The Last Bite

I’ve been thinking about the ride home, post dinner party. I think I’ve come up with the perfect parting gift.

I imagine my guests, driving away after a full evening of good food and good wine, inevitably deconstructing the night and sort of relishing the fact that they won’t have to do dishes when they get home. Sometimes, if they’ve had enough wine over the course of the evening, they’ll sit in the car with that rather stale mouth-feel, not really wishing for more food, but for a different taste.

That’s why I’m sending everyone away with brownies.

Dessert at my table isn’t usually an elaborate affair, most of the pomp and circumstance go into the dinner. After a very simple dessert course, there’s usually more wine or port or scotch or sometimes cheese. You never leave my house with that overly sticky, sweet feeling you get after many giant restaurant desserts.

So just one square of these densely moist brownies should do the trick. With the help of some seasonal spices and a gentle cayenne kick, they easily cut through the staleness and give one last, perfect bite.

Brownie Bites
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa
4 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350º. Whisk all dry ingredients together in mixing bowl. Add oil, eggs and vanilla. Stir well. Pour into greased 13x9x2 pan and bake on middle rack for about 35 minutes. Tester knife should come out clean. Let cool and dust top with powdered sugar and cinnamon.