Chocolaty Cranberry Pistachio Brownies

 Brownies Cranberry Pistachio (01) by MeetaK 

I was sitting at the dentist's last week reading a lifestyle magazine. It was an article about Victoria Beckham and her fashion anguishes. After I put down the magazine I had to smirk! Why go through that hell I thought - just to set a trend and get a few shots in a magazine? After seeing a picture of her feet I shivered!

So, with the article in mind, I found your comments on my high heels yesterday very amusing. To set the record straight - these heels are not my everyday shoes. While I do love high heels, I know that the practicability of wearing such shoes, taming a wild seven year old and managing my day to day chores just does not work.

I remember an episode of Sex and the City, where Carrie is walking her boyfriend's dog - yes in heels as high as these. Well the dog runs off and she literally dashes off after him in those heels - and yes she looked good doing it too. I was bewildered for the whole week. And no, I won't be going jogging in those heels.

Coming back to Vic B. I tip my hat to her for going through all the pain and hassle simply to set a trend. It's incredible she can live through the day wearing the stilts she does and still smile for the cameras. It takes a very disciplined person to go through the daily ritual described in the article. And I guess only Vic can spend half a million dollars in one day on 20 pairs of shoes and other fashion items! Totally out!

But are the pains and troubles she goes through really appreciated?

To what extent would you go to to set a trend? Are you even bothered to be a trend-setter? And what pains would you take to be stylish? Are you a fashion victim?

Brownies-CranberryPistachio_ChocMelted01b-framed

I think it's not a secret around here that I love shoes and bags. I might not be a trend-setter and I do not follow each trend but still think of my style as chic. It's me. I fee comfortable with it and THAT in my opinion is the factor that needs to be considered. The heels - well they are a part of my collection now and I will wear them on a few special occasions knowing one thing - that for a day I can pretend to be a trend-setter!

These brownies are fully in trend with fruity cranberry and nutty pistachios all wrapped in rich chocolate brownie cake with a slight hint of cardamom. 

Cranberry Pistachio Brownies

Printable version of recipe here

Ingredients

300g bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
200g + more butter, cut into cubes
250g muscovado sugar
200g all-purpose flour
4 eggs
4 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
80g dried cranberries
120g pistachios
icing sugar, for dusting optional

Method

  1. Pre-heat oven to 160 degrees C. Butter and line a baking pan approx 20 x 20 cm.

  2. In a saucepan, gently heat chocolate, sugar, butter and milk stirring frequently until mixture has melted. Allow to cool.

  3. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, making sure each one has been incorporated well. Then fold in the flour, cardamom and cranberries.

  4. Spread half of the chocolate mixture into the pan then scatter the pistachios, finally pour the rest of the mixture over the top and smooth.

  5. Bake in the oven for about 25-30 minutes. Cut into squares while warm. If using dust with icing sugar.


The Food Guide tips:

- Antioxidant powerhouses – cranberries

- Selecting and storing pistachios 

- Versatile cardamom


 

 


Verdict

Brownies Cranberry Pistachio (02) by MeetaK

These are wonderfully moist treats, with a tangy tartness from the cranberries and a gorgeous crunch from the pistachios with a comforting glow from the cardamom. To be honest Soeren, Tom and I had to fight for our fair share because they tasted so good. Not too sweet and very much in style!

You might like these brownies ideas from WFLH:

Chocolate Raspberry and Peach Brownies Chocolate Mocha Brownies Classic Brownies

All through January the Spotlight on the Archives is on:

Roasted Pumpkin and Chocolate Bread Pudding
Roasted Pumpkin and Chocolate Bread Pudding 


All photographs and written content on What's For Lunch, Honey? © 2006-2010 Meeta Khurana unless otherwise indicated. | All rights reserved | Please Ask First

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46 comments:

  1. go on girl wear those sexy heels. I envy those who have nice legs and wear high heels even though they re not comfortable. these brownies look delicious and the colours are awesome :)

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  2. Wonderful brownies! I love that combo!

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  3. Yeah I remember the sceen with carrie too.
    Well I have heels but as you said only wear them for special occasions and then I am still happy to be back home to remove them.
    I don't think i follow trend just buy and wear what is comfortable.
    Love the brownies, I love the idea you use pistachios.

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  4. Oh my, starting the post talking about a dentist... ugh, you scared me! However just an image of you jogging in your new high heels brought me back! :D And your brownies looks very trendy! :)

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  5. Haven't worn high heels ever since I moved to France. Can't walk on those on the cobber stone street in town. LOL! Definitely not a trend follower.

    Those brownies look delicious.

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  6. Meeta, Lovely shoes. Hmmm. I so wish I could be a chic. I just get exhausted with it all and though I'm not tall, my favourite shoes are flats :-). Someday perhaps. As for these brownies, the thought of cardamoms....HEAVEN. I'd love to make them with orange zest, cardamom a bit of ginger and hazelnuts. I may have to try it soon as my kids are CRAZY about brownies! LOL

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  7. i've always been wanting to try pistachios in brownies as mine are always plain ol' dark chocolate chocolate with more chocolate! these look yum and i trust they are moist too. thnks for the virtual sharing meeta. i wish i cld eat it for pudding now. x

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  8. I love that SATC episode! Would have loved a pic of you *in* these heels! Guess I'll have to wait until I next see you. Will you be wearing them when 'lovering' Morten? =)

    Yummy yummy looking brownies btw. Loving the pistachio addition. MmmmMmmmmm!

