Blueberry Crumb Bars

The month of June is flying by, making me feel like my perception of time is a bit distorted. With Fourth of July already next week, store retailers will soon begin making us think about the fall and winter or social media posts counting down the number of days to certain holidays. Yikes! What ever happened to savoring the season we are in? Just last week all of the herbs and perennials were finished being planted, the hanging baskets filled with flowy ferns were hung, and candles were put in all of the outdoor lanterns. I don't know about you, but this year, I am going to give summer all of the love and respect it deserves. I refuse to be rushed. Which means, amongst other things, the really cool, comfy hoodie and sweatpants I bought (had to have actually) in Martha's Vineyard will just have to wait to be worn until there is a chilly summer night (fingers crossed we have a couple of those this year). And, if for some reason I can't wait to wear them, I suppose I could always put them on and hangout in our chilly basement. Considering I am usually dripping wet after yoga and running, I doubt seriously you will find me sitting out on my back deck wearing my yet to worn Martha's Vineyard attire. The concept of patience and common sense sometimes creeps into my life every now and then.

If there is one fruit I look forward to eating and baking with every summer, other than peaches, it's blueberries. Big, ripe, sweet, beautiful blueberries. It might be my imagination, but summer blueberries look and taste different than the ones found in the grocery stores during those other 'we won't mention their names' seasons.

Apparently I love blueberries so much there are already sixteen recipes on the blog using them! These Blueberry Crumb Bars will bring that blueberry love number to seventeen. The more the merrier for any and blueberry lovers!

There is nothing fussy about making crumb bars. They pack all of the delicious flavor of a pie but without all the labor of love involved in the making of and rolling out a homemade crust. Although sometimes the urge to make a pie is too strong to resist. However, on those days where you crave the taste of homemade dough and baked fruit, and you don't have the time to make pie dough, make a crumb bar. Hey, make these crumb bars!

These Blueberry Crumb Bars are made with FRESH blueberries. Which means you can only make and enjoy them for as long as the blueberry season lasts where you live. 

The crust for these Blueberry Crumb Bars has a kind of, sort of close resemblance to shortbread. Once baked, it's dense and melt in your mouth sugary perfect. The dough for the crust is made in a (large) food processor. If you don't have one, it can be made in a bowl using a fork or a pastry cutter. Whichever method you use, you want your dough to be slightly moist, yet crumbly.

The juice and zest of one lemon gives the blueberry mixture some tartness, the sugar adds a little sweetness, the cornstarch acts as the thickening agent, and the cinnamon brings some warmth to the flavor of the blueberry layer in these crumb bars. Personally, I love pairing cinnamon with blueberries, but it's a completely optional ingredient. If you are a blueberry crumb bar purist, skip it. 

Two thirds of the dough is pressed into the bottom of a pan lined with parchment paper. To make things easier, I usually weigh out the dough and then divide it out. Once two thirds of the dough is pressed into bottom and slightly up the sides of the pan, the blueberry mixture is spread evenly over it. Rather than drop handfuls of the remaining dough on top of the fruit mixture, I like to squeeze some pieces of the dough together to help create a more textured finish to the crumb bars.

The Blueberry Crumb Bars bake in a preheated 400 degree (F) oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until the top layer is golden brown and the berries underneath are bubbling. Baking the crumb bars at a high heat helps to create a more 'crunchy' base and top. I had vacillated between baking them at 350 degrees (F), 375 degrees (F) and 400 degrees (F). After tasting them, I was so happy I trusted my instincts and went with the 400 degree (F) baking temperature. They came out perfect!

Allow the Blueberry Crumb Bars to cool completely before cutting them. They are actually easier to cut after they spend some time chilling in the refrigerator (at least four hours or up to overnight). 

I would say these Blueberry Crumb Bars are really good at room temperature, but they are GREAT chilled. So if you plan to make them for a picnic or next week's Fourth of July gathering, keep them well wrapped in a cooler. 

One of the best things about these Blueberry Crumb Bars is their versatility. They are great as an afternoon snack or dessert, but they are absolutely perfect for breakfast. Imagine starting one of your treasured summer days with a cup of coffee or tea and one of these heavenly Blueberry Crumb Bars. You may never want summer to come to an end. 

Recipe
Blueberry Crumb Bars
Makes 24 two-inch squares

Ingredients
Crust
3 cups (390 g) all-purpose flour
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
1 large egg and 1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar (for sprinkling on top of bars before baking)

Filling
4 cups fresh blueberries
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
4 teaspoons cornstarch
Finely grated zest of one lemon
Juice from one fresh lemon
pinch of kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

Directions
Filling
1. Stir together the blueberries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and cinnamon in a medium-sized bowl.

