I occasionally yell at the television at the gym.
It’s the only opportunity I have to watch television, seeing as how I don’t own one. And so I like to abuse it to maximal proportions.
Sometimes this means telling Paula to get her cholesterol checked.
Or yelling at Giada to eat a cannoli, for god’s sake, and get herself some child-bearing hips.
Mostly it’s saying, “Oh no she didn’t!” to my favorite real housewives of “insert random city here”. (I am an equal opportunist, except when it comes to Atlanta, in which case I can’t stand the show.)
On the particular occasion that I’m thinking of, however, the show in question was some Food Network Challenge that was based around cookies. In each round, the contestants were given a new set of ingredients and/or a theme and they had to formulate a cookie that either used the ingredients, fit the theme, or both.
All of which was fine and dandy until, in one of the final rounds, one of the contestants was given a whole slew of Asian ingredients, out of which he had to choose two or three to incorporate into his cookie. There was really was nothing too difficult in this, as both crystallized ginger and fresh ginger were numbered among his options. Now, I guess it’s possible that he had never heard of gingerbread cookies before, which might in fact explain the temper tantrum he proceeded to throw. Really. He hemmed and hawed about those ingredients as if someone had given him raw chicken and told him to spin it into gold.
So now you see why I had to start screaming at the screen.
And also why, somewhere in the middle of the spectacle that I was making of myself. It dawned on me that somehow. Someday. I should make a wasabi ginger chocolate chip cookie.
And somehow. Someday. Maybe I will.
In case you haven’t noticed, this is not a post about chocolate chip cookies. But about brownies. Dark chocolate brownies. Truly addictively beautiful dark chocolate brownies.
Oh, my thighs.
You see, this month’s theme for Dessert Wars was dark chocolate. But you couldn’t do just anything with dark chocolate. You had to think outside the dark chocolate box.
So I thought my way to the sushi joint across the street from my apartment, which honestly is where my thoughts reside most of the time anyway because damn I do love sushi. And that’s how a miracle was born.
I should warn you that these don’t really carry the wasabi punch that you’re expecting, probably because I used powder rather than paste. (And I wouldn’t try using paste if I were you, because I don’t think that it will incorporate evenly into the batter and so someone will end up with a huge clump of wasabi and a subsequent trip to the ER after burning a hole in his tongue.)
But there are undertones. Really nice undertones.
Undertones that keep you up at night and make you wish that you hadn’t brought the better part of the fudgy delicious batch into school and given most of them away to anyone who would take them. Because you ate too many to list here the day before anyway.
Not that any of that really matters. Because it is your birthday today. And we all know the rules about calories and birthdays. (Plus maybe your birthday wishes will finally be answered and all of the brownie weight will go to your boobs. Maybe. Hopefully. We’ll see.) So celebrate for me and with me and make these. Even if you leave out the wasabi and the ginger (wuss), there is still a perfectly wonderful dark chocolate brownie at the heart of it all. And I think we can all get behind that, now can’t we.
You definitely went outside the box!! Nicely done and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
Happy Birthday, Joanne. I hope you do get your birthday wish of brownie weight to your boobs (BTW, one of my favorite blog post lines of the week, for sure.) Even though I am not a fan of typical brownies, with crystalized ginger and wasabi, these would be too intriguing to resist. Hope your day is a great one.
These brownies would stuck to my thighs like glue, I am 100% sure about that, but also for the fact that I would die to eat them anyway. They look divine!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JOANNE!! 🙂
I love your Asian-spin on brownies… anything Asian with chocolate (Callebaut at that) is a winner in my eyes. 🙂
Happy Happy Birthyday, Joanne!! BRILLIANT Combo, btw…I bet the wasabi and ginger give them a great flavor. Enjoy your special day!! xo
I luvs me some undertones ;)! These look seriously habit-forming. I need a new bad habit. YUMMMMMY! Happy, Happy Birthday my friend!! Go out and have some fun!
LOL! I have yelled that at Giada too…also to cover that cleavage for God’s sake! 🙂 I love the combination of chocolate and ginger and the wasabi is so super interesting! Beautiful!
Happy bday girl!
3 tbsp of wasabi- goodness!!
And omg. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
I love love love that flaky layer on top of the brownies. they are gorgeous.
Your pictures are amazing! These sound incredibly unique!
