American Brownie Kagemand

This American-Danish hybrid birthday treat came to me when we had friends staying over whose son, Max, was turning five. Since he is half Danish, I wanted to contribute to him having something Danish to remember from being in our home on this birthday and promised to bring home a Kagemand from the bakery. Little did I know that those must be ordered one day in advance, so I improvised instead by turning to my classic American brownie recipe which is an easy, unsophisticated solution to any chocolate craving. I still had some jelly beans that I brought home from the US, which made perfect decorations (you can find them in Copenhagen at Magasin Mad  og Vin or Søstrene Grene) but Danish wine gummies would also do the trick. It was fun to make as well, and even though it was meant to be a surprise, Max got involved, deciding how the Kagemand should be dressed; it would have never turned out so well without his eye for confectionary fashion. The only thing I would recommend if you also would like to make this treat for children is that you serve it to them early enough in the day for  the sugar to wear off.  This recipe also works great as a normal dessert, served warm with vanilla ice cream on top.

  

Recipe:

Ingredients:

250 g butter

565 g sugar

140 g cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla essence

4 eggs

140 g flour

Mix the butter, sugar and cocoa into a heat proof bowl set into a pot of boiling water, mixing together until melted and smooth.  Remove from heat, add vanilla essence, and mix the eggs in, one by one.  Gradually add the flour and stir for 40 extra strokes after you don’t see any more flour. Pour into a baking spray coated pan and bake for approximately 30 minutes at 200° C or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean. Take out of the oven and let cool enough to cut the brownie into the shape of a man (enjoying the removed edges as you go). You need to do this while it is warm because the candy will not stick into the brownie very well once it has cooled.  Let your creativity take over from here and decorate it as you like. You can make colored icing, such as the blue jeans in the photo, by adding food coloring to powdered sugar and a tiny bit of water to make it the texture you need to spread on the brownie. I use a ziplock bag for this with a tiny hole cut out of the edge.  Have fun and enjoy!