Brownies

I sent Bryan to work this morning with a pan of brownies.  The thing is, he’s not supposed to bring them in to work.

My Aunt Kate sent us a box of William Sonoma brownie mix for Valentine’s Day, and last night after the kids were in bed, I whipped them up.  “Add two sticks of butter and four eggs to the included bag of chocolate chips and the bag of brownie mix.”  ohhhh yeahhh

I’ve never actually made brownies from a mix.  My mom’s recipe and the King Arthur brownie recipe are about all I’ve ever needed in life.  This box of brownie mix goodness was pretty incredible.  This morning as we had brownies for breakfast, I asked Bryan if he liked these better than other brownie recipes.  “Well, I don’t think I’ve ever had a brownie better than this,” he said.  I might agree.

He then smiled and noted that I was going to be home alone today.  Just me and a 9×13 pan of the best brownies ever.  So I instructed him to put them into his car and to drive to work with them.  At the end of the day, he’s to bring them home.  I’m not done indulging.  But I daren’t be left alone with me and a pan of brownies that would whisper sweet nothings to me from their perch atop the refrigerator.  I just know that wouldn’t end well:)

The mix is made by the folks at Baked NYC.  After doing a little hunting around online, I found the recipe for one of their brownies (I’ve copied it below).  I’m not sure that this is the recipe for the “Deep dark chocolate brownie” mix that we have, but I’ll think I’ll have to try it out!  Also, if I ever want to put on some weight, I think I’ll have to check out their cookbook: Baked: New Frontiers in Baking.  Yum!

THE Baked Brownie

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Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons dark unsweetened cocoa powder
• 11 ounces dark chocolate (60 to 72% cacao), coarsely chopped
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 5 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the sides and bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and cocoa powder; set aside.
3. In a large bowl set over simmering water, stir together chocolate, butter, and instant espresso powder until completely melted and smooth. Keeping the bowl over the water, turn off the heat and add the sugars. Whisk until completely combined. Remove the bowl from the pan and cool to room temperature.
4. Once the chocolate mixture is cool, add 3 eggs and whisk until combined. Add the remaining two eggs and whisk until combined. Add the vanilla; stir until combined. Be sure not to overbeat the batter at this stage or your brownies will be cakey.
5. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate mixture. Using a spatula, fold the flour mixture into the chocolate until just combined. (a bit of the flour mixture should still be visible).
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake, rotating the pan halfway through baking time, in the center of the oven for 27-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Place the pan on a wire rack and let the brownies cool completely. Cut into squares and serve.

Source: Baked: New Frontiers In Baking