I yell at the TV too, they totally can hear you!
Whoa whoa whoa. I’ve got all of these ingredients in my pantry. I think I’ll be making some brownies this weekend. After I pass out of exhaustion from my 5k race tomorrow, of course. =)
Wow, these brownies are truly unique with wasabi powder and crystallized ginger, love the idea! Happy birthday!
Firstly – happy birthday!!! And secondly – I am so intrigued by the wasabi & chocolate combo that I’m going to have to try it. Soon. As you said: “Oh my thighs”.
Happy Birthday!…wow Amazing droolworhty pics..perfectly baked:)
Happy birthday to you. Looks like that one of dessert i love to taste. Awesome with wasabi and crystallized ginger.
Wasabi!! Damn. My last guess (in my head anyway) was jalapenos. I thought I nailed it. You’re just too clever for me.
We used to watch the show Chopped and see the blood drain out of their face when they were given 4 crazy ingredients to build with. Although, I have to say, they really were crazy ingredients.
These brownies I can totally imagine. I wish you luck in transferring the fat to the boob area. I’ve been trying for years, but to no avail. The fat likes my belly.
Happy Birthday to you!!
Okay…first off these look like the perfect brownie IMO. I love the flaky top and goey center. I also am a big fan of crystallized ginger and love it in chocolate, granola, cookies…whatever I can put it in. I have that same jar of wasabi powder…well not the same exact one I have my own that is just like it!You know what I mean! 😀 I am adding this to my must make list!
Happy Birthday!!
Happy Birthday Joanne! Wonderful dessert to enjoy. IThe wasabi flavor for this brownies sound really intriguing. Moreish indeed!
Happy Birthday. You definitely thought outside the dark chocolate box with this one. It’s out there but still realistic enough that I could see myself giving it a try.
I ove the way you think, Joanne! You can just sit around and talk to yourself amusingly all day and probably kill yourself laughing at the same time. You slay me.
Paula Dean needs to be on parole for all the fat she uses in her food. Seriously.
These brownies, and your photographs are stunning!
I will have to try this as I love ginger. So far, my TO DIE FOR brownie has sour cherries in it that are surprisingly subtle with chocolate.
🙂
Valerie
I’m always yelling at Giada and Sandra Lee to at least smell some of their food. At least smelling has no calories right?
And holy batman, there brownies will make all other want to surrender in this war!
Happy birthday, darling! And congratulations on making possibly the most delicious brownies ever. YUM!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY GIRLIE!
These sound like my kind of brownies. My best friend is taking the 4 PM bus from NYC to Boston to spend the night with me, please find her and give her a box of these for me mmmmkay?
Happy Birthday Joanne!
Those brownies sound unreal. This is just my experience, but I don’t think it would matter if you used the powder or paste. When cooked, wasabi loses it’s punch. Also, if you prepared the wasabi paste from the powder, it would lose it’s punch if left in the refrigerator. It has a strong bite, but most so when fresh and untampered.
I am in LOVE! (with the brownies) I like you too however, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!
Sounds like a wonderful flavour combo. I was wondering how wasabi would fare but sounds like it didn’t spoil the party at all. The crumbly top looks awesome, the gooey middle looks awesome, the whole think looks awesome!
Ok, so I must admit that I have a huge aversion to wasabi. Like, it makes me gag. I am a firm believer, however, that anything will taste good with chocolate so perhaps I shall give these a try;)
Happy birthday!!! We must go grab sushi sometime to celebrate:)
Happy birthday, my love! These definitely look like the perfect birthday treat 🙂 Let’s get together again soon!!
i am sooo impressed by the creativity of your recipes and the way you combine the most unlikely of ingredients to revamp traditional recipes. seriously, it is rare to find food blogs nowadays that are really innovative and are aware of how nuanced flavors can really change an entire dish. i am loving your blog so much, keep up the awesomeness!
Happy Birthday Joanne!
Incredible, this looks like a great recipe!Bookmarked!
Wishing you a wonderful birthday, with loads of good food!
These brownies are a unique creation! I recently tried chocolate ice-cream with hot chili, so I am definitely in, to try the wasabi & ginger brownies! Love this idea!
Happy Birthday, Joanne!
I am a total wuss and was a little wary of the wasabi, but I think I can handle undertones. I’ve definitely had brownies with crystallized ginger before, and they are wonderful!
