I completed every recipe selected by the Sweet Melissa group in 2009. After the group’s holiday break I was excited to start up again at the beginning of the year, but then the second week of January I did not make a pie with the chocolate pie crust chosen that week. I got as far as the dough, and then just didn’t really feel like making a pie, so I didn’t (I still have pie dough in my freezer, which means I really should either make a pie very soon or cut my losses on the dough). Josh wisely reminded me that I do not need to pressure myself to make the recipes for both my baking groups every single week and I should skip a week here and there if it’s not something I want to make.
The Black Bottom Brownies chosen for Sweet Melissa Sundays this week would definitely be a recipe I’d deem skip-able, as it has been well-documented on this blog that, though I don’t mind making them, there is not a huge demand for cheesecake around here, and we received some very yummy brownies in the mail from this round of Secret Baker. I happened to have exactly two ounces of cream cheese in my refrigerator, though, which would probably otherwise go to waste and is enough for one-eighth of the Black Bottom Brownie recipe, so I forged ahead.
The one-eighth of a recipe (which is not as ridiculously small as it sounds – I have made many quarter recipes in the same five-inch pan) yielded four good-sized brownies and took about forty-five minutes to bake. The cheesecake layer was disproportionately smaller than brownie layer, which was the desirable outcome in this household. I had a couple bites and didn’t taste much cheesecake, just lots of chocolate and sugar! Josh enjoyed one while he was watching football this afternoon and is wondering how they’ll be with ice cream later tonight. He rated these brownies an 8 for Deliciousness and I gave them a 2.5 for Effort, giving them an EDR of 3.2. Many thanks to Cynthia of the Baking Therapist for hosting this week and getting me to use an ingredient that otherwise would have been thrown away. The recipe can be found here on Cynthia’s site and be sure to stop by the SMS blogroll to see more brownies.
wow 1/8 of a recipe. My cheesecake part was small too because I halved it and somehow it just didn't fit into the pan I wanted it to. Oh well. It happens! It looks good though!
ReplyDeleteI really admire your dedication to your baking groups. I am such a slacker sometimes, and I feel so badly about it. Enough about me, though, this is about your brownies. They look so playful and pretty. I'm impressed that you made 1/8 of the recipe, too. That's some math! I really wanted to make these, but I didn't get a chance. I might try to make them this week.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you tried this recipe. Good to know it works with 1/8 of the recipe. The brownies look really good. Did you like them better with ice cream on top?
ReplyDeleteYou've done better than I have with this group- I missed this recipe (I agree, it is okay to skip every once in awhile!). Glad you got to use up ingredients and it had a good cheescake to brownie ratio!
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures Margot! The brownies look really wonderful, especially since the preferred brownie layer is so thick! I considered making 1/8 of the recipe but I usually scale recipes back based on the eggs and if I recall, it was just easier to do 1/4. I hate splitting up eggs, but sometimes it's necessary.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you guys are enjoying the brownies :)
It's funny to see how differently everyone handled this recipe! Great job on yours. I thought the cheesecake layer would be overwhelming, but I thought they complemented each other nicely.
ReplyDeleteAre those giant chocolate chips, or do they just look that way. I need to start baking smaller versions of all the goodies I bake. Your brownies look delish!
ReplyDelete@Hanaa: Josh decided to have his dessert in two courses: brownies, then ice cream, 'cos he decided they didn't go together.
ReplyDelete@Susan: They're Ghiradelli chocolate chips, which I think are pretty big.
Looks so good with those big chocolate chips on top! Mine all sank - wish they floated on top like yours, adds such a nice looking touch!
ReplyDeleteFirstly, I am so impressed that you didn't miss any 2009 recipes - I think I missed about 4 or 5... Secondly, 1/8 of a recipe?! That is dedication. I skipped this one. I love cheesecake and brownies, but hadn't heard great things about these...
ReplyDeleteI too am learning the fine art of making exceptionally small batches of goodies. After all, how much can you really eat?
ReplyDeleteOne eighth? You're my math hero! Josh is very wise but it is sometimes difficult not to feel like you're bailing on people if you don't make their recipe. I could have skipped this one, but more because I don't like the brownie-cheesecake combo.
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