Crust and Assembly
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees (F). Prepare a 9"x13" baking pan with non-stick spray and parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and kosher salt.
3. Pour dry ingredients into the bowl of a large food processor and add butter. Process until mixture looks crumbly.
4. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla to the flour/butter mixture. Process until the dough starts to come together.
5. Press two-thirds of the dough into the bottom and slightly up the sides of the prepared pan.
6. Pour the blueberry mixture over the dough layer.
7. Sprinkle the remaining one-third of dough over the top of the berries. Note: Squeeze small amounts of the dough as you sprinkled to create a bumpy textured finish to the bars.
8. Sprinkle 2 Tablespoons of granulated sugar over the top.
9. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the top crust is golden brown and berries look thickened.
10. Place baking pan on a cooling rack. Let the bars cool completely in the pan. Cover and then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
11. Remove the blueberry crumb bar slab from the pan. Cut into either squares or bars in desired size. 
12. Serve bars chilled. Store any uneaten bars covered in the refrigerator.

Notes: (1) If you don't want to make the full 9"x13" pan version, cut the recipe in half and use an 8"x8" baking pan. Baking time will be reduced to 30-35 minutes for this sized pan. (2) You can cut the bars after they have cooled to room temperature completely, but they are so much easier to cut after they have chilled.

Azaleas blooming in Little Compton, RI (June 2018)

Grilled Stone Fruit, Prosciutto, and Burrata Crostini

Happy first day of summer! The season of days of endless sunshine, backyard gatherings and barbecues, long lines at the ice cream shops, outdoor concerts, flourishing gardens, picnics, and farmer's market tables abundant with fresh fruits and vegetables has finally arrived. Other than days with high heat and humidity or the occasional days of rain, what is not to love about summer? Some say everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August.

Almost everything tastes better in the summer. Particularly fruits and vegetables. Knowing the season of blueberries, strawberries, cherries, plums, and peaches is short, it's not surprising fruits begin to creatively find their ways into appetizers, salads, as well as, desserts. Three years ago it was the Grilled Peach and Burrata Salad we couldn't get enough of here. Last year the Peach, Tomato, and Burrata Caprese Salad with Basil Drizzle made regular, sometimes, weekly appearances. Even I had to wonder if I knew how to make any other kind of salad. 

This year these Grilled Stone Fruit, Prosciutto, and Burrata Crostini will be another one of the ways I will showcase the deliciousness of the intoxicating taste of ripe peaches and nectarines. Not only do these crostini make great hearty appetizers, they are so versatile they would work well as a light meal. But here's the catch. They beg to be accompanied by a glass or two of wine or prosecco. So if you were looking for a reason to open and share a bottle of our favorite beverage, you now have one!

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This is one of those 'not an exact science' recipes. In other words, the kind of recipe where you aren't weighing or measuring everything out. You could almost make them by just looking at a photo. So the recipe below is only meant to give you some guidance. There is no one right or best way to assemble these crostini as the presentation for these Grilled Stone Fruit, Prosciutto, and Burrata Crostini lends itself to lots of creativity and versatility. Your version might look entirely different than mine.

I couldn't resist buying both nectarines and peaches this week. Originally I intended to make these crostini using only the peaches. Then I thought why not use a combination of both peaches and nectarines. Next time I make them I might use only peaches or only nectarines or return to what I will call the 'original' peach-nectarine aka stone fruit combination. Any of these options will work. Fruit indecisiveness aside, I definitely wanted these crostini to be topped with grilled versus freshly cut fruit. (If you haven't yet tasted grilled stone fruit, you are in for an added treat!) And again, you could make these crostini using either grilled fruit (this gets my vote) or freshly sliced fruit. I would encourage you to make them with grilled fruit at least once as there is nothing quite like the taste and flavor of grilled stone fruit.

One of the best things about having a farmer's market in the town where I live is having access to some incredible freshly made breads. The baguettes are irresistible. But wherever you buy your baguettes, look for ones with a dense, sturdy crumb. The 'soft inside' baguettes don't work as well in the making of crostini. I prefer cutting my baguettes in half inch slices on the diagonal versus rounds. However, you can make these crostini using bread cut either way. 

