Home Cooks Online

Recipe by guest author, Heather Forsyth.

I'm married to a serious chocaholic.  Die-hard.  Chocolate syrup, ice-cream, cake, cookies, candy and, most of all, seriously rich and chocolaty brownies.  I made a lot of brownies before he was satisfied.  Prior batches were rejected because they were too cake-like, not chocolate enough, not sweet enough, etc.  This batch was the winner.  I really wanted to give these a sexy name, like Bodacious Brownies or Badass Brownies, but I didn't think my editor would approve.  Whatever you call them, the chocolate lover in your life will be overjoyed.  Deliver these up on Valentine's Day, and I'm betting you'll get your just reward!

Brownies

• 8 oz. (yes, that's two whole sticks) butter
  
• 8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
  
• 4 eggs (bring to room temp by placing uncracked eggs in bowl of hot water for a few minutes)
  
• 1/2 t. salt
  
• 1 c. sugar
  
• 1 c. brown sugar
  
• 2 t. vanilla
  
• 1 c. flour

Preheat oven to 325.  Line 9x13 pan with foil, draping excess over the edges so you can use the foil later as handles to lift the brownies out of the pan before you cut them.  Place butter and chocolate in a bowl, butter first, and melt in the microwave, stirring every 15 seconds, until just melted.  In another bowl, combine eggs, salt, sugars and vanilla and beat until the mixture "ribbons," about 2 minutes with an electric mixer, more if by hand.  Fold butter and chocolate into the egg mixture, then fold in the flour.  Stir until combined, but do not beat or overmix.  Turn batter into pan and bake for about 30 minutes.  Do not overbake.  Cool for several minutes, then use foil to lift the brownies from the pan before cutting (but cut and remove from foil while still warm or it gets difficult).  Makes about 16 large brownies.  Not for the faint-hearted.