Wasabi, shamabi. As long as it has chocolate, I’ll eat it :p This brownie sounds fab!
Happy Birthday! If I had known, I would have stuck a card in the box I sent you earlier this week. Just pretend its a belated gift when you get it.
Dear Joanne, Happy Birthday to you!….wonderful combo of flavors! I love spicy and sweet flavors. These must be exceptional! Have a wonderful birthday…Blessings, Catherine
Happy Happy Birthday! What a way to celebrate! These brownies look so special (and spicy… YOWZAH!)!
Happiest of Birthdays to you, darling!!! 🙂 You are such a treasure and bring so much joy and hilarity to my life. 🙂 I love the splendid brownies – especially the ginger. Swoon! Hope you have a fantastic weekend of celebrating. 🙂
Haaapy Birthday Joanne…Wish you a wonderful day!!
Paula Deen..I saw her the other day deep frying butter.I almost puked at the thought of it 🙂 These brownies looks amazing.Wasabi and ginger are such a great addition..you go really creative with this one.
This brownie is making my toes curl..Hey, happy Birthday and hope your wish comes true. ;). Did you know, bigger boobs are the ones to sag faster. Unlike you, I wish all my weight goes to my butt. Cause its sorta non-existent!Anywayz, have a nice weekend!
Many many happy returns Joanne… guess I missed the episode but the use of wasabi in a brownie really makes me curious… now I have to try it some way or the other. Well about your brownies, let me tell you they look sinfully moist and dense and what a perfect crust !
US Masala
WOW – Talk about an over the top brownie! You really know how to get down girl!
wow, I think you need to be on the show!!! oh and I’m totally with you – no TV and my motivation to workout is literally to be able to watch the food network 🙂
Happy Birthday! Perfect brownies for sure. Pretty sinful too!
Oh good heavens! Those are seriously dangerous delights 🙂
These look so lovely and fudgy. You definitely deserve a treat like this on your birthday.
P.S. Happy Birthday!
Could you just mail me a couple? If I like them, then I’ll make them. Wasabi is one of two things that I don’t really like. I can’t think of the other thing.
Have a great weekend!
Best,
Bonnie
Happy Birthday! What a clever twist using Wasabi! The brownies look super and your pics are simply stunning too!
Happy birthday you creative and crazy girl… these look fantastic.
happy birthday girl!
and you know i’m giving you 2 thumbs WAY up on this creative lil number. love this. you nailed it.
those brownies look PERFECT!! and what interesting additions, totally could go for one of these right now…
I like the addition of crystallized Ginger but am unsure about the wasabi… Very adventurous and creative!
Happy birthday, Joanne! I’ve gotta say that this is one of your craziest experiments, but I like crazy!
Happy happy birthday!!!!
Woah, i’m soo curious about the undertones of this brownies now!!!
Yay! So glad I had time to read this tonight and wish you a Happy Birthday!!!!
happy birthday joanne! these brownies are so much fun! i happen to have crystallized ginger in my pantry, which pretty much means that i have to make these!
ginger & wasabi. wow! haute cuisine! 😀 genius!
Ooooo! I like this exotic combination, it would make a great item at a party. You’re funny. I think that Giada should eat something too. She’s so tiny!
Happy happy birthday!
Wasabi in brownies? Sounds interesting!
HApppppppyyyy Birthday babe….with lodsa love and chocolate ….real dark callebaut chocolate….aint it the best?
have never ever baked with wasabi in there:-(
U have some really gooey brownies and i loveee gooey brownies too:-)
Happy day with love and hugs and caramel ‘kisses'(the hersheys variety)…
Happy Birthday! 😉 Hope you had a wonderful day. These brownies look amazing–a great combination of ingredients and well worth indulging in.
JOANNE!!!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
And look, darling, these brownies? Totally worth the child-bearing hips and thighs. 😉
Love you lots and lots!!! The world is a happier and yummier place with you in it!!
