Valentine's Day Brownies

My favourite brownie recipe

3/4 cup grape seed oil (healthiest option if you don't want to do olive oil) 

1 1/2 cup white sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3 eggs

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/3 cup cocoa plus 3 tbsp 

(use high quality cocoa, I got mine from soma in toronto either found at their store in the distillery district or at the hudsons bay eaton's centre  basement in the O&B sweet store) 

1/4 tsp baking powder plus 1/8 tsp

1/4 tsp salt plus 1/8 tsp salt

2-3 strawberries, washed, dried and sliced (with green part on or off, up to you)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). If using a glass pan put oven on 325 F.

(Grease a 8x8 inch baking pan.)

2. In a medium bowl, mix together the oil, sugar, and vanilla. Beat in eggs. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt; gradually stir into the egg mixture until well blended. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.

Slice strawberries and before placing them on the brownie batter in the pan press each piece down on a plate of cocoa powder so the bottom is covered in cocoa to avoid fruit sinking in the brownie while baking.  I did half the pan strawberries and half without.**

3. Bake for 30-40 minutes (this is just approximate time so keep an eye out!) or until the brownie begins to pull away from edges of pan.

Let cool on a wire rack before cutting into squares or frosting/glazing it.

A nice ganache topping makes these brownies just a bit more special! 

to makea  ganache add some heavy cream to a double boiler and heat, as soon as it's warm add a good quality chopped chocolate, you want more chocolate than cream. Let it sit 2-5 minutes on the counter until the chocolate melts then stir until it's glossy and beautiful. 

Slice your brownies and  plate.

Spread some ganache on each of the plain brownie squares and sprinkle with some edible gold. 

Classic Chocolate Mousse

Adapted from Bake with Anna Olson

Classic Chocolate Mousse

I saw this on tv this morning, now I happened to have the chocolate on hand but didn't use the precise recipe, only the concept and it worked out for me.  Really did not measure out anything.

This is how it went....  I would advise you to follow her recipe though here 

3/4 cups bittersweet belgian dark chocolate wafers (small ones, I found them at my local bulk store) 

1 1/2 tbsp butter

Melt the two together in a double boiler and set aside to come to room temp. 

Meanwhile whip some cold whipping cream, about 1/2 cup. 

At this point you can flavour the cream with a tbsp or so of strong coffee or espresso but I used Teavana's Wonderberry Chocolate Truffle tea as a strong brew and cooled it, then incorporated it in the whipped cream. 

In another bowl I whipped 2 egg whites with 2 tsp sugar until they were fluffy and between soft-stiff peak.

Now fold the whipping cream into the chocolate by adding half the amount at a time and then fold in the egg whites last, gently or rather swiftly to get it chilled as fast as possible.

Pour in cups, level them a bit by pressing the mouse at the top down. 

Chill for 2 hours, garnish with shaved chocolate. 

Let sit at room temp 15 mins before serving!

I managed to make enough to fill those two large cups, perfect!