Brownies can warm up your heart

Food is a great comfort in times of sadness. Like a warm hug on a cold day, food has the power to simply make you feel better. Although it is by no means a cure for the heartbreak from this weekend's tragic events (YA's hearts go out to all affected), these brownie recipes were specifically picked to cheer you up, Indianapolis! Fudgy, sweet, and delicious, we hope that these succulent treats help put a smile back on your face! Also....here are some puppies!

Raspberry-Cream Cheese Brownies

Raspberry and chocolate AND a cream cheese filling!? What could be better than that (other than the corgis above)?

Prep: 20 minutes. Cook: 30 minutes

Filling:
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup (3 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg white

Brownies
Cooking Spray
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
2 large egg whites
3 tablespoons raspberry preserves

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Beat first 5 ingredients with a mixer at medium speed until well blended to make the filling.
3. To prepare brownies, coat bottom of an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray (do not coat sides of pan). Lightly spoon 3/4 cup flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
4.Combine 1 cup sugar and next 6 ingredients in a separate bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.
5. Spread 2/3 of batter in bottom of prepared pan. Pour filling over batter, spreading evenly. Carefully drop remaining batter and preserves by spoonfuls over filling, swirl together using tip of a knife to marble. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out almost clean. Cool on a wire rack. Makes about 16 brownies.

Tip: For fudgy, moist brownies, bake until the wooden pick comes out almost clean. If it's completely clean, the brownies may be slightly over done.

Cream Cheese Brownies

These rich, delicious brownies have 1/3 the fat of normal brownies, and the taste twice as good. So don't be afraid to indulge!

Prep:25 minutes Cook: 35 minutes

Brownies:
Cooking Spray
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large egg whites
1 large egg
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup fat-free milk
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Topping:
1 (8-ounce) block 1/3 less-fat-cream cheese
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (14 ounce) can fat-free sweetened condensed milk
1 large egg

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Coat bottom of a 13 x 9--inch baking pan with cooking spray (do not coat sides)
3. To prepare brownies, place butter in a large bowl, beat with a mixer at medium speed until fluffy. Add sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla, beat until well blended (about five minutes). Add egg whites and 1 egg, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add cocoa and 1/2 cup milk; beat well (mixture will appear curdled).
4. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; stir with a whisk. Add to cocoa mixture, beat at low speed just until blended. Spoon batter into prepared pan. To prepare topping, place cream cheese in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Gradually add cornstarch and remaining 3 ingredients; beat until smooth. Spread evenly over batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until set. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Makes about 3 dozen brownies.

Tip: If a recipe calls for baking soda (this one doesn't, but this is still good advice) use natural cocoa as apposed to Dutch processed cocoa. Because Dutch process is more alkaline, it may react with the baking soda and alter the texture and flavor of the recipe.

Bourbon Fudge Brownies

These brownies get a subtle kick from a splash of bourbon. Cooking for the kids? Use 1/4 cup hot low-fat milk in place of bourbon for a still yum-a-lishish treat.

Prep: 15 minutes Cook: 26 minutes

1/4 cup bourbon
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups sugar
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
Cooking Spray

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Bring bourbon to a boil in a small saucepan; remove from heat. Add chocolate chips, stirring until smooth.
3. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt, stirring with a whisk.
4. Combine sugar and butter in a large bowl, beat with a mixer at medium speed until well combined. Add vanilla and eggs, beat well. Add flour mixture and bourbon mixture to sugar mixture, beating at low speed just until combined.
5. Coat bottom of a 9-inch square baking pan with cooking spray (do not coat sides). Spread batter into pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Makes about 20 brownies.

Butter Pecan-Toffee Brownies

A little crunchy and a little chewy, these brownies are sure to delight and cure any sweet tooth you may have!

Prep: 13 minutes Cook: 22 minutes

Cooking spray
1 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons chopped pecans
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons semisweet chocolate mini chips, melted
1 tablespoon hot water
2 tablespoons almond brickle chips (such as Heath)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Coat bottom of an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray (do not coat sides).
3. Combine brown sugar and next 3 ingredients; stir well with a whisk. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, pecans, baking powder, and salt; stir into brow sugar mix. Spread into bottom of prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 22 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out almost clean. Cool on a wire rack.
4. Combine powdered sugar, minichips, and hot water, stir until smooth. Spread over brownies, sprinkle with brickle chips. Chill until topping is set. Makes about 16 brownies.

Here's some more adorable-ness to make you feel warm and fuzzy inside while you're enjoy your tasty brownies!
Get excited; Chocolate Fest is less than a month away!

Online tickets available!

With Chocolate Fest right around the corner, it's time to start ordering tickets!Online tickets are available in increments of 5.That's five yummy desserts!

To order online please click here.