Your brownies sound delicious. I thought everyone talked to the TV. I do it all the time but I’m especially bad during elections. I speak badly of people’s mothers. I question their parentage and their intelligence. I shouldn’t watch TV when in the presence of others at all. I hope you have a great weekend. Blessings…Mary
holy cow, everything you have been making lately is so ridiculously creative! And it all looks and sounds amazing .. Happy Birthday, girl!
wow that is out there and it looks amazing – I’ve never been a wasabi fan – eat my sushi without it – but I think I could come around to it in brownie – undertones=good – burn=bad!
and happy birthday – am glad to see it is full of chocolate and I hope the birthday fairy makes sure it is wonderful healthy chocolate that makes you glow
This looks incredible! I don’t know how I feel about wasabi and ginger in a brownie, but your gorgeous pictures make me want to try! And omg…I think all girls wish the fat would go where it matters… happy birthday!
happy late b-day joanne! You have so many comments it took me 5 minutes to scroll down to the comment box!
This looks insanely delicious. I love hearing the new things you are pairing with our everyday dishes. it is exciting and inspires me to do the same, although not sure my husband and 2 year old would go for wasabi in their brownies but I can still think out of the box more! Hope you had a great b-day and good luck in the contest. Going to vote for you right now! XO
You better win dessert wars with this one! I must get some of that wasabi powder. It sounds great paired with chocolate & I love that it gives the flavor without the big punch of heat. Funny story about that guy & his issue with SIMPLE to use ginger 😉
I was salivating
Happy Birthday Honey!!! Sorry I am a day late. Hope you had a day to remember. What a unique brownie! I’m imagining that fudgy dark chocolaty goodness with the bite of ginger and wasabi mixed in and loving the thought. Thanks for entering!
Are you known as “That crazy girl that talks to the tv” at the gym? 😉 🙂
You are so creative with your creations, just amazing all the time, Joanne.
Forgot to attach birthday wishes yesterday. Happy Birthday! Blessings…Mary
HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! Having a Friday birthday is always fun. I hope it’s a great birthday weekend for you:)
These brownies look delicious..all crackly on the top and all ooey gooey on the inside. I love that you added some heat with the ginger and wasabi. They look delicious.
These are some of the silkiest brownies I have ever seen. They look like they could just be made of silk. I would definitely try one of these, although I’m not sure if I would want to make a whole batch right off the bat. I recently made the NY Times EVOO brownie recipe and they were amazing. The densest, fudgiest smoothest brownies I had ever made, hands down. If you’re a brownie girl, you MUST add those to your list of recipes to try.
Happy birthday to you (I know I’m a day late; sorry)!
Oh my, wasabi powder?? really?? I have to try this! Happy belated birthday!
Happy Birthday, Joanne! May all your wishes come true!
wow looks like a party in your mouth happy birthday 🙂
I love the combination of wasabi and chocolate, it’s so delicious! And happy birthday Joanne! x
Whoa, Joanne. You continue to amaze me as you create amazing things that are TOTALLY outside any box ever created. Yeah for you!!
Love these. You had me at wasabi and ginger.
Happy B-day… I HATE U, you keep posting these recipes tasty things … I’m crazy for eating all that, one day I’ll make some!
Kinda crazy but I like it!
hi Joanne
you do have a knack for combining flavors, and your dark chocolate brownies are proof of it! You really pushed the envelope on this creation, I would love to try one with my coffee…can it be your birthday everyday? Happy Birthday!
Dennis
What is up with Giada having no hips? I swear. I should hook you and my husband up because he yells at televisions as well. Nice job on these brownie flavors. I cannot make brownies for my life, but was actually contemplating them tomorrow for my oldest’s birthday and our Oscar “bash.” Heat around here in chocolate takes the form of chipotle and a bit of cayenne. Maybe some toffee thrown in for good measure. Cross your fingers for me, please 🙂
Those brownies look just perfectly moist! (That is, just the way I like it!) Very nicely done 🙂
Hey everyone, you can also post your delicious recipes on http://www.tasteimonials.com they are not as picky as tastespotting or foodgawker
OH. MY. GOD. Just made these. All I can utter is an orgasmic “YESSSSS!”
This is the second birthday, I have nearly spent with you and I still am amazed at some of these creations you make. Wasabi!!!! Did you really say wasabi? I can’t imagine it but if you make these, they were good.
Happy Birthday.
