Wednesday, February 03, 2010

The Best Fudge Brownies Ever

1 cup (8 ounces) butter
2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups Dutch process cocoa (I use Hershey's Dark)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cup unbleached all purpose flour
2 cups chocolate chips semi-sweet

Add if you like:
1tsp coffee grounds
1 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans

Note: Increase salt to 1 teaspoon if you are using unsalted butter.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9×13 inch pan. (I lined mine with parchment).

In a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl, or in a saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter then add the sugar and stir to combine. Return the mixture to the heat (or microwave for 1 minute) and heat until mixture is very hot but not bubbling; it'll become shiny looking as you stir it. Heating the butter and sugar a second time will dissolve more of the sugar, which will yield a shiny top crust on your brownies. Transfer the mixture to a bowl (if you melted the butter and sugar in the mixing bowl, you don't have to transfer anything).

Stir in the cocoa, salt, baking powder and vanilla and coffee grounds. Add the eggs, beating till smooth; then add the flour, chips and nuts, stirring until combined. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake the brownies for 25 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out dry. Don't over bake! Remove them from the oven and after 5 minutes, loosen the edges with a table knife. This helps prevent sinking as they cool. Cool then cut and serve with wonderful red wine and good friends or as a breakfast food for those who are daring~Enjoy.

Makes 2 dozen brownies
--Allison Vitug