For individual tickets please call (317)-925-4043 ext. 120 or email office@yaindy.org.
Tickets can also be purchased at select Marsh Supermarkets, as well on the day of the event at the Indianapolis Arts Garden.

Remember Chocolate Fest is September 15th from 10:00 a.m.-2:00p.m at the Arts Garden. Proceeds support YA's mission of giving the gift of the arts to children across Indiana. Keep your eyes open for more vendors being added to our list soon. We hope you've got your sweet tooth ready!

Fair Food: It's Incredible!

That blazing hot August sun, the incredible amounts of traffic, the scent of hay and cows wafting through the air....all of this can only mean one thing: it's state fair time in Indianapolis! And boy, if you're craving something deep fried, on a stick, or deep fried and on a stick this is the place to find it! Every year, thousands of people flock to the Indiana State Fair grounds, searching for that next delicious fatty, rich, guilty pleasure. Sure, it's fun to see the 4-H competitions, pet a llama or two, and check out the other countless entertainments offered, but let's be honest....the main attraction at the fair is the food. There is a food for everyone and anyone. Your perpetually hungry intern's absolute favorite fair delicacy are fried dill pickles. Crispy, juicy, and salty...my mouth starts watering just thinking about them! But, this is a chocolate blog , and fried pickles don't come with chocolate (although I'm sure someone has considered it), so let us turn our tingling taste buds to the best chocolatey fair food in the state. Chocolate lovers prepare thy selves....this is some good stuff. Health nuts, you may want to look away.

It is the Year of Soy Beans! Presented by Indiana Soy Bean Farmers, these little--but unbelievably useful--beans get to take center stage and show off their stuff. They are everywhere at the fair. From kids' goodie bags sporting the catchy slogan "Bean there, done that", to the soy-fed cattle and soy based foods, you'll discover everything you possibly could want to know about this 3.1 billion dollar bean. You'll also discover the Indy Star's Signature Food competition Winner. Every fair, the Indy Star hosts a contest to see who can submit the best recipe based on that year's featured ingredient. Muncie based Baskin Robbins vendors Bob and Ivy Walsh swept the first place spot with their fried ice cream. Judges loved the sizable serving of vanilla ice cream smothered in a soybean meal fried in soybean oil. It is served in a waffle cone fried in...you guessed it...more soybean oil, then drenched in caramel, chocolate sauce, and whipped cream. Salivating yet? Well, go get some! You can find the treat for $5 dollars right in front of the Pepsi Colosseum. And, if you're curious about the non-chocolate, but still decadent soy based runner-ups, check them out here.

Beverages have recently entered the deep-fried fair food circuit. This year's big head-turning, news-worthy treat was fried Kool-Aid. I know for a fact that you can find that at the Indiana State Fair Grounds, so if you're interested, go and indulge. However, the fried beverage that most excites me made its debut at the Texas State Fair a few years ago: Fried Coca-Cola. I confess that I am a Coca Cola addict. I know it's terrible for me, but no one is allowed to judge me. Especially when you're still thinking about those Kool-Aid balls (it's okay, you can admit it). Fried Coca-Cola is actually Coca Cola flavored batter deep fried and topped with chocolate syrup, whipped cream, and cinnamon sugar. Wow. That's pretty sweet. I was unable to find this sugary concoction at our fair, but I'm sure it's there somewhere. Like I said before, if you can deep fry it, you will find it at our Indiana State Fair.

Fried Butter has nothing to do with chocolate. But I still feel like it needs to be mentioned. Fried Butter, people! What will those crazy fair vendors think of next! I've heard it tastes kind of like a cinnamon roll. I think I'm going to pass, but you go right ahead.

I would on the other hand be willing to try fried Reese's and fried Oreos. Probably not much healthier than fried butter, but Oreos are delicious no matter what form they're in.

And finally....let's talk about something that I know has been on every one's mind. No, not the massive calorie and fat counts (it's fair time; calories don't exist. Plus with all of that walking I bet you'll actually lose weight at the fair!). No, what I'm talking about is something so tantalizing, so strangely wonderful, it will leave you breathlessly wanting more: chocolate covered bacon. I know I've mentioned chocolate covered bacon before, but you can't talk about the fair without bringing it up. It made its debut at our beloved fair in 2009 where it attracted hundreds of curious fair gourmets dying to sample the controversial new creation. And they loved it! The salty sweet treat was such a big hit that it's now an Indiana State Fair staple!

This is a very short list of all of the tasty wonders that can be found at the Indiana State Fair. So, pack up the kids, grab the sun screen and Pepto-Bismol, and go discover them for yourselves! You'll find me with my fried pickles in one hand, and fried ice cream in another. Come on, live a little! Eating healthy is for the rest of the year! See you there!

