Bittersweet Chocolate Brownies

 

Bittersweet Chocolate Brownies
Source: Maida Heatter's Brand-New Book of Great Cookies (Random House, 1995 ed.), pg. 73.

Another brownie recipe and this is one of the best. They have a whopping 8 ounces of chocolate and two cups of nuts. That is a lot of nuts and it is indeed very nutty. I used pecans instead of walnuts just because I'm not a big fan of walnuts. I used bourbon at the end but you can opt for rum, cognac or scotch. They are delicious and just a bite will satisfy your sweet and chocolate cravings.

2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
6 oz. semisweet chocolate
2 TBS. unsalted butter
7 oz. (2 cups) walnuts
1/2 cup sifted unbleached flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. dry powdered instant espresso
3 TBS. dark rum, cognac, scotch or bourbon

Adjust bottom oven rack one third up from the bottom. Preheat to 350. Prepare an 8x8x2 inch pan by lining it with foil. Butter the foil and place the pan in the freezer or refrigerator until ready to use.

In a double boiler, melt the chocolates and the butter over low heat. Set aside.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Beat the eggs, sugar, vanilla and espresso on high speed for one minute. Add the melted chocolate mixture just to mix. Add the flour mixture just to mix.

Remove the bowl from the mixer and stir in the nuts.

Turn the mixture into the pan and smooth out.

Bake for 35-40 minutes. As soon as you bring it out of the oven, brush or drizzle the rum, cognac, scotch or bourbon over the top. Let it stand until cool.

Chill the cake before cutting for best results. They can be served cold or at room temperature.

 

Chocolate Cracks

 

Chocolate Cracks
Source: Maida Heatter's Book of Great Desserts (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 1999 ed.), pg. 203.

Maida doesn't provide any commentary about this recipe and when I saw it, I assumed that it was a recipe that I've long used in which the cookies develop cracks while baking. Unlike the recipe I've used in the past (I cannot remember which recipe that was), this one doesn't use powdered sugar. Aside from that, the cookies remind me of the same taste. They are soft and chewy and have a rich chocolate flavor.

 

This recipe is easy peasy. Here is the fast version (my attempt at making a video)!

 

 

 

And the more detailed version...

3 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1 1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar

6 oz. butter (1 1/2 sticks)

2 TBSP. water

12 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped (or chocolate chips)

2 eggs

 

Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside. 

In a heavy saucepan, melt the sugar, butter and water together until blended.

Add the chocolate and and stir until partially melted. Remove from the heat and stir until completely melted.

Transfer to a mixing bowl and let it cool for five minutes before proceeding.

Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until mixed. Gradually add the sifted flour mixture, scraping the bowl as necessary. Let the dough stand for about 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. 

Using a teaspoon measure, form the dough into balls and place them about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.

Bake for 11-12 minutes. Tops will feel dry but not firm. Do not overbake. Place on baking racks to cool. As they cool, they will crisp up. Allow to cool completely. Store in an airtight container. 

A Message to Subscribers

For readers who get my blog posts in your e-mail via Feedburner, your subscription has been converted to a different service called Follow-it. You will continue to receive updates but you must confirm the change (you should receive an e-mail asking you to do this). You can also just re-subscribe by clicking on the sign-up link at the top of the left column.

I apologize for the change. The reason behind all this is that Google is discontinuing the Feedburner service. My apologies and thank you!