Of all the things that people try when they use marijuana for the first time, edibles generally are the front runner. It’s one of the many ways in which you can bypass the skunky odor and taste of cannabis and enjoy the benefits in a delicious way.
Now, do not by any means take edibles lightly. They do not give effects immediately. Rather, they have a slow and potent effect that slowly takes hold of you. Unlike smoking marijuana where you start to feel the effects almost immediately, edibles take time to get into the system and only start affecting when the digestion process starts. Sounds interesting, right?
So, here’s a chance for you to try an edible recipe that takes no more than 20 minutes. And yes, we are covering a classic go-to for people – cannabis brownies.
The easy part about making a brownie is the baking process. The hard part is making the cannabutter. More on that later, let us get into the fudge-filled world of edibles.
The Process
The thing about baking is that you can change the proportions to your desired consistency and preferences, but you always follow the process. What’s imperative is that you always follow the steps and in the order for the best result. So, without wasting much of your time, here’s how you can go about when making your next batch of brownies.
Step 1: Decarb Your Buds
Before you do anything, you need to heat your cannabis bud to activate the real deal – THC. In its natural form, cannabis buds only contain THCA and CBDA, which are the acid forms of THC and CBD, respectively. You need to turn this acid form into the active forms by exposing the buds to heat. This process is called decarboxylation.
This is the most important step because all the hue and cry about the effects of cannabis is associated with THC and CBD. So, if you don’t decarboxylate, you’re basically eating a normal brownie with a slightly herby taste.
How to Decarboxylate?
What you need to do is to crush your cannabis into small-sized pieces. Make sure to not go overboard with the grinding or else the buds will burn down. Then, spread them evenly on a baking sheet and cover lightly with aluminum foil; put it in the oven for 25-30 minutes on a low temp (200-220 degrees Fahrenheit). Keep checking for any signs of burning after every few minutes.
Step 2: Make Cannabutter
Now comes the hard step – making cannabutter.
Take 100ml of water and add a stick and a half of butter in a saucepan and simmer the butter. After the butter has melted evenly with the water, add the cannabis to the pan. Let it stay on low flame for at least an hour. This allows all the active ingredients of cannabis to completely infuse into the butter. Make sure to stir the mixture frequently to avoid burning.
Once it’s done, strain the butter into a glass dish and refrigerate until you need to actually use it.
Since it’s a long process, a smart step would be to prepare your cannabutter a night prior to actually making the brownies so that you can save time and effort.
Step 3: Assembling the Ingredients
Once you have prepared the cannabutter, you have done more than half the work. All that’s left to do is mix and bake.
Wet Ingredients
- Take some cannabutter (make sure it’s as per your dosage) and melt it in the microwave.
- For every cup and a quarter of the butter, mix a cup and a half of sugar along with two whole eggs.
- Pour a dash of vanilla essence or extract to the mixture.
- After that is settled, add 3 and a half ounces of dark compound chocolate. This will form a cohesive mix after about half a minute of whisking.
Dry Ingredients
- Add three-quarters of all-purpose flour, a quarter of a cup of cocoa powder, freshly grated nutmeg along with some cinnamon.
Side Note: See how we didn’t add baking powder, not doing so will make the brownies fudgy, soft, and decadent even.
Now, combine the wet and dry ingredients by adding the dry mix to the wet mix and fold it gently with a rubber spatula till mixed evenly.
Step 4: Baking
Preheat the oven for 10 minutes before you add the mix to the oven. Before you put the mix into the baking tray, add chunks of dark chocolate into the mix and give it a little mix again. Once that is done, line your tray with parchment paper. Then lay the brownie mixture onto the tray and spread it evenly.
Start baking at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes. Check after 20 minutes to see if a fork comes out clean from the center of the brownie.
Step 5: Dig in and Enjoy
Don’t start munching on the brownies just yet. Let it rest and cool down for at least 30 minutes before you cut yourself a piece.
Now, one of the most important parts of using edibles is dosage. If you are not sure how much of it you must eat, consult someone experienced for guidance or apply for a medical marijuana card online to talk to a professional about using marijuana edibles. After all, you can make edibles at home all you want but you must use it responsibly.