September 29, 2024 - 5:15pm
Ghirardelli box brownies augmented
I like to muck with the box.
I use coconut oil instead of veg oil and add some shredded unsweetened coconut.
But the chocolate is stronger than the coconut.
Can't add more oil, so perhaps I need more coconut? Last time I added 1/3c for 2 pouches.
The other thing I wanted to pop more was orange.
I've replaced the water with fresh orange juice and sometimes just the frozen OJ goo.
Also added 2 tbsp of fresh zest. But the orange doesn't pop even close to the chocolate.
Any suggestions for amounts of either to add.?
Share
Playing with it - as you are doing - is the best bet. There are flavorings but that's another story. Enjoy!
Toasted coconut has more flavour than untoasted. Could you replace the liquid in the recipe with coconut milk? I'm thinking the stuff in a can, not the soy milk-like containers.
For orange, how about an orange liqueur?
As Davey said, there are concentrated flavourings, if you wanted to go that route.
I have used orange liquor a few times. But doesn't pop much either, at least not at the quantities that would keep this from becoming brownie soup.
Like creme de coco? Hmmm, that might work.
I'm a fan of crepes and Swedish pancakes, and sometimes I want a bit of orange flavor. What's that...Crepes Suzette, I think, that has some orange and a bit of brandy or something. Anyway; I was at the store today, looking at the "extracts" section (vanilla, almond, etc.). I saw a couple of Orange extract bottles, and even one by the "Private Selection" company. It was $2.95, I think, and about the size of a normal vanilla extract bottle.
Got it home, opened it up and gave it a sniff. Seems pretty solid, so that'll go into the next batch of pancakes. I don't know how much, so messin' with that. I think I'll start with 1/8th teaspoon and see.
BTW, I'm pleased to see that I'm not the only guy playing around with box mixes. :-) Raised fist in solidarity! Persistence shall prevail, I think someone said. Or maybe it's just the people in my head.
If you rub the orange zest with sugar between your fingers, the flavour gets more pronounced. If I were making one tray of orange chocolate brownies I would zest two oranges and rub it with all the sugar I use. I suppose you could try adding a tablespoon of concentrated zest-rubbed sugar to the mix?
Re coconut - moe's suggestion is great. Given that you can only add limited amounts of oil and liquid, replacing all that with coconut cream is your best bet. Canned coconut milk with at least 70% coconut might also work. If you want to go extreme, you can cook that and concentrate it further...
Let us know how it goes!
-Lin
I do have orange peel powder that I have combined with sugar. Perhaps some of that as well as zest rubbed with sugar.
I'll check to see what TJs coconut milk % is.
Thanks Lin.
One is called coconut manna --- it is to coconuts as peanut butter is to peanuts. And if it isn't something you can incorporate in the brownie batter, you could use it to make a coconut filling and dollop or swirl it into the top.
The other is coconut extract. But be warned that the artificial flavored ones are pretty harsh. Seek out pure coconut extract.
Have you looked at recipes for chocolate coconut brownies or coconut mounds bar brownies? These are layered desserts, brownie on bottom with a macaroon-like layer on top (or in the middle if topped with a ganache).
no so much looking for the layered method. more the mixed in.
I have never baked with it, but would coconut cream give more coconut flavor?
And for orange, maybe orange essential oil?