German Chocolate Brownies In a Jar Plus Friday Faves

It’s no secret for anyone who knows me that I am a chocolate girl when it comes to sweets. I have no problem passing up a Sour Patch Kid or Cherry flavored gummi bear. But pass a piece of chocolate in front of my face and it’s all but certain to be gone in a heartbeat. Or a mouth smack.

My favorite birthday cake for years has been German chocolate cake. Each year my mom would pull out the bundt pan and bake up my yearly request. It’s probably the reason I’m such a fan of anything with almonds, nuts and goo. Almond Joys and Snicker bars are my go to selections if I have my druthers.

When I was asked to create a recipe for something served up in a jar Go Bold With Butter, I put myself in my summertime shoes, aka flip flops, and envisioned myself at the beach. What would I most crave besides an ice cold beer and sushi while I sit on my pretend blanket digging my toes into the pretend warm sand.

4 from 2 votes

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German Chocolate Brownies In a Jar

Ingredients

For brownies:

• 10 ounces 60% bittersweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup 2 sticks butter
• 1/4 cup brewed coffee
• 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

For German Chocolate frosting:

• 3 egg yolks
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup 1 stick butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

For parfait assembly:

• 1 1/2 cup toasted coconut
• 3/4 cup toasted pecans chopped

Instructions

1. First, prepare brownies. Preheat oven at 250°F. Prepare a 9×9-inch baking pan with aluminum foil allowing foil to hang over the edges and grease with butter.
2. In a double boiler or a small bowl atop a small saucepan filled with 1 inch of water, melt chocolate chips and butter over high heat, stirring occasionally, until melted.
3. Pour melted chocolate into a medium bowl and add brewed coffee and instant espresso powder and mix well with a whisk or a wooden spoon. Add vanilla, sugar and salt and mix. Add eggs one at a time, mixing just until combined before adding the next egg.
4. Fold flour and baking powder into mixture and pour into baking pan. Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean. If brownies are still gooey on top after 1 hour, bake for additional 5-10 minutes. Allow to cool in pan for 2 hours or overnight to firm up for best cutting.
5. To make German Chocolate frosting layer, beat egg yolks with a hand held mixer until yolks begin to ribbon. Add evaporated milk and sugar and mix until sugar dissolves. Add melted butter and vanilla and mix then transfer to a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, bringing to a low boil then reducing heat while stirring often until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
6. To assemble the German Chocolate Parfaits, you’ll need 6 8-ounce canning jars or jam jars. Using a biscuit cutter, cut circles of brownie and place in the bottom of the jar, or for a more irregular look, crumble pieces of brownie layer. Layer 1 heaping tablespoon of toasted pecans then 1 heaping tablespoon of toasted coconut flakes, top with 1/8 cup German Chocolate frosting and repeat the process once more, ending with coconut flakes. Serve at room temperature.

And that’s when I decided German Chocolate Brownies in a Jar would fit my pretend beach picnic menu just right. Just a spoon, a jar and hopefully no sand for added crunch.

Try it. Live it. Love it. It’s my weekend gift to you.

I’ll be spending the weekend in Austin at Blogher Food with a bevy of bloggers ready to soak in the Austin city limits. If you’re there too and you happen to see me—no I won’t be wearing cowboy boots or a 10-gallon hat but I will be sitting in the front row (download the Blogher conference itinerary here) or meandering about the throngs of food bloggers, give me a hey ya’ll.

On Saturday morning, be sure to stop by the Wisconsin Cheese booth where they’ll be handing out a special breakfast treat I created especially for the conference. If you’ve never tried Burrata cheese put this one quick stop on your bucket list. You’ll be forever changed.

If you aren’t joining us for a weekend of info and inspiration, follow the hashtag #BlogherFood13 on Twitter or #Blogherfood (seems there’s a split decision going on) for the highlights.

Another week has ended which means a Friday Faves list right. here. ya’ll. See ‘ya in Texas. 

I now have tons of inspired ideas thanks to Kristen’s 2013 Family Summer Bucket List that won’t allow summer to pass me by.

Are you joining us at Blogher Food in Austin? From where to eat thanks to an expense account to where to find the perfect cup of coffee, don’t miss bookmarking Jeanine’s Essential Austin Survival Guide.

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This tip has my husband’s name written all over it: DIY how to pit a cherry. Start by placing the cherry on top of a beer…

Happy weekending!

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