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  9. Hmm..been there done that.. not so muc now. there was a time, I wore only tailored clothes (which were pricey but gorgeous enough to be worth it), matched accessories. was the best dressed for miles!

    then b school happened and fashion was put in the back burner with more emphasis on getting from bed to class in 5 minutes! :D and, then 6 am work schedule for 3 years totally wiped it out :D

    Still, i love good clothes and shoes and even tho i fite tooth and nail with hub (who doesn't understand why i want yet another dress when i just bought 1 two weeks back), these days I do prefer comfy flats and low heels. needless to say, i still own 4 pairs of high heels :D

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  10. I miss wearing heels. Living in London three quarters of a mile from the tube station the occasions when I could wear them were limited to "car to bar" situations! These days they make my knees go all funny so I have to give them a miss altogether.

    Pistachio and cranberry in brownies sounds wonderful.

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  11. i blame it on my oven becuz i can never get crumbly brownies, only dense ones.

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  12. Chocolate cranberry pistachios sound reeeeeally reeeeealy good together! Wish I could bite into these.

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  13. i seriously need to try elaichi in my baking.... these brownies look good....as for fashion trends etc... to each his own, i love my high heels...i also love my feet and back so keep them for special enough occasions!

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  14. I wish I could say that I was into fashion.....I am not, but I do admire people who are elegantly dressed to the T( no, and Victoria is not my idea of that someone).
    I do however like to set trends in my kitchen. These brownies are setting a trend in the bloggersphere as we speak!!!

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  15. I wish i could wear long heels like you but i just cant, forget running walking in those heels would be a nightmare for me and i would be on ground most of the times :-) I am not a fashion freak though i love to buy handbags and lord knows my mom is having a tough with me..lol..as for clothes, i prefer simple but comfortable ones..need not be branded.

    Browies look super delicious, chocolate plus cranberry combo sounds yummy,would love a dollop of vanilla ice cream on top!!

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  16. Brownies, cranberries and pistachios all in one? You got me! All faves and these I could nibble on - or gobble down - one after the other. Must try this recipe!

    And first I have to say, Ms. Posh never smiles for the camera, she poses. Second, I truly don't think she thinks as much about setting trends as she does simply grabbing attention. And thirdly, my dear, you are much more stunningly gorgeous and vivacious than she can ever hope to be!

    I also have a closet full of fab shoes and cool clothes and I save them for when I do need to look good which sadly is less often these days than it used to be. We should dress up more often, shouldn't we?

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  17. I love brownies! they look so good! and the article is really good!`

    veda

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  18. Interesting analysis Meeta... while I would never go through any trouble to set or follow trends with bags and shoes - I would definitely go through lots of trouble to try a new dish (like the time I struggled to make macarons)... I guess - to each his own! Anyway, your brownies look delicious - I love the pistachio, chocolate and cranberry combination!

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  19. Dentist, fashion and delicious brownies in one post that´s incredible! Lucky you- you can wear those high heels AND eat those mouth-watering brwonies. I guess Mrs. B. can´t. ;-)

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  20. I am so not a trend setter. But I don love me some brownies. Those look awesome.

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  21. loving your feedback and glad you are liking the brownies!

    sari - i cannot imagine jogging in the heels - such a shame to ruin them!

    mowie - ooohh mowie i'll wear them if you promise to take me out somewhere nice. on second thoughts maybe i SHOULD save them for when i'm lovering morten!

    Oz - your adaptation sounds lovely!

    Asha - LOL! how things change over time!

    Parita - i wear flats a lot more often than I do really high heels, especially in the Winter. but practice makes perfect!!

    Jamie - you always make me smile. Ms. B is not in any way my ideal fashionista! I love the way we can eat what we want dress what we want and still look good! Ms. B. is missing out on a lot!!

    Trissa - food trends is a topic for another post! hahaha!

    Inga - exactly and that is why we foddie gals rock!

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  22. Beautiful combination of flavour ! i bet they taste outta this world !

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  23. I love heels, but walking with them on my gravelled front yard, pushing my baby's buggy on London's streets are not practical. I wish I could walk around the Sharjah corniche in them tho'! The brownies are lovely!

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  24. I have made pistachio brownies, but love the idea of adding cranberries, too - I bet they add a nice tang!
    These are fabulous, Meeta!

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  25. I like the brownies, and will admit, in writing for all the world to see - I do not own a single pair of high heels! I barely own a pair of dress shoes, but my crocs are very, very well worn.
    These brownies sound great. I think I"ll try them but leave out the cardamom.

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  26. I loved those heels! I'm not usually that trendy when it comes to shoes, but boy, I love them! I do own several pairs of 3-4 inch heels - they're fun - but as I get older, I feel the pain of wearing them more and more! I don't embrace every fashion trend out there - I'm too darned practical for that - but I love when fashion meets comfort! Low-heeled boots are really big right now where I am, and am scrambling to pick up a pair. They look comfy and cute - I can't beat that!

