I'm not a huge fan of Valentine's Day. I never have been, not since I was a kid. Back then, it was all about paper valentines and candy in class. And I liked that, because there was a lot less pressure, and plus, it was about the food. I say, why not make it be just about the food once more? So I came up with something tasty.
That's right: I deep-fried a brownie. It's like the State Fair without all the walking around. You may ask why? You may say I'm mad. I say what better way to pay tribute to a celebration of the heart than by clogging your arteries a little. So there!
The cool thing about this is that it's relatively simple, although I did hit a few bumps along the way. But they were generally agreed to be delicious, so I'll let you the reader be the judge.
THE INGREDIENTS!!!
1 box deluxe brownie mix
All the fixings needed to make said brownies (oil, water, eggs)
8 small strawberries, stems removed and cut in half longways
1 good beer (I used Young's Double-Chocolate Stout. Because why not?)
2 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
THE METHOD!!!
Mix a batch of brownie batter. I followed the suggestion on the box for "thicker brownies" which meant less water and an extra egg, but follow your heart here. Submerge the strawberry halves in the brownie batter. I went with a simple four-by-four grid. You can try to mess with the size but I don't recommend it. Bake the brownies as the box commands you. After the brownies have completely cooled, cut into 16 individual pieces.
Combine the flour, salt and baking powder together in a mixing bowl, then slowly incorporate the beer. Whisk together, then let the batter sit for about 10 minutes so all the flour can hydrate. Coat each brownie in batter, then deep fry at 350 for two to three minutes or until done. Drain on paper towels, then dust with powdered sugar. Consume.
Simple, right? Ok, I'll admit, the beer batter was way too thick for practical use. I had to try a variety of methods for coating the brownies, because dunking them just wasn't as effective as I'd like it to be. The tricky little buggers didn't want to hold together too well. I ended up placing each brownie on top of the batter, then spooning some over top to coat. Still, it was tricky. In the end though, I call them a success, because they tasted wonderful (think chocolate funnel cake) and were more or less bad for you, which makes them even better.
Anyway, let me know what you think!
Thanks for reading. Go forth an eat well!
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