Fudge Brownies & Murder - Culinary Competition Mystery #4

Recipes

Double Orange Brownies

¾ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 ¼ cups sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 eggs, at room temperature

¾ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup cocoa powder

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon finely minced orange zest

½ cup orange marmalade

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8 x 8-inch baking pan.

In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in vanilla extract and eggs. Sift in flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Add orange zest. Mix until just combined, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl at least once.

Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until edges of brownies begin to pull away from the side of the pan, and a toothpick, inserted near the center, has a few moist crumbs on it. Remove from oven. Drop spoonsful of the marmalade across the top. Let sit until heat begins to melt, about 5 minutes, and then spread evenly over the top to make a glaze.

Makes 9 servings.

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Chocolate Covered Raisin Brownies

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing pan

2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 cup sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ cup flour

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup chocolate-covered raisins

Heat oven to 325°F. Grease an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with butter.

Combine the butter and chocolate together in a 2-quart saucepan. Melt over medium-low heat, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Remove the pan from heat, and stir in the sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla, and stir until batter is smooth. Add the flour and salt; stir until incorporated. Mix in chocolate-covered raisins. Pour the batter into the baking pan, and spread evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 40–45 minutes. Refrigerate to make even fudgier.

Makes 9 servings

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Hot Maple Horchata

1 cup cooked rice

1 ½ cups milk

¼–½ cup real maple syrup

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place rice, milk, ¼ cup of maple syrup, cinnamon, and vanilla in a blender. Process until smooth. Transfer to a small saucepan. Warm over medium-low heat, stirring frequently to prevent from boiling over, until hot but not boiling. Taste to see if you would like to add more maple syrup as it is heating. When warm, remove from heat and divide between two mugs. If you would like a smoother beverage, pour through a mesh strainer to remove any larger pieces of rice.

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Chile Rellenos Casserole

4 4 oz. cans of whole green chiles

2 cups grated cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

½ cup pico de gallo fresh salsa, drained to remove excess liquid

8 eggs

⅔ cup milk

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon mild chili powder

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

Salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.

Cut peppers into strips. Lay strips between several layers of paper towels. Gentle press to remove excess moisture. Layer half of the strips evenly over the bottom of the pan (won't cover completely). Top with half of the cheese. Arrange the rest of the pepper strips on top. Spread salsa on top of peppers then sprinkle with remaining cheese.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, flour, chili powder, garlic powder, and baking powder. Season with a bit of salt and pepper, if desired. Pour batter evenly over peppers and cheese. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until lightly browned, and egg mixture is set.

Makes 8-10 servings