Ana from Live & Enliven here. These brownies are such happy-makers, Emma and I have been looking at the pictures and sighing. She was having a hard-boiled egg for dinner and suddenly lost her appetite, who wouldn't right? Hard boiled egg vs. Brownies... Brownies 1. Eggs 0!
I hope you like them as much as we do...
photos © live & enliven
Espresso Chocolate Walnut Brownies
Ingredients
Vegetable-oil cooking spray
¾ cup chopped walnuts
1 cup cake flour, or ¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¾ teaspoon baking powder
1½ tablespoons finely ground espresso beans
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
1½ cups sugar
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Line the pan with aluminum foil, then spray the foil with cooking spray.
Spread the walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven until lightly browned, about six to eight minutes. Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder in a small bowl. Stir in the ground espresso and set aside.
Fill a medium saucepan one-third full with water and bring to a simmer. Place the chocolate and butter in a large heat-proof bowl and set over the simmering water. Turn the heat to low. Melt the chocolate and butter, stirring frequently, until completely smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture just until the flour is absorbed. Stir in the nuts.
Pour the batter evenly into the pan. Bake until a crust forms on top and the center is still somewhat gooey, but not Baywatch jiggly, about 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in the pan set on a rack. Refrigerate two hours. Cut into 1-inch squares to serve.
Max's Classic Baseball Birthday
8.23.2011
While working on an inspiration board for a client, I stumbled upon this most charming of all baseball parties from Katie's Pencil Box. Katie graciously allowed me to share it here, and I'm sure you'll be as thoroughly smitten as I was...
photos © katie's pencil box
photos © katie's pencil box
From Katie: Max's baseball birthday party was a real hit! (ugh. no pun intended.. haha). It was a perfect summer night with good food (hot dogs and shish kabobs grilled by matt and his dad// bags of popcorn and caramel corn// and a table full of sweets), funny music (thank you andrews sisters...i'll never get tired of seeing little ones run around to old music), and amazing friends and family. We sat around and watched the kids scoot about, playing backyard baseball, and dodging stray balls until the sun went down. We made a little concession stand awning out of ikea fabric and tent poles that we had laying around // a photo cut out board from this image // cherry vanilla, peanut butter, and dark chocolate old timey mustaches on a stick// felt pennants on dowel rods and white paper pennant banners (ran through my sewing machine with red thread) to hang outside// i found vintage baseball card images online that i printed off on a thick cardstock for max's friends...and made little canvas drawstring bags for them to stuff with a baseball and sweets to take home. It was a perfect party for our baseball-loving little guy.
Ticket Invitations: spaceships and laser beams
Cupcake liners, Popcorn Bags + Straws: hey yo yo
Mason Jar Juice Box idea via: a little sussy
Cake Pops: sweets by jenny edwards


















