Happy Holidays: Deep-Fried Strawberry-Filled Brownies

Hi all,

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!

Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake

One of my roommates just had a birthday, and I, looking for any excuse to make a dessert, asked him to pick something for me to make. His choice was a cheesecake. More specifically he asked for a strawberry swirl cheesecake, as opposed to a plain cheesecake with a strawberry topping.

Cheesecake and I don't always get along. Don't get me wrong, I love cheesecake. And sure, I can make 'em fine, but often times something goes amiss. But, the man made a request and I endeavored to fulfill it. So I went searching through the internets, and found a recipe that I liked. I liked it because it seemed fairly simple. I wasn't about to get cocky, however, because often times the simplest things to make are the simplest to get wrong. This would not be a cheesecake afflicted by hubris.

I gathered my ingredients together, which was easy enough. Cream cheese, strawberries. graham crackers, etc. I did depart from the recipe slightly in the crust. Nothing big, mind you. But I like my graham cracker crust to have some... character, I guess you'd call it. Rather than use pre-ground crumbs, I take whole crackers and crumble them up by hand in a plastic bag. It makes for a more rustic texture, and I really like it. (OK, I admit, it's also and AB thing)

Other than that, I followed along with the given method, and I didn't have any hiccups. I thought for sure the strawberry sauce wasn't going to work. After all, it's just frozen strawberries and a little cornstarch liquified in a blender and applied with heat. But it turned out well as a sauce, and it swirled into the cheesecake rather nicely.

I'm also happy to say that the waterbath worked correctly for once. I figured out the trick to it: you have to use large sized heavy-duty foil. Anything else will just tear. Yes, I know, it seems obvious doesn't it? But sometimes you learn that the things you miss are often the things that make the most sense. The point is: now I know, and I won't have a repeat of past mishaps. (Trust me, hot water plus graham cracker crust in a leaky springform pan is not fun.)

All said and done, it turned out pretty well, and was quite tasty, so I'll give you a few money-shots to ogle for a while:

Also, it has been pointed out to me that while I have plenty of cooking, I am lacking in shenanigans. Now, I don't want to do crazy just for its own sake (at least not all the time), but I do want to experiment more. So, If anybody has any suggestions on something I can try, let me know. Even if it's, "hey, what would happen if you (insert action here) with that mac and cheese recipe?" It can even be something simple with the challenge of making it more interesting.

Anyway, if you have any thoughts, please post them in the comments section. Thanks everyone!