Cooking with cannabis presents an exciting and pleasurable way to enjoy its therapeutic benefits and unique flavour profile. The process is much more than simply mixing a few buds into your food—it's an exciting culinary journey that transforms the consumption of cannabis into a flavourful adventure. When you incorporate cannabis into a rich, decadent dessert like brownies, you create a delectable treat and elevate the entire experience. The flavour complexity of these cannabis-infused delights extends beyond their rich, chocolatey goodness, offering a unique and sophisticated gustatory encounter. But more than that, it's not just the brownies getting baked!
Why You Should Experiment With Edibles
Why should you try these cannabis-infused brownies? For starters, they are a fun and tasty way to consume cannabis, perfect for both novices and experienced users. As the flavours of rich chocolate and unique herbal undertones combine, they create a gastronomic experience that you won't easily forget. These brownies also provide a slow and gentle release of cannabis effects, often more manageable and longer-lasting than the instant, sometimes intense, hit of smoking or vaping.
Furthermore, by making your own edibles, you retain complete control over the quality and quantity of cannabis used and the dose administered. This allows you to manage the potency of your brownies and assures you of a clean, safe, and enjoyable experience.
Now, let's get baking!
The Equipment You’ll Need
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 medium mixing bowl
- 1 saucepan
- 1 baking tray
- 1 brownie pan
- 1 roll of parchment paper/greaseproof paper
- 1 fine-mesh strainer, or cheesecloth
- 1 jar or bowl for your strained cannabutter
- Food mixer/whisk/mixing spoon
The Ingredients You’ll Need
1 cup (240g) of unsalted butter
1/4 oz (7g) of cannabis buds, finely ground
1 cup (120g) of all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (100g) of cocoa powder
2 cups (200g) of granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon of salt
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
1 cup (170g) chocolate chips
You MUST Decarboxylate Your Cannabis
Decarboxylation is the first crucial step in creating edibles. This is a process where you gently heat cannabis to activate THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and other cannabinoids, the compounds responsible for the psychoactive and therapeutic effects of cannabis. Raw cannabis contains THCA (tetrahydrocannabinolic acid), a non-psychoactive cannabinoid that needs to be converted into THC. Without this step, consuming the cannabis will not yield the desired psychoactive effects, no matter how much you consume.
Preheat your oven to a low temperature of 245°F (120°C) to decarboxylate. This low heat ensures you don't burn or vaporize the cannabinoids. Spread your finely ground cannabis on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Try to spread it as evenly as possible for uniform heat exposure. Place the tray in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes. To ensure even decarboxylation, shake the tray gently every 10 minutes. The cannabis should change from a bright green to a darker brownish-green. This colour change signifies that the cannabis has been decarboxylated and is ready for use.
Cannabis-Infused Butter Preparation:
The next step involves infusing the cannabis into the butter. Melt your butter in a saucepan over low heat. Once the butter has fully melted, add the decarboxylated cannabis.
Simmer this mixture on a low heat setting for about 45 minutes. The slow infusion process will help extract the THC and other cannabinoids from the cannabis into the butter. Stir the mixture occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the pan and ensure an even infusion.
Once simmering is done, strain the butter into a jar through a cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer. Press or squeeze out all the liquid butter from the cannabis. Discard the strained plant matter.
Allow the cannabis-infused butter to cool. Once cooled, you can use it immediately or store it in a sealed container in the fridge for future use.
Brownie Preparation:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare a 9x13-inch baking pan by greasing it lightly or lining it with parchment paper.
In a medium-sized bowl, combine your dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Stir these together until well mixed.
Mix the cannabis-infused butter with the granulated sugar in a separate large bowl. The sugar should dissolve into the butter, creating a smooth, creamy mixture.
Beat the eggs into the butter and sugar mixture, one at a time, ensuring each is well incorporated before adding the next. Follow this with the vanilla extract.
Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring well to combine after each addition. The mixture should be uniform and thick once all the dry ingredients are incorporated.
Stir in the chocolate chips. These will provide little pockets of molten chocolate throughout your brownies, adding to their decadent taste.
Pour the brownie batter into your prepared baking pan, spreading it out evenly with a spatula.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes. The brownies are done when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out mostly clean, with a few moist crumbs clinging to it.
Allow the brownies to cool in the pan before cutting them into squares, then have at it! Remember that the effects of cannabis edibles can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours to manifest fully, and these effects can last significantly longer than other methods of cannabis consumption. Always start with a small serving and wait to see how it affects you before consuming more. These brownies are delicious, but remember there’s a THC content so go very easy on them.
Always consume responsibly and ensure your edibles are safely stored away from children and pets, and preferably labeled (just in case you forget!)
3 Great Strains For Edibles:
You've got the ingredients, you've got the recipe, but how do you decide which strain to use in your brownies? The world's your oyster and you can create any fllavour combination your heart desires. But here's Seedsman's tip: choose a strain with flavours that compliment the chocolate in your brownies. You can try strawberry, blueberry, lemon or even mint strains, but to get you started, here's three top picks to go with cohoclate brownies for a killer sweet taste:
Bubba Cheesecake
With a high THC content of over 20%, Seedsman's Bubba Cheesecake can add the type of kick to edible that goes down a treat at parties. It's a mostly-indica hybrid, so your edibles will deliver a highly-chilled sensation, bordering on couch-lock. Bubba Cheesecake has an amazing sweet flavour profile with a hint of licorice at the edge of a delicious sweet component borrowed from the Wedding Cake genetics in its lineage.
Badazz Cookies OG
The clue's in the name here; Badazz Cookies OG is the perfect addition to any baked edibles. Cookies? Check. Badazz? Check. Another mostly-indica hyrid, Badazz Cookies OG is a potent and productive strain which, when added to a batch of bitchin' brownies, will leave you feeling happy and relaxed. THC content is between 15-20%, and the flavour combination of chocolate, spice and lemon adds an artisinal quality to edibles that is frankly luxurious.
Peyote Gorilla
If you want your brownies to be off the charts in flavour and potency, you have to try making them with Seedsman's Peyote Gorilla. Indica power, and THC in the region of 22-26% combine make this the one if you really want to make next-level edibles. The best part is the energising effect of this strain, sure to uplift and hit hard.. The flavour profile of sweet, fruity berries will lend the kind of delicious to kick to your brownie recipe that everyone will love - just make sure you pace yourself with these guys, because they will be ultra-potent!
