Last Fall, we reviewed The Art of Eating Through The Zombie Apocalypse and provided a recipe for No-Knead to Panic Bread. Now, thanks to BenBella Books, we have another recipe to share! Behold, the Apocalypse Nownies! There to satisfy your chocolate cravings and give you energy to outrun the undead.
Also included is a handy guide to Apocalyptic Entomophagy for those who want to last longer than a few days. If you would like to know who Lauren Wilson is and what her qualifications for writing on surviving zombies, check out our interview here. If either makes you hungry and/or eager to survive, The Art of Eating Through the Zombie Apocalypse is available now.
Double click for a larger version. Image courtesy of BenBella Books.
Apocalypse Nownies
Yields: 12 brownies
When the undead rise and feast on the flesh of the living, it calls for a fudging brownie. This recipe is one of the first ways I would use up perishable ingredients like butter and eggs, and you better believe they are going alongside the last carton of ice cream I will ever eat. Plus, if things seem grim, inducing a food coma via overindulgence seems like a great way to go.
Requires:
1 metal baking dish (preferably 7″ x 11″),
6 qt. Dutch oven with lid, or 9″ cast-iron skillet
1 medium pot
2 large mixing bowls
Wooden spoon or other cooking utensil
Heat Source:
Indirect, Hibachi Grill or other Oven Hack (page 44)
Time:
15 minutes prep
25–30 minutes minimally attended baking time
Ingredients:
½ c. all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pan
½ tsp. baking powder
8 oz. chocolate (unsweetened baking preferable, or whatever you have on hand)
6 tbsp. butter, plus extra for greasing the pan
1 ¼ c. white sugar
½ tsp. vanilla extract
¼ tsp. espresso powder (optional, but recommended)
⅛ tsp. salt (omit if using salted butter)
3 eggs, at room temperature
½ c. chopped walnuts
Method:
- Start a cooking fire, either well in advance to generate sufficient embers for 350°F baking (see Judging Temperature, page 47) with the Hibachi Grill. Grease and flour a baking vessel.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the flour and baking powder until well combined. Set aside for now.
- Set a medium pot, half-filled with water, over the cooking fire to use as a double boiler. Add the chocolate and butter to a second mixing bowl and rest it on the pot, stirring occasionally until completely melted and smooth. Remove the bowl from the heat, add the sugar, vanilla, espresso powder, and salt (if needed). Mix until well incorporated and let cool for about 2 minutes.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking until the batter is shiny and smooth after each addition. Add the flour mixture and whisk again, more gently this time, until the mixture is smooth and shiny. The batter should be fairly thick. Add the walnuts and mix until just combined.
- Transfer the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth out to edges if needed. Bake for about 20 minutes in a 7- by 11-inch metal baking pan. Check the brownies after about 15 minutes to avoid overbaking—they are ready when the sides are firm and the center has just set (a knife or toothpick in the center comes out relatively clean). Rotate the pan periodically to ensure even cooking, especially if using an Oven Hack.
- Consume ravenously after letting the cooked brownies cool for 10–15 minutes.
A Note on Cooking Time: Cooking time will vary depending on the heat source and bakeware used. It is really easy to overbake brownies, and dry, overbaked brownies suck, so keep a close eye on them and test for doneness every 2–3 minutes once the sides are set and have pulled away from the pan.
Chocolate Substitution: You can use any kind of chocolate you have on hand; chocolate chips would even work. If using a sweetened chocolate, cut the sugar down by ¼ cup. If you don’t have any chocolate, you can use 1½ cups cocoa powder plus additional 8 tablespoons butter, margarine, or oil instead.
