After years of tasting, it finally happened! I won our Barony’s annual Cynnabar Cookie Contest this past year at Wassail.

Back to the first Baronial lineage in the Barony of Cynnabar, was started a “Cynnabar Cookie Contest” held at our annual Wassail event (generally in December). WASSAIL! Originally, I believe it was started because we stopped holding the “Bean Cake” tradition where some would win a chance to be the Baron or Baroness for the rest of the event. People started to dread even being selected. So, someone came up with the idea — still involving sweets — but focused more on creativity of the interpretation of a “Cynn-a-bar”. The winner has traditionally been chosen by a panel involving the seated Baron and Baroness and handful of other happy tasters. The prize of the competition are bragging rights — and the chance to run the completion the following year. When we first started, there were several literal translations of “Cynn-a-bar” which lead to many pan or bar type cookies that contained mostly cinnamon. Then we had a few years of different iterations of “sin” and “bar” where someone won one year with a cinnamon liquor-based drink! Great fun. But, over the past few years with the competition becoming somewhat stale those who have won started selecting a ‘theme’ to help inspire more creativity for those entering.

At this past Wassail (again WASSAIL!), the completion was lead by lady Hattie, who chose the theme of the Baronial colors — red, white and black. I wanted to make something that I knew would show off the colors but be crazy tempting and tasty, too. After a little searching, I found something that featured “red velvet” — and did some modifications to the frostings to get what I wanted.

I’m not typically a fan of red velvet cake…but brownies, well, that’s now a whole different story! They are very moist and chewy. I could NOT believe how much red food coloring goes into making red velvet either. It’s amazing! The original recipe is from the Food Network’s Sunny Anderson, who I adore. I’ve made some modifications. I was very honored to have been selected the winner this past year. I great look forward to running the competition again at the end of the year.

Here’s the recipe if you’re interested in trying to make some to show your Baronial Pride! I hope you enjoy!

RED VELVET OREO BROWNIES

Ingredients:

RED VELVET BROWNIES
2 large eggs
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon red gel food coloring
3/4 teaspoon white vinegar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour (carefully measured!)

COOKIES ‘N CREAM FROSTING
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 and 3/4 cups powdered sugar
2-3 Tablespoonsheavy cream (aka double cream, whipping cream)
6 Oreos, crushed

CHOCOLATE GANACHE (SEE NOTE AT BOTTOM)
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
1/2 cup heavy cream (aka double cream, whipping cream)
2 Tablespoons  unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

Directions:

1. Set out the butter for the frosting and the ganache so it can come to room temperature as you prepare the brownies.
2. Preheat the oven to 350-degrees F. Line an 8×8 baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving enough overhang on the sides to lift the brownies out of the pan. Set aside.
3. Make the brownies: In a small bowl, beat the 2 eggs together. Set aside. Melt the butter in a large microwave safe bowl in 30 second increments until melted. Stir in 1 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, cocoa powder, salt, food coloring, and vinegar. Mix each of those ingredients into the batter in that order. Whisk in the eggs, then fold in the flour until completely incorporated. Do not overmix. Pour the brownie batter into prepared baking pan. Bake for 22-24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out mostly clean, with a few small moist crumbs. Allow the brownies to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then transfer to refrigerator to cool completely.
4. Make the frosting: With a handheld or stand mixer (paddle attachment), beat the butter on medium-high until light and creamy – or, about 1 minute. Add the powdered sugar and 2 Tbsp cream, beating on medium until creamy. Add 1 more Tbsp cream until the frosting is at a spreadable consistency. It should be thick so that the frosting layer stays neat when you cut into the brownies. Fold in the crushed Oreos.
5. Lift the cooled brownies out of the pan and place on a baking sheet to frost leaving the foil below it. Spread them with the frosting. Place back into the refrigerator as your prepare the ganache. You want the frosting to slightly chill on the brownies.
6. Make the ganache: Break up the chocolate into small pieces in a medium bowl. Heat the heavy cream until boiling, either in the microwave or on the stovetop. This is a delicate process — so don’t walk away or try to multi-task though these steps! Pour boiling cream over the chocolate and stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Cut in the butter, one small piece at a time, and stir until smooth. Spread over frosted brownies. Chill for at least 30 minutes before cutting.
7. Cut the brownies into squares, wiping your large knife off with a wet paper towel between cuts so that the layers stay neat. Cover brownies tightly and keep chilled in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

This recipe will easily double…but be warned…they are VERY sweet and a little goes a very long way.

NOTE: I have NEVER made ganache before making this recipe and I found the directions above pretty easy to manage. A friend, who is a rather accomplished cook herself, said that my ganache was the best she’d ever had! I read about it plenty prior to setting off and making it. The best advice that I had…was that the main trouble that people have is that they don’t use a QUALITY chocolate. You can’t skip on it here. I used a Ghirardelli brand semi-sweet chocolate that I found in the backing aisle at my local grocery store. DO NOT use chocolate chips. They contain fillers that will not melt well or make your chocolate lumpy. You don’t need a whole lot of chocolate to do this well, so save yourself the trouble and get some good chocolate. You’ll be thankful in the long run.