After lightly brushing olive oil on both sides of the bread, put them on the grill to char and crisp. (See note below for an oven preparation.) The bread doesn't need to be warm when you serve these crostini, so you could make up the bread slices earlier in the day but store in an airtight container. If the weather is humid on the day you are planning to make Grilled Stone Fruit, Prosciutto, and Burrata Crostini you might want to first grill the bread, then grill the fruit.

Like summer fruits and vegetables, I can't seem to get enough burrata either. Once a somewhat hard to find cheese, it's now very accessible in many grocery stores. 

After spreading some of the burrata over the grilled bread, top first with a piece of very thinly sliced prosciutto, then with the grilled stone fruit of your choice. Note; Depending on the size of your prosciutto slices, you either cut them into halves or thirds.

A drizzle of balsamic glaze and julienned fresh basil are the crostini's finishing touches. For an added 'wow' presentation factor, serve these crostini on a large white platter. 

The Grilled Stone Fruit, Prosciutto, and Burrata Crostini may be the most impressive, simple, delicious appetizer you make all summer. Luscious grilled peaches and/or nectarines, freshly grilled bread, salty prosciutto, tart-sweet balsamic glaze, and creamy burrata make for the most amazing sweet-savory flavor eating experience. When served on a large white platter they make rustic look elegant. Destined to be one of those 'disappearing' appetizers, they are yet another reason to love summer.

Recipe
Grilled Stone Fruit, Prosciutto, and Burrata Crostini
Makes 20-22 pieces

Ingredients
2-3 stone fruits (peaches, nectarines, and/or a combination of both), each cut into 8-10 wedges (depending on size)
1 french baguette, sliced on the diagonal in 1/2 inch slices
Olive oil, for brushing bread and fruit
8 ounces burrata, sliced
6-8 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced (cutting each slice into halves or thirds)
Balsamic Glaze, for drizzling
3-4 basil leaves, julienned 

Directions
1. Brush both sides of the bread slices with olive oil. Place on a heated grill pan or outdoor grill setting bread on the diagonal. Grill bread until golden on both sides (approximately 2 minutes per side). Set aside.
2. Brush peach and/or nectarine wedges with olive oil. Place wedges on a heated grill pan or outdoor grill. Grill until fruit has grill marks on both sides (approximately 1-2 minutes per side).
3. Spread some burrata cheese over the top of each bread slice.
4. Place a piece of the prosciutto on one side of the bread and two pieces of the grilled fruit on the other. Place crostini on serving platter.
5. Drizzle balsamic glaze over the finished crostini. Scatter the julienned basil over the crostini. 
6. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Notes: (1) Instead cutting the stone fruit into wedges, cut in half and remove pit. Brush each half with olive oil and place on heated grill. Grill fruit halves until slightly charred (3-4 minutes). (2) Use fresh fruit slices instead of grilled ones. (3) Instead of burrata could use goat cheese. Whip 8 ounces of goat cheese with 2 Tablespoon of whipping cream until creamy and spreadable. (4) If you can't find balsamic glaze, bring one cup of balsamic vinegar over medium-high heat to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the vinegar has reduced to 1/4 cup and is thickened and glossy (approximately 15-20 minutes of cooking time). Remove from heat and let cool before using. (5) If you don't have a grill available, make the crostini a preheated 400 degree (F) oven. Bake slices for 12-15 minutes or until crisp.

Spiced Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

The towering stacks of unread and partially read books sitting on my nightstand are finally starting to dwindle down to less overwhelming piles. I wasn't much of a reader until my early twenties. Which may explain in part why I get as much enjoyment from reading a book as I do in holding it, tabbing the pages with passages I want to go back to, and keeping my place with a postcard bookmark. Yes, even in this digital age, I am a hardcover book holdout. I have tried downloading books before, however, the reading experience wasn't the same, at least it wasn't the same for me. The thought of lessening the weight in my carry-on travel bags hasn't been enough of an incentive to get me to abandon my affinity for hard cover books. Nor has waiting for a couple of days for a new book to arrive in the mail made my impatient self envious of those who get access to a book in a matter of minutes. 

Considering how many of my books are long past their 'should have already been read by now' due date, I have unilaterally imposed a conditional, temporary new book purchase moratorium. Which means if I discover a new book, one have a compelling theme or story, or learn one of my favorite authors releases a new book before I finish the books I already own, I will lift the book buying ban. But if a book doesn't meet either of those two standards, it goes on my Amazon wish list. A list that seems to have a taken on a life of its own. Thankfully there isn't a quota on the number of book titles one can save. Or if there is, I haven't hit it yet. 

