In the Kitchen with Ricky: Gingerbread brownies

Thursday is national brownie day, and I can’t think of a better way to ring in the season than with a chocolaty nod at gingerbread.

If you know me well, you know how much I LOVE gingerbread! The holiday season just isn’t complete without the warm spicy scent filling my home and now both bakeries. I always try to build at least one house, just for fun, even if I’m not entering it into a baking competition.

I have always loved the pairing of sharp and spicy ginger with rich dark chocolate. I first realized what a great combination this is after trying a cookie recipe from Martha Stewart: Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies.

I’ve been making this cookie, practically yearly, for at least 15 years now. My friends and family know it well and I encourage you to seek it out on marthastewart.com to try it for yourself.

In today’s recipe, the gentle spice in these rich and melty brownies is a nice hint at more spices to come this holiday season. We primarily use brown sugar in this recipe, and that is because molasses is what gives brown sugar its rich color, and molasses is crucial to a good gingerbread recipe. These brownies pair perfectly with hot chocolate or a glass of mulled wine and will find their way into the hands of young or old alike.

I am including a recipe for a glaze that hints at the royal icing, which is traditionally used to ice gingerbread, and it also adds a fresh punch of nutmeg flavor. But feel free to omit the icing to keep down the sweetness levels. Try adding chocolate chip or nuts to the batter before baking, and if you want to boost up the chocolatiness, top cooled brownies with a whipped ganache of fudge frosting.

Happy holidays!

Gingerbread Brownies

Brownies:

1 cup all-purpose flour

2/3 cup good quality cocoa powder (preferably Dutch processed)

1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/3 cup brown sugar (dark preferred), packed

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 cup unsalted butter, melted

3 large eggs, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Icing:

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon warm water, to thin

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Grease and line the bottom and side of an 8-by-8-inch pan, set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, cinnamon, ginger, and salt. Once lumps are minimal, set aside.

In another medium mixing bowl, combine both sugars with the melted butter until sugars start to dissolve a bit and then mix in each egg, one by one, until fully incorporated. Add in vanilla and stir to combine.

Fold dry mix into wet mixture just until combined and then pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan.

Place pan into the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges start to come away from the sides of the pan and the top is shiny and set.

While the brownies are baking, make the icing by combining all ingredients in a small bowl. Cover with a damp cloth so it doesn’t dry out and set aside.

Remove and cool for about 5 minutes before glazing with mixed icing.

Pour icing on and with a small spatula evenly distribute the icing so as to cover all exposed brownie.

Set brownies aside until completely cooled, or for as long as you can resist.

Cut into desired sized pieces and serve.

To store, place in an airtight container and keep for up to 3 days.

Serves 8-12

Ricky Webster, owner of Rind and Wheat and Morsel by Rind and Wheat, can be reached at ricky@rindandwheat.com. Follow Webster on Instagram @rickycaker.