These brownies look so delicious! Thanks for visiting my blog and the sweet words of encouragement. My weekend has gone much better. Thanks again for the concern. Hope to see you again sometime.
sometimes screaming is warranted, and you were in the right. sometimes i scream at my computer screen when i see something really appetizing. maybe it’s more of a squeal than a scream, but you get the idea. 🙂
Don’t you wonder about those challenges? Why are they competing if they can’t think outside the box?? I do get annoyed as well. Especially at Giada, who is skin and bones. Doesn’t she eat? (Aside from the bites she takes on camera and says yummmm.) Pet peeve of mine.
Anyway….your brownies deserve first prize in the dessert wars!
Happy belated Birthday, Joanne!
Those brownie squares look freaking good!
These brownies look amazing, Joanne! Hope you had a wonderful, wonderful birthday. Take care!
Girlfriend, these brownies rock. Look at all the places of inspiration you received to make these over the top, rock your world brownies.
Sending more birthday wishes your way. Hope your day was worth remembering. More importantly, you ate well.
Velva
Un gâteau très original : chocolat avec du gingembre confit, oui, je connais mais avec du wasabi, non.
A tester dès que possible.
See soon.
Joanne, I literally always learn something when I come here. I just learned that everything I ever thought about wasabi wasn’t true…and that it can be ahhhmaaaazing in dessert. Brilliant.
These brownies look absolutely amazing and so unique! I love that you yell at the TV at the gym, I can just see that and it cracks me up. I just found your blog and it is awesome! I cannot wait to see your next post.
The combo of sweetness and wasabi is absolutely amazing! People think I’m crazy when I say I want to dip my wasabi pee snacks into chocolate 🙁 This recipe is after my own heart! Good luck in Dessert Wars!
Happy Birthday! I LOVE these! Totally trying them soon.
Your brownies look crazy good! They look worth the splurge!
Happy Birthday my dear!!! I love sweet and spicy combos. Looks absolutely delish!
Happy Birthday!!!!
Your pictures look amazing of those brownies!!
Love that you are injecting these flavors into brownies.
Brilliance! I will tell you that I am not a big fan of ginger, but your pics are just too damned well done for me not to want to dive into these. Can you please come to Hollywood and take some head shots of me? As for Housewives… I just don’t get it. I tried watching Beverly Hills, and I just wanted to gouge my eyes out after the first ten minutes. The sad part is there are truly women like that all over this town. Yuck!
By ‘your birthday’ you mean your birthday, right? Happy Birthday! I love ginger and I love chocolate – this is like the perfect marriage. Hope you’ve had a fabulous weekend.
Your pictures are beautiful – and I love your creativity!! I’ve never actually had wasabi – but I am in. love. with ginger so I’m sure this would be a winning combination no matter what 😉
Happy Birthday!! These look like the perfect way to celebrate 🙂
Happy belated birthday to you! ps, I have the same birthday wish (for me, not you, that would be a little weird, huh?)
Love the sound of these brownies!!
All those “Oscar Night” parties are really birthday celebrations for Joanne. Thank you for this amazing recipe, which uses two of my favorite ingredients — ginger and wasabi. How do you manage to always choose my favorite foods? Thanks for a great birthday recipe!
Happy Late Birthday – I hope it was fabulous! Ok, I would so totally make these right now but I don’t have espresso powder – or the crystallized ginger – but wasabi powder THAT I have! LOL I am so going to have to send out a FB plea for the tsp of espresso and buy me some ginger next time I am at the store.
I so love sushi – I am very jealous you have a place so close. I drive 25 minutes. And yes I do it almost weekly cause a girl needs her sushi fix!
My jaw actually dropped open when I read the title of this post…then I saw the pictures, and my jar remained open. You’re a genius Joanne, Miriam@Meatless Meals For Meat Eaters
Goodness me – wasabi in a desert? This I have to try…
Robyn x
Oh my, they do look luscious! Great flavour combo – you are the master!
Happy belated birthday! These brownies are stunning. Just had a thought – you should put extra wasabi in one piece of brownie and play ‘brownie roulette’ with your ‘friends’… heehee!
Happy belated and these brownies would be a hit at my house! Love it!
I loooove sushi too- but I have to go way farther than that to get to it. These brownies though, can be made in the comfort of my own home. I even have the wasabi powder. They sound so good! And a happy belated birthday to you! 🙂
Oh, these remind me of the chocolate wasabi cupcakes I have in My Sweet Vegan, only better! I’ll have to try making mine with chunks of candied ginger next time…
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