Unlike books, bananas do have a shelf life. There was an excessive heat warning this past weekend, but when you have perfectly ripe bananas, turning on the oven on a brutally hot day isn't a deterrent. Throwing those ripe bananas away would have felt like I had committed a crime. There were three perfectly ripe bananas sitting in a bowl. Exactly the number I needed for this Spiced Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Icing. Many of the recipes I post on the blog are slight adaptations to ones I have found, ones given to me by friends, or mash-ups of a multitude of recipes. Then there are some I can claim as my very own creations. Ones I can honestly say I have authored. It's a good day in the kitchen when the ingredients you put down on paper transform themselves into something so delicious, so close to (cake) perfection, you want to pinch yourself. I promise not to show you photographs of the bruises my body experienced in the making of this cake.

Cinnamon and cardamom, two of my favorite spice combinations, are one of things making this banana cake different than most others. I had tinkered with the idea of using only cinnamon, but my Swedish DNA wouldn't let me. Not this time anyway. 

The assembly of this cake follows along somewhat traditional cake making guidelines, but with a few caveats. Beginning with beating the butter and sugars together. If you allow at least 5 minutes of whipping time for the butter and sugars you will be rewarded with a light, fluffy, creamy mixture. One perfect the eggs to be added in one at a time. Instead of sifting the dry ingredients, they only need to be whisked together. The whisked dry ingredients and the milk are added in alternately (for a total of five additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture). The mashed bananas are not folded in until the very end. 

The result of, or I should say reward for following all of these steps will be a beautiful, thick cake batter. Based on the texture of the batter alone you know it's baked texture will be something to beholden.

Choosing the size and shape of the cake pan was a decision I didn't take lightly. I considered using a 9"x13" rectangular cake pan, a 10.5" springform pan, and a 10" traditional cake pan. All of these would work (with slight variations in baking times), but the 10" round one won out not for any good reason. Baking time for this sized pan was somewhere between 45 and 50 minutes in a preheated 350 degree (F) oven. The color on the top of the baked cake was spectacular. 

With chocolate, peanut butter, mascarpone, buttercream, and cream cheese icings as possibilities for this spiced banana cake, there was yet another decision to be made. The cinnamon and cardamom actually helped to narrow it down from five to three. Had there not been any spice in this banana cake, there would have been five competing options. So why did I go with the cream cheese icing? Mostly because I do love its' flavor and texture, but partly because I had a healthy inventory of cream cheese in the refrigerator (the cream cheese someone thought would be put to best use in a cheesecake). But honestly, a mascarpone icing would be equally lovely on this spiced banana cake. So if you have a favorite recipe for it, go ahead and make it. Then, technically I suppose, you could claim this cake as one of your creations!

I got a little carried away decorating the cake. My initial vision was to ice the top, creating swirls with the back of a spoon or an offset spatula and topping with some fresh white flowers. And had my grocery store had some beautiful white peonies, I would have stayed with my first thought. But they didn't. So I went with Plan B: pastry bags and an assortment of pastry tubes. Depending on the 'look' you are going for when serving this cake, it can be finished simply or all gussied up. Ether way, this Spiced Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Icing will get everyone's attention when you bring it to the table. And if by chance it is sitting out with other cake options, everyone will be drawn to this one. 

This Spiced Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Icing is everything a great cake should be. It's flavorful, moist, has the most incredible crumb, the perfect sweetness offset by subtle spice, and a great frosting to cake ratio. And lastly, there is something irresistibly nostalgic about it. In other words, if you are a big fan of bananas, this is THE banana cake you want to make. If there was a county or state fair nearby, I would be entering this cake in it. I would use the blue ribbon as a book mark.

I would tell you this cake shouldn't just be eaten for dessert, but it could also be eaten for breakfast. For those of you who subscribe to the thinking 'if a cake is made with fruit' it qualifies as a breakfast food, you and I are kindred spirits. Who knows, we may even have read some of the same books! As a side note, here are some of my recent favorites: "The Great Alone" (Kristin Hannah); "A Gentleman in Moscow" (Amor Towles); "A Woman in the Window" (A.J. Finn); "Little Fires Everywhere" (Celeste Ng); "Before We Were Yours" (Lisa Wingate): "The Female Persuasion" (Meg Wolitzer); "Let Your Mind Run" (Deena Kastor); and "No Barriers: A Blind Man's Journey to Kayak the Grand Canyon" (Eric Weihenmayer). 

