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Recipes
Our Roots: An Interview with Joss
Q: How old were you when you started cooking?
A: I’ve been baking since I could hold a whisk!
Q: What is your favorite thing to bake?
A: My favorite thing to bake is peanut butter cookies. I used to make them for my grandpa every holiday.
Q: Do you have any tips/tricks for baking?
A: For those who struggle with baking, I recommend paying close attention to how the recipe says to incorporate butter. If it’s room temperature, make sure you do not melt it! (If you’re impatient, use the defrost button on your microwave and do increments of 10 seconds till your butter is softened, but not melted!) The consistency of butter impacts your recipe a lot. It mixes in differently. Melted butter/oil creates a flatter, more liquified batter, and softened makes a fluffier/thicker dough.
Q: For someone who just started baking, what recipe do you recommend?
A: I recommend brownies! There are more fool-proof recipes out there. Cookies, cakes, and other baked goods are easier to mess up for a beginner.
Q: What recipe are you sharing, and why?
A: Here is my “better than box-mix brownies” recipe. I’m sharing this because I think it’s important to have something simple and delicious to share with those you love, and to have something to bring to a potluck! Never show up empty-handed y’all.
Better Than Box-Mix Brownies
Ingredients 🍫
- •1 cup salted butter (melted)
- •2 cups granulated white sugar
- •4 large eggs
- •1 ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- •1 teaspoon salt
- •1 teaspoon baking powder
- •1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- •1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- •1 cup chocolate chips (or just measure with your heart)
Instructions 👩🍳
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- Butter (or use coconut oil spray) a brownie pan/baking dish.
- In a large bowl, mix butter, 1 ½ cups of the sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. I always do the eggs last as to not over-mix them.
- In a smaller bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Include the other ½ cup of sugar! This makes the flour and cocoa powder not chunky without having to sift it. Trust me!
- Slowly mix in the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Add your chocolate chips last.
- Bake at 350° F for 25-30 minutes.
A Few Extra Tips & Notes:
☆ To make these extra yummy: Use half dark chocolate and half regular cocoa powder. I highly recommend melting some dark chocolate chips with a little butter/coconut oil and adding it to the batter, along with ¼ cup hot, strong coffee or cold brew. This makes for lovely brownies that aren’t too sweet but aren’t bitter!
☆ For substitutions:
- Butter: coconut oil, vegetable oil.
- All purpose flour: any gluten-free substitutes work, my favorite is coconut flour.
- Sugar: agave syrup or honey, stevia works as well but not as good as nature’s nectar!
- Eggs: you can use applesauce or Greek yogurt, but the result is a… strange texture.
Much love,
Joss.