3-Spice Brownies

I really love brownies because you don’t have to wait around for butter to come to room temperature. Plus, this recipe takes all of 20 minutes to put together and 25 minutes to bake. Waiting for it to cool with be hard, but totally worth it. 

These brownies have a kiss of aromatic spices—cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves—the perfect complement to chocolate. They are sweetened with brown sugar, which also pairs perfectly with chocolate. It is Ramadan after all, and these brownies are extra special for those who are fasting. These are not your everyday brownies, though nothing should stop you from baking them every day! 

A Little Parchment Paper Hack

I like to line the baking dish with parchment paper slings. When the brownies come to room temperature, you can use the slings to gently lift the brownies out of the cake pan. It’s a super quick and easy way to get the brownies out. Plus, it makes cleanup easy too.

Since this recipe calls for a 9x9-inch cake pan or baking dish, you will cut 2 pieces of parchment paper. Each piece should fit the width of the pan and be long enough to extend 2 inches over the sides. Lightly butter or spray the cake pan with nonstick cooking spray so the parchment paper stays in place when you pour the batter in. 

Lay the first piece down, pressing into the bottom edges so that it lays flat. Lay the second piece going the opposite way so that all four sides are covered with parchment.

Delicious Ways to Play With the Recipe

• I love nuts in my brownies, but if you are in the no-nuts-in-my-brownies camp, you can leave the walnuts out. For those that love nuts, try pecans, macadamia nuts, or hazelnuts. 
• Cardamom is one of my favorite spices, but if you don’t have ground cardamom in your pantry, these brownies taste lovely with just cinnamon and cloves!
• Don’t have dried edible rose petals? Look for candied violets in baking stores or you can use edible fresh flowers. 

Are the Brownies Done? What About Now?

If you have a young child in the house like I do, you will get this question A LOT! 

It’s a fine balance, making sure they aren’t undercooked or overbaked. Usually, you test your cakes for doneness with a toothpick inserted into the center. It should come out clean. But remember these are fudgy brownies. So, the toothpick should come out with moist crumbs stuck to it. If it comes out clean, the brownies are overbaked.

Once they are out of the oven, allow the brownies to come to room temperature. Then, use that fancy parchment paper sling to transfer the brownies onto a wire rack. For clean, even slices, cut them when completely cool—some bakers place them in the fridge for this reason.

About Edible Rose Petals

Look at those beautiful rose petals on top! Aren’t they beautiful?

I keep dried edible rose petals in my pantry. You know what I love about them? They are not a single-use ingredient. You can use dried rose petals as a garnish on dips or hummus—your guests will be wowed! Sprinkle them on tea cakes with some icing sugar. 

Here are a few things to bear in mind before buying flowers for garnish:

• Make sure they are unsprayed, haven’t been treated chemically, and are organic. If pesticides are necessary, make sure the growers only use products labeled for edible crops. 
• Don’t pick flowers from the side of the road because they are contaminated with car emissions. 
• Look for them in your local farmers markets or in the produce section of your grocery store. They are typically found in small clamshells in the fresh herb section.

Brownie Points

• Guinness Chocolate Brownies
• Best Chocolate Brownies
• Caramel Brownies
• Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies
• Hetty McKinnon’s Flourless Soy Sauce Brownies