And don't over indulge too much. Chocolate Fest is a little more than a month away! Mark your calenders for September 15th.

This llama has nothing to do with chocolate. I just think they're cute and you will find plenty of both llamas and chocolate at the fair from August 5th-21st!

Thank you!

Young Audiences would like to extend a warm thank you to everyone who attended our First Friday event this past Friday! We hope everyone had a great time, gained perspective into what it means to be a teaching artist, and enjoyed a nice glass of free wine!

First Friday at Indy Fridge Building!

August 5, 2011
First Friday
Indy Fringe Building
719 East St. Clair Street
6-9 pm

Come explore what it means to be a teaching artist and discover the impact they can have on the lives of our community's youngest students

This exhibit will feature the following teaching artists: Meg Olsen, Melli Hoppe, Naptown Jazz Five, Asante Touring Company, Adzooks Puppets, Susurrus, Will Gould, Dave Hepler, Lawrence Clark, Tamara Loewenthal, Jamie Gans, and Laura Friesen.

Admission is free.
Wine and cheese served.

We hope to see you there!

This one might kill you

Inspired by Tom Hanks' performance in "The Lady Killers", this recipe for Mississippi Mud cake is so sweet and decadent it's downright wicked. Hanks plays Professor G.H. Dorr, a silver-tongued, poetry reciting, southern professor who rents a room from a sassy, church-going old woman in a small Mississippi town. Posing as a band that plays nothing but good old church music, the professor and a group of fellow thieves use her root cellar to tunnel to and rob the local casino. But the devilish professor and his gang may have met their match in old Miss Marva Munson. I don't want to give away the ending, but let's just say the climax has a somewhat farcical, Agatha Christie feel that will make you burst out laughing, even while gasping in shock. Plus the movie has a cute cat named Pickles and an excellent soundtrack. Two things that make a movie superb. So sit back, cut yourself a piece of Mississippi Mud Cake, pop in the dvd, and enjoy some guilty pleasures. Don't worry; it probably won't kill you!

Mississippi Mud Cake
(Yield: Makes 15 servings)

1 cup butter, melted
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans, toasted
1 (10.5 oz) bag miniature marshmallows
Chocolate Frosting

1. Whisk together melted butter and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in flour and chipped pecans. Pour batter into a greased and floured 15-x10-inch jellyroll pan.
2. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven; top warm cake evenly with marshmallows. Return to oven and bake 5 minutes. Drizzle Chocolate frosting over warm cake. Cool Completely.

Note: 2 (19.5) packages brownie mix, prepared according to package directions, may be substituted for first 7 ingredients. Stir in chopped pecans. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. Proceed with marshmallows and frosting as directed.

This recipe presented by Southern Living Magazine.

Chocolate Coffee Pudding

It's a Monday for sure. After the sweltering heat and diesel fueled excitement of the Brickyard 400 weekend (I'm including a link for those of you who missed the excitement), I'm sure I'm not the only one in Indianapolis who is thinking longingly of going back to bed. I think we all just need a pick-me-up. And what better way to rev up our engines--I'm kind of on a racecar kick, can't you tell?--than with chocolate AND coffee! After eating this decadent, lactose free, and rich in isoflavones pudding, you'll be ready for whatever green flag life throws at you! Okay, I'm stopping with the cheesy racing jokes. Enjoy!

Chocolate Coffee Pudding
Prep: 7 minutes Cook: 5 Minutes Chill time: 4 hours

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

1 tablespoon instant coffee granules

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 cups fat-free soy milk*

2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a medium heavy saucepan, and stir well with a whisk. Gradually stir in milk, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat, and simmer 1 minute or until thick.

2. Remove from heat, and add chocolate stirring until melted. Stir in vanilla. Pour about 1/2 cup pudding into each of 4 dessert dishes; cover surface of pudding with plastic wrap. Chill at least 4 hours. Remove plastic wrap to serve. Yield: 4 servings.

*Tip: Look for soy milk in the organic or soy product section of your supermarket. It's usually sold in non-refrigerated quart and 8-ounce cartons, but you can also find it refrigerated in plastic containers near other refrigerated dairy products. Store unopened soy milk at room temperature for several months; once opened, store in the refrigerator for five days.

*Another tip: Since after reading this blog for so long, as I know all of you have, we should be experts in the ways of chocolate. So, it should be a no brainer when I tell you that if you want this to be truly lactose free, make sure that the chocolate products that you use are high in cocoa percentage. If you use milk chocolate, there will be lactose in the pudding due to the dairy content within the chocolate. Get it? Good!

So, ladies and gentlemen start your engines with this tasty chocolate pudding! And remember, Chocolate Fest is coming up soon! Keep your eyes open for tickets and event updates!

Recipe from "All-New Complete Cooking Light Cookbook"