Opera Singer in the Kitchen: Chocolate Stout Brownies

I finally got a recipe in this week! Yay for this busy mama....I am totally not being sarcastic.

I've been doing a lot of cooking, but the blogging and writing has been really hard especially this week.

Julianne has pulled a different card on us these last 3 weeks and it got a little challenging last night. Perhaps it is a growth spurt or maybe teething but hey, am I supposed to know all the signs now?

As a new mom, I know that I probably know my daughter the best but lately I feel like she knows me too well. For the last 3 weeks she simply refuses to sleep in her crib, so this means that while I work, I am either holding her, having her sleep on my boppy on my lap, or she is sleeping the Moby wrap or Ergo carrier.

Sigh. I feel so bad for my daughter, but I believe she is going through separation anxiety. I have read about it. I understand it completely.She loves feeling the warmth of my hand as she grabs it and holds it with all her might.

I simply cannot know what a baby feels but it really does break my heart. I constantly give her kisses and hugs and tell her how much mama and dadda love her.

As I held her last night, after she really could not sleep at around 4 am, I remember carrying her in my womb. I really feel blessed to have carried her for more than 9 months, and I almost miss being pregnant. I too go through separation anxiety especially since we have had to have an occasional babysitter. It has been hard not to have family around, to really have people you know you can trust.

So, I lean not on the sleepless nights or cranky mornings because I know it is for a time. As I hear my baby girl call out my name (ama) from her crib now at midnight, I know this is a gift I have been given and much is required of me. How will I respond? Taking it one day at a time.

So why am I talking about my life when we have chocolate before our eyes? Well, talking about my week and my life as a new mom helps me as much as baking as well.

This past week I was asked a few baked goods to a reunion party and I decided to make my Rocky Road Bars and a new recipe I stumbled upon last week: Chocolate Stout Brownies

Yes. You might be asking yourself why I made these seeing that St. Patty's is over, but hey, what can I say? I did not get to make anything during that time so I am making up for it, besides, I had a bottle of a double chocolate stout in my fridge and it was calling my name.

While I do claim these as vegan, the only thing that really does not make it vegan is the beer. I photographed the brownies with Guinness, which is not vegan, but in fact I used a double chocolate stout that is also not vegan. Oh, well! If you are hardcore vegan you can find yourself some vegan beer and make these.

These brownies are so fudgy and decadent that I decided to cut them in 16 squares instead of 9 large squares. Do it. You'll thank me and you;ll be proud of how disciplined you are. Yes, that you only had one small square.

Do you enjoy that occasional piece of dark chocolate?

I know I do and this is that one square plus a little more! The espresso granules give the brownies depth and the coconut oil a little tropical flavor, while the stout give it a rich flavor.

Have I tempted you enough? Make it for your next party and I bet you'll it will be a hit.

It's chocolate! Enough said.

Chocolate Stout Brownies

by Noelle Kelly

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Keywords: bake dessert vegan chocolate

Ingredients (Yields one 9×9 pan --16 small)

Brownies

3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon flax, ground
1 cup stout
1 3/4 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate
6 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 Tablespoons So Delicious coconut milk

Stout Glaze

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1/4 cup reduced stout
2 tablespoons coconut oil

Instructions

Place your oven rack on it’s lowest position and preheat your oven to 350F.

For the Brownies

Line an 9 x 9 inch glass baking dish with parchment paper allowing excess parchment paper on opposite sides so you can pull the brownies out of the baking dish later.

Bring stout to a boil in a medium sauce- pan; cook until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 12 minutes. Let cool. Reserve 1/4 cup stout for the glaze.

Stir 2 ounces chocolate and coconut oil in a medium glass bowl and place in microwave. Set for 1 minute on high. Stir mixture until well mixed.

In a small mixing bowl whisk together the water and flax meal. Let it sit for about 3 minutes so it can set.

In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl whisk together the sugar, espresso, vanilla, 1/4 cup of the reduced stout, coconut milk, flax mixture and melted chocolate mixture, mix until smooth and combined. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and mix until just combined. The mixture will become extremely thick.

Spread mixture with a spatula into the glass pan. Bake for 30 minutes and no more. This will be a decadent and fudgy.

Remove from oven and let cool for 30 minutes. Prepare the glaze.

For the Glaze

Stir remaining 4 ounces chocolate and coconut oil in a small glass bowl and melt in the microwave for 45 seconds. Add reserved 1/4 cup reduced stout and mix with a whisk until all combined.

Pour warm glaze over brownies. Let stand at room temperature until glaze is set, about 40 minutes or overnight.