Black Cherry Brownies Food

BOURBON, BLACK CHERRY & BACON BROWNIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. In a small pan, warm (don't boil) the cherries in the bourbon, then leave to infuse for at least 20 mins.
• Meanwhile, mix the cinnamon with the maple syrup and brush both sides of the bacon with it. Lay the rashers on a rack set over a roasting tin covered in foil and roast, basting occasionally with the syrup, for about 20 mins until they look nicely browned. Take them out and leave to cool completely on the rack while you make the brownie mixture.
• Follow your chosen recipe to make the brownie mixture and heat oven to the required temperature. Drain the bourbon-soaked cherries and add them to the brownie mixture. Chop the bacon into little pieces (it will crumble very easily) and add to the mixture too, stirring everything together. Bake as per the recipe, then leave to cool completely before dusting with cocoa and slicing into squares.

CHERRY BROWNIES FROM SCRATCH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking pan.
• Mix sugar, oil, and almond extract together in a large bowl until well blended.
• Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in another bowl; stir into sugar mixture until combined. Beat in 1/2 of the cherries using an electric mixer until moistened. Fold in remaining cherries. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until brownies spring back when gently touched, 25 to 30 minutes.

VEGAN CHERRY & ALMOND BROWNIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 31⁄2. Grease and line a 20cm square tin with baking parchment. Combine the flaxseed with 6 tbsp water and set aside for at least 5 mins.
• In a saucepan, melt the chocolate, coffee and margarine with 60ml water on a low heat. Allow to cool slightly.
• Put the flour, almonds, cocoa, baking powder and 1⁄4 tsp salt in a bowl and stir to remove any lumps. Using a hand whisk, mix the sugar into the melted chocolate mixture, and beat well until smooth and glossy, ensuring all the sugar is well dissolved. Stir in the flaxseed mixture and vanilla extract, the cherries and then the flour mixture. It will now be very thick. Stir until combined and spoon into the prepared tin. Bake for 35-45 mins until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean with moist crumbs. Allow to cool in the tin completely, then cut into squares. Store in an airtight container and eat within 3 days.

BLACK FOREST BROWNIES

Steps:

• Grease a 30 x 20cm cake tin and line with parchment. Heat oven to 180C/ 160C fan/gas 4. Mix the coffee with 2 tbsp boiling water, then set aside to cool.
• Cream the butter and sugar together for about 5 mins until light and fluffy, then add the eggs, one at a time, incorporating well after each addition. In a separate bowl, combine the cocoa powder and the flour. Add in the cherry essence and cooled coffee to the butter mixture, followed by the dry ingredients. Mix well, then fold in the cherries.
• Spoon into the prepared tin, level the top with the back of a spoon and bake in the centre of the oven for 30-35 mins or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Leave to cool completely in the tin.
• Once cool, melt the dark chocolate in the microwave or over a pan of simmering water, then spread in an even layer over the top of the brownies.
• While the chocolate is setting, mix the butter with the icing sugar and a few drops of green food colouring. Put the buttercream in a piping bag fitted with a writing tip nozzle. Cut the brownies into 20 squares, place two glacé cherry halves on top of each one and use the buttercream to create the cherry stem.