Recipe
Spiced Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

Ingredients
Cake
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups (260 g) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup whole milk
3 very ripe bananas (13-14 ounces in weight with skins on), peeled and mashed

Icing
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 pound cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 pounds confectionary sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla
Generous pinch of kosher salt

Directions
Cake
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Spray a 10 inch round cake pan with baking spray and line with parchment paper. Alternately prepare a 9 inch x 13 inch cake pan or 10.5" springform pan. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy (approximately 5-6 minutes).
3. Add in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Mix in vanilla.
5. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and cardamom.
6. Alternately add the dry ingredients and milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, for a total of five additions. Mix until well blended.
7. Mix in mashed bananas.
8. Pour cake batter into the prepared pan. Smooth top with an offset spatula.
9. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the cake comes out clean. Note: Baking time for a cake make in a 9 inch x 13 inch  rectangular pan will have a shorter baking time. Begin checking for doneness at 30 minutes.
10. Remove cake from oven and set pan on a cooling rack. Allow the cake to rest in the pan for 10 minutes.
11. Invent the cake onto a cake stand and/or platter. Allow the cake to cool completely to room temperature before icing.

Icing
1. In a standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth and fluffy.
2. Beat in vanilla and kosher salt.
3. Initially on low speed beat in sifted confectionary sugar. Once the confectionary sugar is fully incorporated, increase speed to medium-high, beating icing until smooth and fluffy.
4. Spread a thin layer of icing over the top of the cooled cake. Using a pastry bag fitted with the pastry tips of your choice, pipe on remaining frosting. Alternately, spread icing evenly over the top and sides of cake, using an offset spatula or spoon to create a swirled effect on top of the cake.

Notes: (1) Instead of using both cinnamon and cardamom in this banana cake, can use only cinnamon. Increase cinnamon to one teaspoon. (2) Store cake loosely covered in the refrigerator. Serve slightly chilled or remove from the refrigerator at least one hour before serving.

Little Compton, Rhode Island (June 2018)

Triple Chocolate Milky Fudgy Brownies

Not every day is great, best ever, or outstanding. Some days are really, really good; some are just good enough;, some are not so good; and, some are downright bad. Just as in life, not every brownie is oh-my-god so crazy good; best-ever; mouthwatering; over the top; killer; drop the mic delicious; beyond amazing; or epic. Some of them are just okay; some leave us wondering why we even took a bite; some are overdone; some are underbaked; and, some are just not very good at all. So when we come upon a brownie encouraging us to plant our faces into the entire platter, we realize we have discovered brownie nirvana. And shortly after the first bite of what we consider a 'to-die-for' brownie, we start doing out best day ever happy dance. Who knew that simply indulging in rich, chocolately, fudgy brownies could shift how we perceive the day. These unicorn brownies are like magical 'makes everything better' bandaids. They can make a bad day good or turn a good day into a great one.

Last week I had one of those brownie inspired great days. And I am giving all the credit to these euphoria inducing Triple Chocolate Milky Fudgy Brownies.

The day I discovered Ina Garten's Outrageous Brownies, I thought I didn't need any other brownie recipe in my life. But then I made some Marbled Cheesecake Brownies and decided I could make room in my brownie loving life for another one. Mindy Segal's Chocolate Brittle Brownies (aka Barter Brownies) forced me to reconsider living a two brownie life. Then along came the Raspberry Truffle Brownies and Raspberry Brownies. Well, aren't chocolate and raspberries an almost irresistible flavor combination? With five brownie recipes already competing for my brownie loving attention, did I really need one more? Maybe it was my curiosity over the taste of sweetened condensed milk swirled through a brownie batter made with three kinds of chocolate that had me saying yes, yes, yes.

These Triple Chocolate Milky Fudgy Brownies were either going to be an epic win or epic failure. There is no gray in my brownie world. In an effort to discount my personal bias, I decided to bring them to the Thursday night running group. My overly confident, tentative epic designation turned out to be validated by more than eight runners. Clearly I this used a highly scientific taste testing methodology for vetting these brownies! Based on both their feedback and my own personal high, persnickety brownie standards, I have decided to shift my favorite brownie recipe order of preference. Additionally, it would now be safe to say I have now reached my brownie recipe limit. 

Technically there are three kinds of chocolate in these brownies. Unsweetened cocoa powder and dark or bittersweet chocolate are combined with melted butter before being mixed into the lusicous batter. Dark or bittersweet chocolate chips add even more chocolate flavor and texture to the baked brownies. If you can, use a larger sized chocolate chip in these brownies (I like the Ghiradelli Bittersweet Chocolate Chips). Before assembling the batter, make the butter/chocolate mixture as it will need a little time to cool slightly.

