Buttermilk

I am first and foremost a baker. It's the thing I most remember doing in my mom's kitchen growing up. Cookies especially, lots and lots of cookies. That kitchen also witnessed several failed attempts at Pinterest quality frosting on cakes, so much so that it became a metaphor my mom used to deliver valuable life lessons. The kitchen at No41 has seen a few photo-ready cakes but there's been just as many that I haven't taken photos of. Baking for me (and I believe for many others) is one of my favorite ways to say "I care". My heart is full as I'm measuring the baking soda and washing the third bowl. 

Which brings me to one of my favorite baking ingredients: Buttermilk. I don't pretend to understand the science behind the recipes I make but when I see buttermilk in the ingredients list, I know I will be serving up something that make people go all warm and mushy inside.

One of my go-to desserts for work parties (or the occasional Monday that just needs a sweet treat) is Buttermilk Brownies (recipe below). These brownies are more like a chocolate cake in consistency but they have a yummy frosting that melts down into the cake, making for a bite of chocolate heaven. In college, I spent about a year working in a call center and I brought these in for my colleagues one day. A guy named John took a bite and exclaimed "You could be a farmer's wife". My feminist comeback was stifled by the hilarity of that image in his head. What can I say...buttermilk and farm kitchens seem to fit well together?

Pancakes in my childhood home were Buttermilk Pancakes, made with whipped egg whites folded in ever so gently. So fluffy. Melt in your mouth. It entirely ruined the traditional coffeehouse pancake forever. What are these heavy pieces of chewy bread on my plate? Give me clouds of buttermilk with a drizzle of maple syrup. (This one's a family recipe so I'm not trusting it to the internet but if you know me and want it, I'm happy to share it privately.)

Notes for future: Buttermilk doesn't keep long in the fridge so stock up on buttermilk recipes and people willing to eat baked goods (i.e. work in an office environment ... ✅)

Buttermilk Brownies

Ingredients for brownies:      

2 cups sugar

2 cups flour

4 tblsp cocoa powder

½ tsp salt

1 cup water

½ cup butter

½ cup oil

½ cup buttermilk

1 tsp baking soda

2 eggs

1 ½ tsp vanilla

Ingredients for frosting:

½ cup butter

¼ cup cocoa powder

1/3 cup buttermilk

1 box (16 oz) powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix sugar, flour, cocoa, and salt together.

Boil the water, butter and oil together and then pour over flour mixture; mix.

Add buttermilk, soda, eggs and vanilla; mix all together.

Dough will be very thin.

Pour into 15 x 10 x 1 jelly roll pan sprayed with non-stick spray.

Bake at 375 for 15 minutes. Test for doneness.

Cool a few minutes, then frost and cool completely.

To make frosting, right before you are ready to frost:

Boil butter, cocoa and buttermilk together.

Sift in the powdered sugar.

Stir in vanilla.

Mix thoroughly and pour over brownies. You may not use all of it.

This icing stiffens very quickly.

Notes:

These are VERY sweet. Small pieces go a long way.

I refrigerate them while they're setting and store them tightly covered in the fridge (they're slightly better cold in my opinion). You can also wrap them individually and freeze them. Good for tossing in a lunchsack!

Source:

Alleen Van Boven, LA County Fair Cookbook

Jo Jay