three, I would only make one again.

For the Gluten-free carrot cake, there was a major problem. It came out super dry. It tasted delicious, but the consistency was all wrong. When I made a trip to target and was browsing through the cookbooks, I looked at a few gluten-free recipes and they had a lot more wet ingredients in their recipes than the one I used. (Goes to show internet doesn't know everything). So I won't post the recipe until I tweek it a bit. It did look pretty though:

Next I made brownies, from Divine Baking. Now, you all should know that I do not like brownies. I am picky (as seen from my dislike of oatmeal and peanut butter cookies and brownies). BUT, but, these are delicioussss. I won't say anymore, just that you must make these the next time you think about making brownies:

Tartine Brownies Recipe

Adapted From Tartine

3/4 cup butter
1 pound bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 large eggs (the original recipe calls for five eggs, but I don't like tall brownies)
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups nuts, optional for topping

Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate. If the heat from the butter does not fully melt the chocolate, put the pan back over the heat for 10 seconds and stir until melted. Set aside to cool.

Sift the flour into a small mixing bowl. Set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Using a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat on high speed until the mixture thickens and becomes pale in color and falls from the beater in a wide ribbon that folds back on itself and slowly dissolves on the surface, 4 to 5 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, fold the cooled chocolate into the egg mixture. Add the flour and fold it in quickly but gently with the rubber spatula so that you don’t deflate the air that’s been incorporated into the eggs.

Pour the batter into the prepared dish and smooth the top with a spatula. If you are using nuts, evenly distribute them across the batter. Bake until the top looks slightly cracked and feels soft to the touch, about 25 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

Using a sharp knife, cut into 12 squares, or size desired. The brownies will keep in an airtight container in a cool place for up to 1 week.

*I also added some instant espresso to enhance the chocolate!

Then I made chocolate chip cookies. Instead of the normal cookies, I whipped the butter. This made them a little but more cakey. I don't like cakey cookies, cause they can't be doughy and cakey. But if you like cakey cookies, definitely whip the butter and then follow the original recipe.

But enough of that, I'm returning to my roots and makin some fluffy buttermilk biscuits and gravy! Check back for more recipes!