Cookies and cream fudge brownies, easy and difficult decisions

Ladies, let’s talk about hair, shall we? ;)

For months now I’ve been thinking of getting a pixie cut, while at the same time I keep in mind the idea of growing my hair long (currently it’s chin length). I haven’t had long hair in several years because a) I like short hair a lot and b) I’m not patient enough to grow it long. And that’s how it goes: one day I decide I’ll go at least past the shoulders with my hair, only to remember Elisabeth Moss’ beautiful hair in the Emmys last year and fall in love with short hair all over again.

I am a nutcase, I know. :D

If only things were easy to decide in life as they are in the kitchen – when my sister called me to ask for thoughts on what to do with a bag of Oreos I immediately said: “brownies!” – it took me no time at all to decide. :) These are Lorraine Pascale’s and they’re really delicious: I ended up underbaking them slightly and the texture got similar to the Guinness brownies I made a while ago – not a bad thing if you’ll ask me. :)

Cookies and cream fudge brownies
from Baking Made Easy

165g unsalted butter
200g dark chocolate, finely chopped – I used one with 53% cocoa solids
3 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
165g soft light brown sugar
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
pinch of salt
180g Oreos, cut into quarters

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Lightly butter a 20cm (8in) square baking pan, line it with foil leaving an overhang on two opposite sides and butter the foil as well.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. When the butter has melted, remove the pan from the heat and add the chocolate. Set aside for 2 minutes, then stir until melted.
Using an electric mixer, whisk the eggs, egg yolks and vanilla together in a large bowl until the eggs begin to get light and fluffy. Add the sugar in two additions, whisking between each. Pour it around the side of the egg mix so as not to knock out the air that has been whisked in. Keep whisking until the mixture becomes stiffer. Once the egg mixture is ready, pour the chocolate into it - again around the sides so as not to knock the air out.
Sift the flour, cocoa powder and salt over the mixture, add a third of the cookies and stir until fully combined, then pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Scatter the remaining cookies over the top, pressing them in slightly. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 25–30 minutes. The middle should be very so slightly gooey. Cool completely in the pan. Cut into squares to serve.

Makes 16