The Brownie to Beat All Brownies

Seriously speaking, who doesn’t like brownies?  I have yet to meet anyone who hates these rich chocolate squares, either the satisfying cakey sort or the tempting fudgy kind.

I hadn’t baked brownies in quite a while and, since Monday was a holiday, I decided to march into the kitchen to make a batch.  Unfortunately for me, I peeked into the jar of unsweetened cocoa and discovered – horror of horrors! – that there was scarcely a little over a quarter-cup of the stuff left.  Now, what’s a girl supposed to do in the face of such a dilemma?

Why, augment the cocoa with a couple squares of unsweetened chocolate, of course!  The resulting brownie was a cross between the cake-type and the fudge-type: an incredibly satisfying chocolate square that was neither cloying nor insipid.

I should tell you at this point to:

• Add a tablespoon of instant coffee to the batter.  You can barely taste the java, but it adds a smoky richness to the finished product;
• Add chocolate chips to the batter; just for a little more oomph for the treat; and
• If you’re scattering nuts on the top, I suggest that you use a mixture of cashews and Brazil nuts.  I agree with Nigella Lawson that it gives the brownies a “Rainforest Crunch” sort of vibe.

Midge’s Fudge Frenzy Brownies

• 3/4 cup salted butter
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 2 squares unsweetened baking chocolate
• 1-1/2 cups granulated white sugar
• 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon instant coffee
• 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup chopped nuts

Grease a 13″ x 9″ baking pan/dish; set aside.  Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees / Gas Mark 4.

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt together the butter and unsweetened chocolate.  Once these have melted, add the cocoa and sugar.  Stir until the ingredients are well-combined; remove from the heat and allow to cool for about half a minute.  Whisk in the eggs, vanilla, baking powder, and baking soda.

Dissolve the instant coffee in the milk and pour the resulting mixture into the chocolate mix.  Add the flour and mix until a smooth-ish batter is achieved.  Stir in the chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into the prepared dish, spreading it evenly.  Scatter the chopped nuts on top.  Bake for fifteen minutes.  Switch off the oven, but leave the brownies in it for another ten minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool before cutting.  Makes approximately 24 squares.