The assembly technique is a bit different from all of my other favorite brownie recipes. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, the granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, kosher salt, instant espresso powder, and eggs are all beaten together until the batter is thick and fluffy. It will take at least eight minutes for the batter to achieve this consistency. After the butter/chocolate mixture is blended in, the flour is folded in (in three additions). Finally, the chocolate chips are hand mixed in. The brownie batter is much thicker than a cake batter but not as uber thick as I thought it might be. 

The idea for the addition of sweetened condensed milk to the brownies actually came from a Stella Parks brownie recipe. Although, originally I was going to make them using dulce de leche. Only I couldn't find the brand I wanted to use. In hindsight, I am glad I made these Triple Chocolate Milky Fudgy Brownies using the sweetened condensed milk first. 

After dropping 12 large dollops of sweetened condensed milk on top of the brownie batter, I used a chopstick (you could also use a butter knife) to gently swirl it in. Some of the sweetened condensed milk will sink into the brownie batter (and you want that to happen). However, be careful not over swirl as you want some of the sweetened condensed milk to be visible on top of the brownies after they are baked.

In a preheated 350 degree (F) oven, it will take somewhere between 45-50 minutes for these Triple Chocolate Milky Fudgy Brownies to bake. When the edges of the pan begin to show some crackling and the center is set (not wobbly), the brownies are ready to be removed from the oven. Once cooled completely, they can be cut into squares or small bites. However, I would highly recommend you place the cooled brownies in the refrigerator to allow them to chill. Not only are they easier to cut, their texture and flavor increases exponentially. 

Some of the sweetened condensed milk will pool into the middle and bottom of the brownie. The taste of the creaminess of the sweetened condensed milk inside the dense, fudgy brownie texture is what makes these brownies so dangerously delicious. 

I tasted these brownies cooled to room temperature and chilled. It took all of my restraint and then some not to eat them warm right out of the pan. Honestly, I think they are at their bestest after being chilled. But I wouldn't refuse to eat one at room temperature.

As with any baked good, we all have our own definition of what makes something epic. Particularly when it comes to brownies. Case in point. My sister and I are perfect examples of two people who share the same DNA, yet who sometimes have very different opinions on cookies, cakes, candies, and, of course, brownies. In spite of not seeing whether or not she agreed with me about these brownies, I am still confident your level of brownie fussiness will permanently change after you take a bite of these. Whether you throw out all of your other brownie recipes or rearrange their order from bestest to goodest, you will want these brownies in your life. Especially if want to turn a bad day into a good day or a good day into a great one!

Recipe
Triple Chocolate Milky Fudgy Brownies

Ingredients
8 ounces dark or bittersweet chocolate (at least 60% cocoa), chopped
2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup (16 Tablespoons, 226g) unsalted butter
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (52 g) light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 Tablespoon vanilla
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon instant espresso
4 large eggs, cold from the refrigerator
1 cup (130 g) all-purpose flour
1 cup (6 1/2 ounces) semi-sweet or bittersweet (60% cocao) chocolate chips 
1/2 to 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk (approximately a half can of sweetened condensed milk)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line a 9" inch square metal baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a medium sized pan, melt the butter completely. Reduce heat to low and add in the chopped chocolate and cocoa powder. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
3. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, vanilla, instant espresso, and eggs. Beat until thick and fluffy (approximately 8 minutes).
4. Reduce speed to low and pour in slightly cooled, but still warm chocolate mixture. Mix until no chocolate streaks remain.
5. Using a spatula, fold the flour mixture in three additions until well combined.
6. Mix in the chocolate chips.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. 
8. Dollop 9-12 Tablespoons of the sweetened condensed milk evenly over the batter. Using a chop stick or knife, create swirls by dragging the milk through the batter.
9. Bake the brownies for 45-50 minutes or just until center has set. Note: The center will not be as firm as the sides of the brownies. 
10. Let brownies cool completely. Remove from pan and cut into even squares. Highly recommend chilling the brownies before cutting and serving so they are at their fudgiest!
11. You can serve these brownies at room temperature, but they are at their epic best chilled.
12. Store brownies covered in the refrigerator.

Notes: (1) Instead of using sweetened condensed milk could also use Dulce de Leche and/or peanut butter. (2) I used Trader Joe's unsweetened cocoa powder. (3) I used the Ghiradelli bittersweet (60% cocao) chocolate chips. They are a slightly larger sized chocolate chip.

A harbor in Newport, Rhode Island on a gray day and a blue sky day. (June 2018)