Today, I had every intention to make a delicious treat to bring to my holiday party this evening.
Santa Hat Brownies from Sweet Tooth
Seeing as I can’t have regular powdered sugar because powdered sugar is made from sugar and corn starch, on Saturday I went out to find some corn free powdered sugar from an Allergen free store around my house. Let me tell you first of all how excited I was that on their website, it was listed as one of the products they had in the store.
I got to the store, and they didn’t have any. #failone
Ugh.
Instead, I figured I could make my own with sugar and potato starch. So, I bought my potato starch that I only needed 1 tablespoon of and called it a day.
I figured it was a genius idea (as I think most ideas are until they smack me in the face), so I baked the brownies last night in an 8×8 pan only to decide later that I was stupid and should have made them in a mini muffin tin instead of having to cut them out myself. #failtwo
With that in mind, I still went to work at making my own frosting. Out came the turbinado sugar, the potato starch, the milk, the earth balance, and the vanilla.
I would like to share with you that turbinado sugar does not make for good frosting. Grainy brown sugar does not 1) look delicious and 2) grind up very well even with a processor. #failthree
Unfortunately, this means we all have to eat regular old brownies because I couldn’t think of anything else to act as a binder for the brownie and strawberry.
Bah humbug.
In other news, I have a winner of the Spencer’s Market giveaway! Congratulations to Evan @ Peaceful Owl Knits. Please email me to claim your prize!
Question: What was the last “stellar” idea you had only to have it blow up in your face?
{ 35 comments… read them below or add one }
ah so sad
But brownies are always a crowd pleaser. I especially love them with either chocolate chunks or walnuts. (or both)
I just bought my friend a western DVD for his Christmas gift… knowing he likes John Wayne. However, the other night he emailed me saying how sick he is of his siblings watching old westerns over and over again recently.
Ugh
Aww! That blows! Brownies still rock though
girl half my ideas in the kitchen end up blowing up in my face…I manage to “save” most of them…I mean the food is edible, but not always blog-able. Things not setting up properly, things sticking to pans and not able to get clean slices out, recipe ideas not fully coming together…adding a “dash” of some spice and then having to compensate with a cup of something else only to have a modest batch of something turn into enough to feed a football team…it goes on.and on.and on….
Good luck!
Bleck! What would happen again if you had something with gluten? I’m clueless about being gluten free.
I was suprised my husband with a huge meal- he said he was going out for a few minutes with a friend…. he didn’t come home for HOURS! Mad wife and food-borne-illness written all over it! Husbands. He’s lucky I still love him
What did you “eat on wednesday”
?? I missed you WIAW post today
That stinks! However, I’m sure the brownies are delicious and will be a hit at the party!
I was making white chocolate Bailey’s truffles for a cookie swap last weekend, and the filling just would not set up. I made the recipe up as I went along, and I think I added too much cream. I forced them to work because it tasted delicious, but they weren’t pretty. I made a dark chocolate batch that I served at the cookie swap, but I shared the ugly white chocolate ones with family.
Last Valentine’s Day, I wanted to surprise my bf with berry cupcakes with wonderful fluffy berry frosting on top. My first attempt at the frosting turned into a complete liquid, my second attempt held up for five minutes and then melted into a runny marshmallowy substance. Needless to say, he got no grand dessert that night. Just naked cupcakes.
Wholefood’s 365 brand powdered sugar uses tapioca starch.
I once neglected to put the (any!) sugar into my Mucho Margarita cupcakes from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. Epic Fail.
Hunni decided to cook for me using one of my favorite recipes. Only he didn’t know the difference between T & t for measurements and mixed up the sugar and salt. He tried to eat it to prove it was good but even he couldn’t do it.
I planned on making homemade flavored vinegar for Christmas and it got moldy. I wasn’t making penicillin
Those brownies are cute, but I’m sure your brownies taste just as delicious! Happy Wednesday!
These look so cute! I saw them a few days ago and thought about making them as well but then I remembered I don’t bake. So I’m bah humbuging with you!
I made those Santa hat brownies for the Christmas party I went to last Saturday!
I keep seeing those santa hat brownies everywhere! They are super cute. Sorry about the fails. It happens…
What about yogurt? I feel like I have seen you post that you eat Chobani yogurt? maybe a yogurt based binder? Also, I have the best tip for you for cutting brownies out of a pan. I just posted a brownie recipe yesterday (not GF though) and I always use a foil cake pan (like from the dollar store) then use a scissors to snip the corners and the brownies just release and you cut them! My mom taught me that forever ago - best brownie cutting trick
Aww sounds frustrating! On a lighter note, my dad successfully made gluten free chocolate chip cookies and sent them to me! I almost cried it was so sweet of him.
Completely off topic but I think you need to do a WIAT post..to make up for your lack of WIAW
!
I had no idea that powdered sugar had corn starch in it. I always just grind up granulated sugar and use that. Good thing too, because my nephew is allergic to corn and I just brought his family cookies with my “powdered sugar” on them.
I can totally relate, because this happens to me All. The. Time. I haven’t posted a recipe all week for this exact reason. Sigh. As frustrating as it is, I like to think it helps me become a better cook…learning from mistakes. Maybe?
I made those and didnt let the strawberries dry very well after washing them so they wouldnt stick very well to my brownies…until i used white chocolate as a binds (mayb this will help?)
I think everyone will still love the brownies!
At least the brownies worked out!
I’m sure they were still a hit!
I feel like I’m always having kitchen experiments blow up in my face. Especially when it comes to baking! The other day I had to crush candy canes by hand for a peppermint cookie brittle, so I put them in a ziploc bag and stomped on them with heavy boots. Not such a great idea… the bag broke and I got pieces of candy cane all over my kitchen floor!
Brownies are their own are still good!!
And I tried to make cornbread baked in a poblano pepper last night. Good idea in theory but it came out very dry. I have not given up hope though and have lots of ideas to tweak it!
Awww, bummer. I’ll take those brownies of your hands, though
My last failed attempt at a recipe was when I tried to make a balsamic fig and onion sauce to drizzle on my ravioli. It was okay, but it definitely wasn’t great. I had my hopes up.
What about cool whip? Lower calorie and healthier anyway!
No WIAW this week??
I very well may be setting myself up for one of these.. I’m planning on making santa hat trail mix for coworker holiday gifts. however, I’m thinking this idea is a better one left in my brain.
I am pretty sure the powdered sugar at Trader Joes (or maybe Whole Foods?) is made with tapioca starch?? I could be wrong but I am pretty sure that is what the ingredient label said when I looked last… although the kind made with tapioca is not nearly as fluffy as the version with cornstarch
But brownies are still good, even sans santa hats, right ?
You come up with so many great recipes, there are bound to be a couple that just don’t work out!
I hate when stores don’t have what I need in stock. I swear, I feel like it’s a personal attack or something. They obviously hate me, right? Ugh.
LMAO! stellar idea to blow up in my face? hmmm. in my exbulimic life, everything has gone swimmingly perfect thus far, so i cannot answer your question! ha!
that’s a good thing. and seriously, it’s nice to see such a clean girl experience “rough ups” because it makes the normal, not always clean girls, realise that they’re ‘okay.’ (i’m not one of those girls, but i formerly was). good blog post. you are so sweet, CEC! 
x
I saw those cute little desserts my first day on pinterest lol. my latest fail was trying to make my own peanut butter. my food processor just wasnt having it i guess!
the thing that always happens to me is I get home to discover I have forgotten an ingredient, I get so frustrated!