Chocolate Cinnamon Walnut Brownies With Chocolate Ganache Food

CINNAMON BROWNIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a bowl, whisk cocoa and baking soda; blend in 1/3 cup melted butter. Add boiling water, stirring until thickened. Stir in sugar, eggs, vanilla and remaining butter. Add flour, cinnamon and salt. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs, about 40 minutes. Cool. , For frosting, cream butter in a bowl. Combine cocoa, confectioners' sugar and cinnamon; add alternately with the milk. Beat to a spreading consistency; add vanilla. Add more milk if necessary. Spread over the brownies.

CHOCOLATE CINNAMON-WALNUT BROWNIES WITH CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Steps:

• Set oven to 350 degrees.
• Set oven rack to second-lowest position.
• Butter and lightly dust with flour, an 8 x 8-inch baking dish (preferably metal).
• For brownies: mix the flour, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl.
• On top of a double boiler with simmering water stir chocolate and butter until melted and smooth.
• Turn off heat and let the chocolate stand over the water.
• Using an elecric mixer, beat eggs, vanilla and sugar in a large bowl until mixture thickens (about 5 minutes).
• Stir in flour mixture in two additions, blending well after each addition.
• Gradually add in warm chocolate into mixture, beating until just combined.
• Stir in walnuts.
• Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake for about 35 minutes (might take more or less time) or until top is set, and a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the middle comes out with moist crumbs on it.
• Cool completely in pan on a rack.
• For ganache: Whisk all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until melted and smooth.
• Pour evenly over top of brownies.
• Chill brownies until ganache is set (about 2 hours).
• Store covered in the refrigerator.

SPICY CINNAMON-CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

Steps:

• For the brownies: Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-by-13-inch ceramic or glass baking dish with vegetable oil cooking spray. Line the dish with a 15-inch-square piece of parchment paper, allowing the excess paper to overhang the sides. Spray the parchment paper with vegetable oil cooking spray.
• Blend together the brownie mix, eggs, vegetable oil, 1/4 cup water, cinnamon and cayenne pepper in a large bowl. Beat the mixture for 1 minute using an electric hand mixer on medium speed. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted about 1-inch from the edge of the baking dish comes out clean, 25 to 27 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool for 1 hour.
• For the buttercream: Place the cream and chocolate chips in a medium bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove the bowl from the pan and refrigerate until thick, 20 minutes. Add the butter and cocoa powder and beat the mixture on high speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Spread the buttercream over the cooled brownie layer. Dust with the cinnamon and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Lift the brownie layer from the pan, using the excess paper for handles. Run a thin spatula underneath the brownie layer to loosen it from the parchment paper. Cut into 24 brownies and serve.
• Cook's Note: The buttercream can be made ahead of time. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Allow the buttercream to come to room temperature for 30 minutes then beat until smooth enough to spread.

CHOCOLATE CINNAMON BROWNIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease/spray an 8" square baking pan.
• Beat butter and white sugar and vanilla until creamy; add eggs, one at a time beating well after each.
• In a seperate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa; stir well. Add this flour mixture into the creamed mixture and beat well.
• Spoon half of this batter into the prepared 8" square pan, spreading evenly.
• In a small bowl, stir together brown sugar, nuts and cinnamon. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the 1/2 brownie batter in pan.
• Spoon/dallop remaining brownie batter over top; spread evenly.
• Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes or until toothpick poked in center comes out clean.
• Cool in pan on a wire rack,.