    Oh - and brownies? With cranberry adn pistachio, and cardamom? Yes please!

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  27. I am a true convicted fashion-addict. Not in the sense that I follow the trends vigourously, it's more that I want to express myself through clothing and accesories! :D
    But no, I wouldn't wear Victoria Beckham's shoe's day in and day out (I've even seen a picture of her picking up her son on 15cm high stiletto heels!).

    And your brownies look delicious!

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  28. go on Meeta wear them! And if u feel u can dash in them through Weimar to do whatever then dash. I admire the fact that you manage to be chic and housewifely, mother and a working woman and run the blog! Ever since I moved to germany I must say, I forgot what its all about- Style I mean. No more heels, no more sehr chic clothes etc etc. Living in the countryside completely changed my life. My monthly trips to the beautician are a thing of a past - not that I miss it so much - I am very content with my lifestyle but once in a while I do get the urge to slip into something slinky and pull out my heels which I fulfil. so dont get any pangs about those shoes!!! Its part of who you are and you shouldnt have to justify it. Thjis is a lesson I had to learn the tough way...

    :- )

    Shy

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  29. Hi Meeta,
    First of all applause for the high heels n such a nice post to justify when you would be wearing them ! Loved your article about Brownies but have a doubt though ...what is "muscovado sugar "? What is the German name for it? Can I substitute for normal sugar if I dont find it say for eg: in Real or dm?
    Regards,
    CPG

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  30. I remember that episode of sex and the city! They actually have a sort of run here every year which is called the stilettorun. You have to run on stiletto heels (and I think they have to be a fixed height too) if only for about 100 meter... but sill... I'd rather eat your brownies!

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  31. Hi

    Just discovered your blog, amazing recipes and awesome photographs.

    Just a small suggestion, if you could highlight the quantity prepared for all your recipes/ how many it serves, it would be great.

    Thanks
    Akanksha

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  32. I wore heels when I was young and more stylish. Now I go for comfort and not falling, but I still wear cute shoes since flats are in at the moment...but no ballet flats.
    Lovely brownies! The photos are as gorgeous as always and the green really brings out the pistachios.

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  33. Been there done that...and cannot wear heels to save my soul any more!! LOL meeta...you brought a HUGE smile to me face. I LOVE those brownies...& I love the cranberry, pistachio & chocolate combination. These ae seriously droolicious & your pictures are fabulous as always!

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  34. Like brownies... only much much better!!! I *love* the addition of cranberries & pistachios :)

    Re. trendsetting - fashion and me have never been on a first-name basis. Occasionally I wear something for a couple of years and it accidentally comes into fashion and for a brief moment, I own something fashionale - other than that, I just buy what I knwo suits me. When I was still living at home (but already earning a salary) I had a LOT more disposable cash & my mom and I were voracious clothes shoppers - not fashion items, just bautifully tailored and detailed stuff - I used to joke that we bought clothes as art :) The boutique we bought from would bring bags of stuff to us on appro; we'd try it on; and they'd collect the items we didn't want to buy. It was heaven. These days I bu clothes very seldom - I reckon the best thing you can be is comfortable in your own skin and clothes - that's a lot sexier than being a trendsetter!

    Shoes and scarves, however, fall under a totlaly different category. I would buy a new pair of shoes or a new scarf every time I left the house, if left to my own devices (i.e. no husband!!)

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  35. this is great! i am loving all your feedback and comments! weimar has a lot of cobbled stone streets so i'll have to watch my step in the shoes lol!

    but what i am liking here is that it seems everyone has a sensible opinion about fashion and has found a style that suits them best. i am alos enjoying reading what everyone's fetishes are LOL!

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  36. Love Pista and Cranberries. I always keep small packs of Cranberries to munch on when ever I get the 4pm urge!

    Beautiful looking brownies. I do the same ie browsing the mags at the dentist or doctor's office, but always end up at the recipe page and get tempted to try! :P

    I hate to wear heels more than 3", any higher than that is scary to me, not worth risking the injuries.

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  37. The color of the brownies are so nice! I want to try it! Good looking they are! I envy those people who can wear those heels! I always have a hard time walking! i am afraid I may get some injuries with it.

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  38. You had me with chocolate and cranberry and then the pitachio..wow!

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  39. The pistachio and cranberry combo always remind me of the holidays. These would make some really nice festive treats! (or any other time for that matter.)

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  40. More pistachios! I think I need to make these too!

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  41. Excellent recipe Meeta.
    I used redskin nuts instead of pistachios.
    Thank You

    http://mojakuchniawirlandii.blogspot.com/2010/04/czekoladowe-brownies-z-orzechami-i.html

    Ewa

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Thank you for visiting What's For Lunch, Honey? and taking time to browse through my recipes, listen to my ramblings and enjoy my photographs. I appreciate all your comments, feedback and input. I will answer your questions to my best knowledge and respond to your comments as soon as possible.

In the meantime I hope you enjoy your stay here and that I was able to make this an experience for your senses.

Hugs
Meeta