Black and Tan Brownies

This week is a special week for me … my facebook page passed a little milestone that was significant to me. I can’t believe I have over 700 people who like my page! Seven just happens to be my lucky number and I know it’s just a number, but I feel so incredibly honored and grateful to be in the company of so many wonderful foodies. I get so much inspiration and so many great ideas from all of them, but you know what the most amazing thing is? I never feel lonely anymore. I work from home so I used to get quite lonely at times, and now I don’t. I have this big group of caring friends and every single one of them is SO loving and sweet and supportive. My heart is just bursting with love for all these friends that I share my food with.

So to send a super big THANK YOU to all of you who wonderful people inspire and support me, I made some brownies. Not just any brownies, though.

These brownies are styled after one of my very favorite drinks: the Black and Tan (if you haven’t had one, it’s half Harp Lager on bottom, with Guinness Stout poured on top). They can be quite tricky to pour to get the layers to show … bartenders often use a bent spoon to pour the Guiness over. The brownies do actually have Guinness in them, although I thought to be true to the drink you ought to include a bit of Harp, but there isn’t any of that. Ah well, they are still delicious. And Light. I took the Cooking Light recipe and further healthified it so you don’t have to feel guilty when you eat them. They aren’t quite as tricky to pour as the drink. The layers will stay intact.

These brownies also happen to be doubly appropriate because today is Arthur’s Day–so it’s a good time to raise your glass and celebrate. And have a brownie.

AND you may notice if you count the ingredients (but don’t count the salt!) that each layer has 7 ingredients. I know that’s cheating a little, but that is the way I’m allowing myself to think of it.

Black & Tan Brownies

Adapted from Cooking Light

Tan Brownies:

• 6 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 c. flour + 1/2 c. white whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Black Brownies:

• 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup Guinness Stout (or other stout beer)
• 1/2 c. white flour + 1/2 c. white whole wheat flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2.  Make the Tan Brownie layer: Toast the pecans briefly in a 300 degree oven just until lightly brown. Place 6 tablespoons butter and brown sugar in a medium bowl and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in 2 eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add flour, baking powder and salt and stir just until combined. Put the batter into a 13 x 9–inch baking pan coated with cooking spray, spreading the thick batter evenly across the pan as best you can with a knife or rubber spatula. Sprinkle with toasted pecans. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes. When you pull out this layer from the oven, the batter will be loose and puffy and clearly not done yet. That’s ok.
3. Make the Black Brownie batter: melt the chocolate and 4 tablespoons butter in a large microwave-safe bowl on HIGH for 1 minute or until melted, stirring after every 20 seconds until smooth. Add sugar, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and Guinness, stirring with a whisk until well combined. Add flour and salt to the chocolate mixture, stirring to combine. Pour mixture evenly over the hot Tan Brownie layer.
4. Bake for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out almost clean. Allow brownies to cool slightly before cutting.