TWD: (Not) White Chocolate Brownies with Brown Butter Frosting

Marthe of Culinary Delights selected White Chocolate Brownies on pages 110 and 111 of THE BOOK. I am the hugest white chocolate fan ever. I'll pick vanilla over chocolate hands-down anyday. I should have been all over these but silly me, I forgot to buy white chocolate. The lack of white chocolate combined with my aversion to meringue meant that these evolved into milk chocolate brownies with brown butter frosting. I also added a crushed Ritz cracker crust for that salty/sweet balance. I'm glad I did as the brownie itself was pretty sweet.

On a side note to White Chocolate Lovers (or Haters, we'll convert you lol ): I beg you to try a warm (Copycat) Moxie's Restaurant White Chocolate Brownie dressed up with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream and hot fudge sauce. Let me just say one more thing to convince you: the recipe for a 9" pan calls for 1/2 lb. white chocolate plus 1/2 cup more chocolate chips!



Brownies with Brown Butter Frosting
9x13 pan | Adapted significantly from Dorie Greenspan

2 cups crushed Ritz crackers
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted

2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup finely ground almonds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, cut into 8 pieces
4 ounces milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup raspberries

1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 9-x-13-inch pan. Combine crushed crackers, sugar and melted butter. Press into bottom of pan.

2. Whisk together the flour, ground almonds and salt. Melt butter and white chocolate using a double boiler.

3. Cream together butter and sugar. Add the eggs and beat on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes, or until pale and foamy. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and blend in the melted butter and chocolate. Still working on low, mix in the dry ingredients, stirring only until they disappear into the batter. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the raspberries evenly over the batter.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the brownies pull away from the sides of the pan. Transfer the pan to a rack and allow to cool to room temperature in the pan. Frost with brown butter frosting when completely cool.

*Kept in the pan and covered lightly with plastic wrap, the brownies can be kept at room temperature overnight. Or wrap the brownies airtight and keep them at room temperature for up to 3 days and frozen for up to 2 months.

Brown Butter Frosting
Real Simple, May 2007

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon corn syrup

1.Brown the butter: Melt the butter in a skillet or small saucepan over medium heat. Swirl or stir the butter with a wooden spoon as it starts to foam and sputter. Remove the butter from the heat as soon as it begins to turn golden brown and smells nutty, about 1 minute. Strain through a fine sieve or coffee filter and let cool to room temperature.

2.Meanwhile, place the confectioners' sugar, milk, and corn syrup in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk. Beat to combine.

3.With the mixer on medium, drizzle in the brown butter a little at a time, waiting until it is absorbed before adding more. Beat in another teaspoon of milk to make the frosting creamier, if necessary.