Chicago!

I'm running to catch a flight to Chicago where I'll be for the next few days. I leave you, and Ben (who turns 30 this weekend! Without me around to celebrate. Sob. Happy birthday, honey!), with this little treat.

Can you guess what it is? (The more specific you get, the more - um - points you get.) I can't promise that the winner gets a Chicago hot dog, but there will be a prize! Scout's honor.

Comments

[Josh]

Brownie?

[izzy's mama]

Brownie with a pretzel baked into the middle?

[jeana]

chocolate cake.

[Caroline]

I guess... chocolate souffle?
If you are checking this and in Chicago and really do eat Hot Dogs.. you must must must go to Hot Dougs on California. Wish I would have known you where coming, I would have sent a HUGE list of musts! Have a great visit.

[Meghan]

Are they Supernatural Brownies from the NY Times article that you made for Ben's Birthday? (how's that for specific!)

[Andre]

That photograph is clearly a wide shot of a Martian crater taken with
a wratten-brand deep chocolate/brown filter.

You're abandoning Ben on his 30th birthday? Dude, that's cold. Colder than Chicago in January.

[i *heart* food]

im thinking a flourless chocolate cake of some sort? But it doesn't really matter if im right or wrong....it looks chocolately and yummy and the only prize i need is the recipe (and your story that goes along with it)

i *heart* chocolate!

[pseudostoops]

Is it espresso that's been tamped down and brewed?

[Mary]

I'm guessing that this is the Dorie Greenspan recipe for French Chocolate brownies that ran in the NY Times yesterday. It could also be the New Classic ones, but I'm betting that you didn't want to bother with the water bath. The third recipe, Supernatural brownies says to bake until it gets shiny on top, so it wouldn't be that one. Enjoy the chocolate goodness whatever it is.

Happy Birthday Ben! I'm hoping that you'll get at least some of the luscious chocolate confection in the photo here. Maybe even with a candle in it? Maybe that's why it looks like there's a little hole in it? Now I'm second guessing myself, because who bakes brownies for a birthday?

Have an awesome time in Chicago Luisa!

[radish]

is it a brownie from one of the NY times recipes this week? all of which i've clipped an plan on making this Saturday (one of them, not all, that is) :)

enjoy the windy city!

[Aaron]

I'm guessing a chocolate torte that you pressed a bit too hard on when checking to see if it was done. The crack is from baking, the divet is from your finger?

[mandira]

is it lava cake, which has yummy molten chocolate inside? Enjoy Chicago.

[Clare]

I'm guessing it's a dark chocolate souffle with liquid carmel on the inside?

[Lia]

I'm going to have to go with a few other people and guess those Supernatural Brownies from yesterday's dining section. And poor Ben! How's he going to celebrate without you?

[petra]

I believe this is a dulche de leche brownie.
Perhaps David Lebovitz' delicious recipe. Have fun in shy town.

[Mercedes]

I was going to go with the Supernatural brownie recipe (which rules, btw), but I think everyone already beat me to it. Have fun!

[tamstar]

hmmm.. is it molten chocolate cake? i forget what it's called.. lava cake or something..

[Honeybee]

I think it's chocolate heaven. Do I win? :-))

[LyB]

Whatever it is, it looks yummy! Mmmmmmm, chocolate...

[Ollie]

Just to take a different tack, I will guess a pumpkin pie.

[lindy]

In an effort to distinguish myself, rather than with conviction: Is it the top crust of some kind of pie?

I just baked the Malgieri brownies myself, and it doesn't look like the same color as my thing, but that could be the lighting. Or that we're using different chocolates.

Have a good trip.

[Tea]

I have no idea what is in the photo. I just wanted to say that I was fine with my decision not to go to Chicago until just now. Now I am bummed.

[Rebecca]

I was going to guess a flourless chocolate cake, but now I realize I've got to get hold of that NYTimes article about the brownies!

Oh, and happy birthday to Ben; I'd love to have my 30s back again, that's a great decade. Anyone who says life begins at 40, or 50, is a LIAR!

[Julie]

Definitely brownies but reading over the different recipes in the NYT gave me no clue as to which one it might be.

The picture reminds me of brownies I used to make from a Maida Heatter recipe that called for beating the egg/sugar/butter part of the batter for ten minutes which created a nice crust on top of the brownies. When they came out of the oven the crust was often cracked revealing the sludgy chocolaty stuff inside.

They were wonderful. I don't know why I ever stopped making them.

Enjoy Chicago, and happy birthday to Ben!