Newlywed Cooking at its Best: Small Batch Baking

Baking has always been one of my passions. When hubby and I were dating, I'd joyfully bring him and his roommates cakes, cookies, and their favorite- rice crispy treats, and they'd instantly be gobbled up. It also won me brownie points (OK, sorry for that cheesiness). If the guys weren't around, I'd at least have my own roommates and coworkers to share my culinary creations with. Now that we no longer have two sets of roommates, and I don't work in a large office anymore, its up to hubby and I to devour the majority of my baking treats. I can't say we really mind this challenge at times, but our health probably does! Beyond that, having to bake for two limits how often I'm able to experiment with new recipes.

Small Batch Baking recently came to the rescue with decadent desserts that serve two to four people. Even better, the amount of ingredients used is so small that even a fancy dessert such as Petite Pear Tarte Tatin does not seem as daunting. If the recipe fails, at least I only wasted 4 tablespoons of flour!

I feverishly flipped through the book the first night it arrived, overwhelmed at which recipe to make first. In the mood for a muffin? Well, perfect - there's a recipe that makes just two jumbo morning glory muffins. Too lazy to make an apple crumble pie? Don't be, you only have to use one apple! Over the past couple days, I've managed to make almost 5 recipes. Some were divine, others were near kitchen disasters (pecan snowball cookies). The Moist Fudgy Brownies were top-notch if you enjoy gooey brownies with crisp edges. I also enjoyed the rum cakes, hubby felt otherwise ("they taste like egg cake..." OK!) . All in all, this cookbook is great for couples or those looking for some portion control. I will admit I did feel bad when hubby came out for a study break and asked for another brownie. I suppose it's probably for the best. More Small Batch recipes and reviews to come.

Moist & Fudgy Brownies
adapted from Small Batch Baking
Makes 2-3 brownies

1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 1/2 tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon plus 2 1/4 teaspoons egg substitute or beaten egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt

Pan Required:
1 petite loaf pan (2 cup capacity, about 5x3 inches) My mini loaf pan is smaller(about 3/4 cup capacity), so I divided the batter between two mini pans.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line the pan with aluminum foil. Very Lightly grease the foil.
2. Place the butter and the chocolate chips in a medium sized microwaveable bowl and microwave on medium power until the chocolate is soft and the butter is melted, about 45 seconds. Stir until the chocolate is smooth and completely melted. Add sugar and stir until incorporated. Then add the beaten egg and vanilla, and stir. Finally, add the flour & salt. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared loaf pan(s).
3. Bake for 28 to 30 minutes (about 24 minutes if using a smaller pan), or until a toothpick inserted comes out with moist crumbs; the top will appear dry and the brownie will start to shrink from the sides of the pan. Do not overcook.
4. Remove the loaf pan from the oven, place on wire rack and let the brownies cool completely in the pan. Use the edges of the foil to lift brownies out of the pan. Remove foil and cut brownies.