Our Third Build a Brownie Contest Winner!!!

It's not every day that you have the opportunity (the joy, really!) to pair two beloved desserts and create a single, mouth-watering treat. But, thanks to Holly and her delectable Build a Brownie Contest submission, we now get to experience the bliss of cheesecake and brownies in a single bite. Here's Holly's submission (and her picture to the left):

"I would love a cheesecake brownie! An almond flavored cheesecake batter swirled into your delicious brownie batter, and dotted with mini chocolate chips would be incredible!!!"

We asked Holly a few questions and here are her responses:

How did you come up with the idea for your brownie?
I just love the combination of brownies and cheesecake. I have a recipe for cheesecake-topped brownies that I haven't made in probably 10 years. Every now and then I might see a cheesecake brownie in a bakery and I am reminded how much I enjoy them. When this contest began, a cheesecake brownie immediately came to mind because it was a flavor of brownie that Simply Divine Brownies didn't already make. I chose the almond flavor simply because I love the flavor, especially in cheesecake.

Why do you plan to do with your brownies?
I plan to share my brownies with some friends and family. I am currently a culinary arts student, and I love to cook and bake and try to create recipes. I am lucky enough to have many people in my life who are very supportive of my passion and excited that I was one of the winners in this contest.

Why do you love brownies?
To me, brownies are pretty much the perfect treat. They are moist and rich and chocolatey. They can be made so many different ways, which is what I love about Simply Divine Brownies! But no matter what kind of brownie I choose, it always tastes best with a glass of cold milk.

Thanks again for your submission Holly. We couldn't stop "sampling" these brownies at the shop - and they left the most wonderful aroma in the air!

Enjoy!!!

April Kitchen Conundrum Winner!

So, what is that odd, self-rigged tool that we featured in the April Kitchen Conundrum Contest? It's a whisk (which we modified by cutting the end off), and in the Simply Divine kitchen we use it to drizzle dark chocolate over our frosted and topped brownies. We started with a fork, moved to a bamboo skewer and finally settled on this contraption, as it gives even coverage and leaves wispy threads of delicious chocolate without the “extreme” clumping that results from other tools.

The lucky winner, who correctly guessed the tool and it's use, is Margot. Margot received a dozen brownies and a new whisk! We also sent her our two new brownie flavors: smoked sea salt and caramel and strawberry cheesecake, along with our turtle brownie, our crème de menthe and peppermint brownies, our cappuccino brownie, and our macaroon brownie.

When we passed the good news on to Margot, we asked her to tell us why she loves brownies - this is what she had to say:

"Why do I love brownies? Mainly because I LOVE chocolate. They're the perfect vehicle to transport one of my favorite ingredients to my stomach. Soft, a bit chewy, warm, moist... They're incredibly comforting. I like to sit down with a warm brownie and a tall glass of milk to forget all the things that are stressing me out at any given point in time. What I love about Simply Divine is not only are your brownies incredibly delicious, but they give me inspiration in my own kitchen for flavor combinations. It's exciting to see what creative ways you jazz up a simple crowd pleaser like a brownie. I hope to visit the store again when I'm back in Maine this summer!"

Congratulations, Margo! We can't wait to see you this summer!

Ciao, Brownie Lovers!

Hi Everyone! As you've probably noticed, there has been a slow down in blog posts since April. The reason? I recently took a dream vacation to Italy, and between the preparations, the packing and planning, and squaring things away at the Brownie Shop in anticipation of my absence, I'm afraid I wasn't able to spend as much time the blog as I would have liked. But to reward you for your patience, I promise lots of pictures, treats, and fabulous chocolate news in the coming weeks!

For now, here is a picture of the town in Tuscany where I stayed. I was lucky enough to take a series of cooking classes while I was here and I learned to make the most delicious food - including three different types of homemade pasta. I think I'll be dreaming of Italian cuisine for weeks to come! More details (and delicious recipes) will be posted soon!

I hope you're all well and enjoying the beautiful first days of summer.