Molasses Brownies with Pho (yes, Pho!) Spices
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Author Notes: When this contest was first announced, I immediately thought of making a brownie featuring tart cherries, star anise and chocolate, which I use together in a sundae sauce, the recipe for which I posted here in 2010. But then as I started thinking about the star anise, I was reminded of the exquisite trio of star anise, cinnamon and ginger used to create a fragrant broth in a (contest winning) pho recipe by WinniAb. To make these, I've adapted the fudge-y “Chocolate Molasses Brownie” recipe in the 1943 “The Joy of Cooking”. You can make these in an 8 x 8 pan or, for a prettier dessert, bake them in a 9” round pan. We like them topped them with vanilla-scented whipped cream, but vanilla ice cream would also work well. Either way, enjoy!! ;o)
- AntoniaJames
Food52 Review: Go out and make these brownies RIGHT NOW! While the recipe says the white pepper is optional, I recommend it. There is so much going on in these brownies but it works, and each bite reveals another of the great flavors in this recipe. I couldn't help myself and added some chunks of dark chocolate to the batter before baking. Don't forget the vanilla whipped cream, it's the perfect topping for these delicious brownies. - cgilsbach
Makes one 8 x 8 pan or one 9" round pan
- 1/2 cup dried tart cherries
- 2 tablespoons bourbon
- ½ cup butter
- 2 ½ ounces dark chocolate
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- 1/3 cup molasses
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground star anise (toast gently before grinding)
- ½ teaspoon Saigon cinnamon (use more if not using a Vietnamese cinnamon)
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper (optional)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ cup chopped crystallized ginger (or more or less, to taste)
- 2 eggs
- Vanilla whipped cream or ice cream for topping (see note below)
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease an 8 x 8 square or 9” round pan. (When using a round pan, I find a springform to be handy for this. When using a square pan, I line it with a sling of parchment pager for easier removal.)
- Finely chop the cherries and combine with the bourbon in a small bowl. Use a pinch of regular sugar on the cherries if they stick too much to the knife while you're chopping them.
- Melt the butter and chocolate in a medium, heavy saucepan. Add the sugar and molasses and stir well.
- While the chocolate and butter are cooling, whisk together all of the dry ingredients.
- Add the vanilla, the crystallized ginger and the cherries with their soaking liquid to the chocolate and butter in the saucepan. Stir well to combine thoroughly.
- Beat the eggs very lightly using a fork just until they are a uniform color. (I do this in the bowl I used to soak the cherries.) Add the beaten eggs to the saucepan. Using a large spoon, stir well to combine all of the ingredients. Don’t beat too hard, unless you want a crackly top on your brownies (which I understand is actually a meringue, created by beating the batter very hard once you’ve added the eggs).
- Add the dry ingredients and stir just until the batter is well mixed. Do not overbeat.
- Put the batter into the greased pan and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick stuck into the center comes out clean. (The toothpick may be just a bit wet, but it should not have any batter on it.)
- Allow to cool for at least an hour before removing from the pan and slicing.
- Top with a generous dollop or two of vanilla whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
- Enjoy!! ;o)
- N.B. The JOC recipe calls for ½ cup each of white sugar and molasses, 2/3 cup sifted flour, and does not include the cherries, bourbon, ginger or any of the spices.
- Star anise can be a very "loud" spice when fresh, so if yours is not freshly (or recently) ground, consider adding a bit more. It depends really on how much you like the taste of star anise, which holds its own even in a recipe like this, with so many other strong flavors.
- To make vanilla whipped cream, rub the seeds from ½ a vanilla pod into 2 tablespoons of sugar before you begin making the brownies. If you think to do this the night before, all the better. I do it right in the bowl in which I’m going to whip the cream, and I use the back of a small spoon, to avoid getting too much of the vanilla flavor on my hands (as opposed to in the sugar itself). About an hour before serving, put the cream into the bowl with the scented sugar, and then put the bowl into your freezer with the beaters of your electric mixer. Shortly before serving, remove the bowl from the freezer and immediately whip the cream to the consistency you like. If you don't care to use vanilla seeds, add ¼ teaspoon best quality vanilla to the sugar and rub it in well with the back of a small spoon. ;o)
- This recipe is a Community Pick!
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Chocolate & Spice
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about 1 year ago jane.pilcher1
Oh wow! I have all ingredients but will get the star anise and give these a try. Hmmmmm, makes my mouth water just thinking of them.
about 1 year ago documentngdinnr
I just pulled my batch of these brownies out of the oven. Oh goodness, are they ever delicious! Their fragrance alone is mouthwatering. Thank you for such a creative recipe, AntoniaJames!
about 1 year ago AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
Wow, I'm so glad you like them. Thanks for making them, and for letting me know! ;o)
over 1 year ago sdebrango
Suzanne is a trusted source on General Cooking.
Another brilliant recipe, absolutely delicious.
over 1 year ago PukkaPaki
omg how yummy! im making this!
over 1 year ago aargersi
Abbie is a trusted source on General Cooking.
I LOVE BROWNIES! When you toast and grind the anise do you use the whole star or just the seeds?
over 1 year ago AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
Thanks, aargersi. I always grind up the whole star, as the seeds are actually not where most of the flavor come from . . . . it's in the pods holding them. (I recently read that in a book on spices I borrowed from the library, but alas, I cannot remember which one.) I'm too lazy anyway to go so far as to pick the seeds out, which is the real reason that I throw the whole thing into the grinder! ;o)
over 1 year ago PukkaPaki
can i just say that when u do cook with star anise in pakistani/indian.thai curries u always use them whole they release the flavour and fragrance under a slow cook beautifully and just perfectly, thought i'd share :)
over 1 year ago Midge
Yum, I know I would love these!
over 1 year ago AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
Thank you, Midge! ;o)
over 1 year ago EmilyC
Love the title and recipe!
over 1 year ago AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
Thanks, EmilyC. I could have just listed the three spices, but I really did find inspiration in Winnie's pho . . . . which is, if you have not yet tried it, excellent. I made duck pho using that recipe, and the duck meat from the Genius cduck confit recipe last month. It was outstanding. ;o)
over 1 year ago fiveandspice
Emily is a trusted source on Scandinavian Cuisine.
Amazing! Double wow!
over 1 year ago AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
fiveandspice, you're too nice. ;o)
over 1 year ago drbabs
Barbara is a trusted source on General Cooking.
wow. yum.
over 1 year ago AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
Thank you so much, drbabs!
over 1 year ago AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
About half of the ingredients are missing, even after I went back to edit this to add them. They are:
1/3 cup molasses
½ cup dried tart cherries
2 tablespoons bourbon
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon freshly ground star anise (toast gently before grinding)
½ teaspoon Saigon cinnamon (use more if not using a Vietnamese cinnamon)
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper (optional)
I'll try later. ;o)
over 1 year ago AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
About half the ingredients are missing, even after editing. They are:
1/3 cup molasses
½ cup dried tart cherries
2 tablespoons bourbon
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon freshly ground star anise (toast gently before grinding)(see note below)
½ teaspoon Saigon cinnamon (use more if not using a Vietnamese cinnamon)
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper (optional)
I'll try again later. ;o)