Apparently Brooklyn, NY is some kind of vortex of all good things (this, this, I’m sure there’s more, and also a restaurant that sounded amazing I can’t find the link to [Rachel, I sent it to you, maybe you can dig it up]). So in that spirit, I’m going to review the half dozen brownies (yes, brownies) Rachel Livingston sent me from Baked, located, yes, in Brooklyn.
Brownies and Bars
I’m putting dates on these so you don’t think I did is all in one sitting.
May 21:
Sweet & Salty Brownie
Deep dark chocolate with homemade caramel & fleur de sel!
Very yummy, moist without being gooey, sweet without being cloying. Could have been saltier for me, but I like salted caramels, salted caramel ice cream, sea salt encrusted dark chocolate covered caramels, and probably there are many other salted sweets out there I don’t know about that I’d like, too.
Maybe it’s my age: I’ve become a salt freak. I have a container of Fleur De Sel de Camargue in my kitchen as well as a container of Fumee De Sel. Prior to last year, plain old sea salt was as exciting as it got, salt-wise, around here. (Well, I do always have a couple of pounds of Himalayan Pink Bath Salts, but I don’t eat it. By the way, Twisty Faster is hooked on Fumee De Sel, too. Although if she buys it at Whole Foods, it might not be the same stuff.)
May 22:
Peanut Butter
Dark chocolate and chunky peanut butter
Nice, mellow, chocolaty, with enough peanut butter that is was there, but didn’t overwhelm the chocolate. I’m not a huge fan of this combination in anything, so I wouldn’t seek it out, but I’d happily eat this brownie again.
May 23:
Brewer’s Bar
Our version of the classic blondie bar. Made with a rich brewer’s malt, milk chocolate and pecans.
Mmmmmm, best bar so far. Subtly sweet and moist without being gooey. This bar also has pecan pieces, and this is always a sign of excellence in baked goods and candy. Too bad for most of America, this bar is not available online. You’ll just have to make a pal in Brooklyn and ask them to send you some.
May 25:
Spicy
Intense chocolate accented with chilies and cinnamon
I suppose I can’t compare this brownie with the tongue-numbing mind-blowing Som Tom I had last night, but this is a spicy brownie. I’ve never been able to get with it on the chili chocolate thing, but I realize this is just a personal failing on my part, and not a verdict on the concept. Probably not a bad thing for those who want a 3-alarm brownie. This one doesn’t go that far, but one is aware of the chili and cinnamon.
May 28:
The Baked Bar
Coconut, chocolate, sweetened condensed milk, pecans, butterscotch and graham. Some say it’s a dangerous addiction.
This is my desert island bar. It’s so rich and yummy, I couldn’t finish it in one sitting. I never realized how much I wanted all those flavors — coconut, chocolate, sweetened condensed milk, pecans, butterscotch and graham — in one chompable format. Aaand…it’s available online! I must be strong. I must be strong. I must be strong.
May 30:
Original Deep Dark
Rich, Dark and Intense
The brownie finale! Really yummy, moist and dark chocolaty almost like a chocolate bar. I liked it, it is intense because it took a long time to eat (but, unlike the Baked Bar, I managed to eat it all in one day). Personally, I prefer walnuts or pecans in my brownies, when I eat brownies, which is seldom. But I’d happily eat more of these Baked brownie products.
Thanks, Rachel!