A valentine to Mom

I love that you:

  1. Will drop everything and fly right off to answer your daughter's call and perk her up.
  2. Will work at the tough schools because that's where you can do the most good.
  3. Still think a snow day is a big divvy.
  4. Don't ever want to miss a UVa basketball game.
  5. Now insist on reading the sports section before me.
  6. Can enjoy a good man cave.
  7. Are so encouraging to everyone.
  8. Appreciate my cooking so much.
  9. Think you're so funny.
10. Have the patience to teach all our children how to drive.
11. Are enthusiastic enough about everything for the both of us.
12. Give our children someone to make fun of.
13. Are an amazing sister, daughter, mother, and wife.

💓💖💗💘💝💕💞

Our standard brownie is this fudgy, gluten-free one, but it's come out that Brad prefers chewier brownies to the fudgy kind. So I started making these brownies, which are chewier but still gluten free for Mom, for a change of pace. Auntie Leener had them while she was here recently and said it's hard to go wrong with any brownies, which is probably true.

Chewy Brownies

Adapted from Flavor Flours (2014) by Alice Medrich

I haven't tried these with regular wheat flour, but I don't see why it wouldn't work if you want to substitute 120 grams of all-purpose flour for the almond and brown rice flours. In fact, in addition to enjoying the health-giving properties of gluten, you'll probably have chewier brownies, if that's what you're after, because of the gluten.

70 grams (¾ cup) blanched almond flour/meal (see note)
50 grams (¼ cup + 2 tablespoons) brown rice flour
170 grams (6 ounces) 60% to 70% cacao chocolate, coarsely chopped
85 grams (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into chunks
½ teaspoon salt
130 grams (⅔ cup) sugar
1 teaspoon (5 grams) vanilla extract
2 large eggs (~57 grams each in the shell), straight from the fridge
up to 100 grams (1 cup) walnut or pecan pieces (optional)

     1. Place a rack in the lower third of the oven, and heat to 325 degrees. Tear off a 12-by-12-inch sheet of aluminum foil. Turn an 8-inch square metal pan upside down, center the foil on it, and fold the excess evenly over the sides of the pan. Fold and crease the corners like you're wrapping a present. Slip the liner off the pan. Turn the pan right side up and insert the liner, carefully working it into the corners of the pan. Spray the liner with nonstick cooking spray.
    2. In a small bowl, stir together the almond flour and brown rice flour. 
    3. Melt the chocolate and butter, together with the salt, in a medium saucepan over low-ish heat. Stir frequently with a wooden spoon until the mixture is completely smooth. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the sugar and the vanilla, then the eggs, one at a time.
    4. Stir in the almond-flour mixture until moistened, then beat the batter vigorously with the wooden spoon for about 40 strokes. Stir in the nuts, if using.
    5. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan with a spatula, and spread it evenly around the pan. Bake until the brownies are slightly puffed all over and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out moist but clean, about 25 minutes. Don’t overbake.
    6. Cool in the pan on a rack. Lift the foil edges to transfer the brownies to a cutting board. Cut into 16 squares. The brownies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 or 3 days. Makes 16 two-inch brownies.