An extra fun post today, as it’s the Spring Edition of Freaky Friday! 😀 This is where a group of us foodie friends and bloggers all get together and make, photo, review and post another blogger in the group’s recipe! It’s all done “Secret Santa” style, and we’re assigned a blogger, secretly, from the group by our leader, Michaela, from An Affair from the Heart!

 

 

For this 2016 Spring Event, I was assigned to an incredible blogger, Michelle, who’s blog home is, “A Dish of Daily Life“! She’s a wonderful cook and baker from Connecticut, who can’t be more than a stone’s throw away from me! 😀 Michelle loves the outdoors, is very athletic, and met her hubby, Mike, while running cross country and track for the University of Colorado! She and Mike definitely have a full house! Together they are raising 3 beautiful and talented teenagers, 3 dogs and 4 cats!! My kind of people! 😉 😀

I spent countless hours, over several afternoons, pouring over Michelle’s blog! Her photography skills are absolutely stellar and make the food she prepares just JUMP off of the pages! I wanted to reach in and take a taste of everything! Thank goodness there’s no such thing as “smell-o-vision”, or I’d be in big trouble! 😀

Since we just can’t have and make everything, I had to narrow things down. It was so hard!! But I somehow managed to pass up her Pink Vodka Sauce Lightened Up, Gourmet Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese, and even her Grilled Italian Panini with Hormel Pepperoni! I know!!!! Now you see how difficult it was!!

But when I saw these brownies…..that was it. I HAD to make them! They sounded quite a LOT like the brownies that we used to make when I baked for a friend chef’s bistro/bakery back in Indiana about 15 years ago, but with two differences. I happened to have all of the ingredients on hand, I hadn’t had those amazing brownies in YEARS, so, decadent coconut-pecan brownies it would be!! 😀 I could hardly wait to try this new version!!

These gooey brownies, “Croissants’ Signature Brownies“, are from a cookbook called, “Bonjour Y’all: Heidi’s Fusion Cooking on the South Carolina Coast“, and if this is any indication of the recipes inside, it would definitely be worth purchasing! I, personally, would LOVE to see the rest of her recipes! 🙂

So, let’s get baking!!

Unlike the old recipe that I had been using for years, this recipe uses chocolate chips, which I found to be much easier to work with and more convenient as well! *I don’t recommend that you use the cheaper name brand chips for this, though. Though some companies have “big names”, their quality has plummeted. Stick with a high quality name brand for these. 😉

Along with the chocolate chips, are your basic baking ingredients including butter, sugars, eggs and flour. I prefer to always use dark brown sugar over light, as it never turns into a petrified brick. 😉

(The only other difference in the brownies themselves, was that we added vanilla. But this is up to you). I really don’t think that they actually needed it after tasting the batter, so I stuck to the recipe! 😀

 

 

There’s no leavening ingredients in this recipe. Just eggs, and that’s the secret of how brownies like this turn out so ooey-gooey delicious! They will appear to not be done, but trust me, that this is the way they are supposed to be. The opposite end of the spectrum of a very fluffy, cake-like brownie.

 

 

The steps are very minimal and done the old-fashioned way, just in a bowl by hand, so that you don’t whip the eggs and create too much air.

The butter and chips are melted, then the rest of the ingredients are whisked and stirred in, each at a time, creating the perfect batter!

Lastly, more chocolate chips, sweetened flaked coconut, and chopped pecans are folded in!

 

 

I do prefer to prep my pan with sprayed foil, just simply for easier cutting later. I suck at cutting. I really do, and this is the only way that I can get decent pieces without wrecking everything! Ha! 😀

 

 

Then just bake until the top has a nice, crispy crust, and the center is fully risen. Cracks on the outer edges also indicate doneness.

 

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Since these are very moist, almost creamy in the middle, it’s best to let them cool completely before even thinking about cutting them! I usually just pop the whole pan, after cooling down to room temp, into a tupperware container, seal closed, and chill the whole thing overnight.

Then the next day, just pull up on the foil to remove the entire slab, and cut what’s going to be enjoyed at the time! Easy-peasy!

 

 

So, if you’re like me, you’re going to fall in love with these decadently rich, creamy-crispy brownies! Don’t hesitate to whip up a batch this weekend! But just make sure that you hide a few, ya know, to hoard all to yourself, er, I mean, for “safe keeping” so that they all don’t get DEVOURED too quickly! 😉

Thanks for having me Michaela! And thank you, Michelle, for sharing this wonderful recipe!! The only thing I wish, is that, they would’ve lasted a little longer! Ha! 😀

Please do take the time to visit Michelle’s blog, A Dish of Daily Life, to check out all of her other wonderful recipes! And be sure to click on any that interest you below as well! Everyone did a fantastic job, and all of the bloggers have such terrific recipes to share! Don’t miss out on any of them!

 

 

 

 

*Recipe adapted from A Dish of Daily Life.

Yield: 16 squares / 32 wedges

Decadent Coconut Pecan Brownies / Freaky Friday Spring Edition 2016

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

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Ingredients

• 2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips, divided, 1 (12 oz.) bag, I used Ghirardelli
• 6 oz. real butter (1 1/2 sticks)
• 1½ cups sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup chopped pecans
• ½ cup shredded coconut

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325º F.

Prepare a 9x9 baking pan by coating with nonstick spray. (I used my 8x8 pan lined with foil, then sprayed, to lift out after baking for easier cutting).

In large microwave-safe mixing bowl, melt 1½ cups of chocolate chips and butter together in microwave on High in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, and being careful not to scorch. (Approximately two 30-second intervals). Mix by hand with whisk until creamy.

Add sugars to medium bowl and mix, add and mix into chocolate mixture using a rubber spatula. Crack eggs into the same bowl you just used for the sugars, whisk until mixed but don't over beat. Then add the eggs to the chocolate mixture, and mix in with a large spoon. ("Figure 8's and around the bowl" works well for this).

Add flour and mix in the same way, just until incorporated. You don't ever want to over mix brownies.

Lastly, with spatula, fold in pecans, coconut and remaining chocolate chips.

Pour into prepared pan and level with a small offset knife.

Bake for 35-40 minutes for a 9x9 pan. (Approx. 50 minutes for an 8x8 pan).

Cool for about an hour and half, lift from pan, pull back foil, and cut into 16 squares, or 32 triangular wedges if preferred for smaller portions. (*After cooling, I let them chill in an airtight container in the fridge overnight before removing and cutting).