Brownie Buttons

So it’s only been a few weeks since I made these cute little things – sue me! 😉 Things got a little hectic here and with much of my blogging focus over the past couple of weeks going to my Tuesdays with Dorie recipes, I must say that I may have slightly neglected the recipes and photos that have been waiting in line to be blogged about. In addition to lack of time, as many of you have most likely already noticed, I’ve change my blog address and am now being hosted by wordpress so my learning curve of all things new here is a bit slow. I’ve had some issues with loading photos using the correct dimensions and it doesn’t help that I’m pretty severely tech-challenged with it comes to things like this.

Anywho…this little brownie buttons recipe was the last recipe I made from Baking: My Home to Yours before I joined Tuesdays with Dorie. I had taken a day off from work and really needed something sweet. The weather was bad and I didn’t feel like trekking out to the grocery store so I scoured the pantry and came up with all the necessities for this recipe. The recipe was a simple one and was one that yielded pretty basic little brownies; the most significant difference between these buttons and regular brownies was that they are coated in white chocolate. I know that there are generally two sides to the brownie debate: middle or edge, right? I’m a lover of edges and I’ve even been tempted to buy a special brownie pan that I saw a few months back where there was no middle of the pan – just edges for the brownies to cook. So the best part about these little buttons is that because they are made mini-muffin tins, you get an edge with each button!! That’s what I call a treat! Glorious edges aside, these brownies were good but not fantastic…or outrageous. I’m not sure I’d make them again but will consider it once this recipe makes it’s way to the top of the TWD recipe list.

Brownie Buttons

source: Dorie Greenspan, Baking: From My Home to Yours

• grated zest of 1/2 orange (optional)
• 1 tsp sugar (optional)
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 stick (4 tbsp) unsalted butter cut into 4 pieces
• 2 1/2 oz bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1/3 cup (packed) light brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 large egg

For the optional glaze: 2 oz white chocolate, finely chopped

Getting Ready:

1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter two miniature muffin pans, each with a dozen cups, and place them on a baking sheet.
2. If you’re using the orange zest, combine the zest and sugar in a small bowl, rubbing them between your fingertips to blend; set aside. Whisk together the flour and salt.
3. Melt the butter, chocolate and brown sugar in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over very low heat, stirring frequently with a heatproof spatula and keeping an eye on the pan so nothing overheats and burns. When the mixture is smooth, remove from the heat and cool for a minute or two.
4. Stir the vanilla, egg and the zest, if you’re using it, into the chocolate mixture. When the mixture is well blended, add the flour and stir only until it is incorporated. You should have a smooth, glossy batter.
5. Spoon the batter into 16 of the muffin cups, using about a teaspoon of batter to fill each cup three-quarters full. Put 1 teaspoon of water in each empty cup.
6. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, or until the tops of the buttons spring back when touched. Transfer the pans to racks to cool for 3 minutes before carefully releasing the buttons. Cool to room temperature on the racks.

To Make the Optional Glaze:

1. Melt the chocolate n a small heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir constantly and don’t leave the chocolate for even a minute – white chocolate scorches easily. As soon as the chocolate is smooth, remove from the heat.
2. One by one, dip the tops of the buttons into the chocolate, twirling the buttons so that you get a little swirl at the center of each one and the excess chocolate drips back into the bowl. Refrigerate the buttons for 15 minutes to set the glaze.

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