Chocolate Chevre Brownies

I've been dying to try a recipe using chevre in a brownie ever since I watched the Throwdown episode with Bobby Flay vs. The Vermont Brownie Co.
Last week I got some more chevre from a local farm, Flint Hill Farm. They set up at the same Farmer's Market I do on Saturdays. Rebecca was kind enough to give me some of their goat cheese..well, we sort of barter..cookies for cheese! A great deal all around!
So I made a batch using this recipe but after I made it I realized it uses canola oil rather than butter. ( I know..duh! I didn't realize this til I had them in the oven!) The brownies came out really pretty good but I wanted to make a nice chocolatey rich brownie using butter so I chose the brownie recipe Bobby Flay made for the Throwdown, not using his peanut butter filling, of course! (I did omit the 2 ozs. of chopped bittersweet chocolate that he adds to his recipe. I didn't want any chocolate chunks in my brownie but if you do, just add it in.) I used the chevre filling from the oil brownie recipe, however, because it was really good.

The tangy taste of the chevre with the not overly sweet chocolate brownie is a really great combination.

Please note: I halved the recipe because I only had enough goat cheese to make half and I baked mine in an 8" x 8" pan. The recipe I am giving you is for this halved amount. Since I didn't make the full size recipe, I didn't want to just give you the recipe for the full amount as I felt maybe it would turn out a little differently from mine.

Let the brownies cool completely in the pan, then lift them out of the pan with the foil and place them in the fridge to get nice and cold before you cut them. It's so much easier to cut them cold.
I think the flavors really come out after a day ( I made them last night) and when they're at room temp. But, hey, some of you like cold brownies and that's okay with me! Just try them though. They're that good!


And..yes! they were sure fun to photograph! I had trouble deciding which one of these 3 photographs to use...so I just used all 3! Which picture is your favorite? Do any of them want to make you want to take a bite?

So let's begin.

Start by making the chevre filling. Take your chevre out of the fridge and let it come to room temp. so it softens.

Then mix it with the powdered sugar, egg and flour. Then beat it with a fork or whisk til it's nice and smooth. If it's still a little thick, add a teaspoon of milk. Set it aside, on the counter, while you make the brownies.

Over barely simmering water, double boiler style, melt the butter, unsweetened chocolate, 1 oz. bittersweet chocolate and espresso powder, stirring occasionally. Once melted, remove from the heat and let it cool down.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, both sugars, vanilla and salt.

Whisk in the melted chocolate mixture.

Beat in the flour in 2 additions.

Stir in the remaining 2 oz. of chopped bittersweet chocolate ( if using).

Spoon half the batter into a prepared pan and drop dollops of chevre filling on top.

Spoon the rest of the batter over top and, using a knife, swirl the filling with the brownie mixture.

Bake about 23 minutes or til the top is set but still a little soft. Insert a toothpick into the center. It should come out with a few moist crumbs. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool completely, then lift out of the pan and chill to make cutting easier.

Chocolate Chevre Brownies ( adapted from here and Bobby Flay's Throwdown recipe)

Chevre filling:

6 oz. chevre, room temp.

1 tbsp. powdered sugar

1 large egg

1 tbsp. AP flour

1 tsp. milk ( if the mixture seems too thick).

Brownie Base:

1/2 cup ( 1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into chunks

3 ozs. unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 ozs. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

2 ozs. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped, (optional)

1/2 tsp. espresso powder

2 large eggs

3/4 cups sugar

1/4 cup light brown sugar ( Bobby's recipe called for Muscavado sugar but I used light brown)

1 tsp. vanilla

Pinch of fine salt

1/2 cup AP flour

Preheat oven to 350. Line an 8"x 8" pan with foil, allowing extra to overhang on sides to lift out brownies. Spray foil lightly.

Chevre filling:

1. In a small bowl, beat the softened chevre, powdered sugar, egg and flour til smooth. If the mixture seems a little thick, add a teaspoon of milk. Set aside while you make the brownie base.

Brownies:

1. In a double boiler, melt the butter, unsweetened chocolate, 1 oz. of bittersweet chocolate and espresso powder, over very low simmering water, stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool 5 minutes.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, both sugars, vanilla and salt.

3. Whisk in the cooled melted chocolate mixture.

4. Beat in the flour in 2 additions.

5. Stir in the 2 ozs. of bittersweet chocolate , (if using).

6. Spoon half the batter into the prepared pan.

7. Spoon dollops of chrvre filling on top, then spoon remainder of batter over top and swirl with a knife.

8. Bake for 23 to 25 minutes, or til a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs and the edges are puffed.

9. Cool brownies completely in pan on a wire rack, then place into the fridge to get nice and cold, making it easier to cut pieces.