Brownies. They are a much debated – but always consumed – dessert item.
Some people like fudgy, others like cakey.
Some like edges, others prefer the middle.
Me? I like a fudgy, middle, edge-free brownie.
And I want an explosion of flavor when I take a bite.
That being said, proceed with those expectations in mind…
11 chocolate brownies. What? Well, they can be 7 chocolate brownies, 5 chocolate brownies, 15 chocolate brownies… it all depends on how many different kinds of chocolate you include. It’s totally customizable to you and your preferences.
Ingredients:
3 eggs, slightly beaten
¾ cup butter, softened
1½ cups sugar (I used evaporated cane sugar)
¾ cup cocoa powder (I use Ramstadt Dark Cocoa, Dagoba, or Scharffen Berger)
¾ cup all-purpose flour or pastry flour (gluten-free works well too!)
1 cup broken up chocolate bars (see the list below the recipe)
1-2 Tbsp coconut oil
Preheat the oven to 325F. Put 1-2 Tbsp coconut oil into your 9×12″ pan & set it into the oven to melt. Remove when oil has melted. Swirl the oil around to coat the pan and set aside.
Cream the butter, sugar, and eggs.
Add the cocoa powder & flour, and mix until just blended.
Add in the broken chocolate bars and stir until mixed throughout.
Make sure the oil is coating the sides & bottom of the pan. Spread the batter into the pan, & bake for 30-40 minutes. Let the brownies cool in the pan.
IF DESIRED:
You can melt down some chocolate & drizzle it over the top as they are cooling, or make a ganache frosting, if you like frosted brownies. For ganache, mix equal parts good chocolate & heavy cream (see our Dark Chocolate Truffles Recipe for the how-to!)
Again, the quality of the chocolate & cocoa make all of the difference. I often blend all 3 brands of cocoa powder – ¼ cup of each. Then I take 8 different chocolate bars (or chips, if I’m in a hurry) and cut up enough of each to total 1 cup of broken pieces.
A fun addition is to use Andes mints or peppermint bark pieces for the holidays.
I usually toss a few pieces of a chili chocolate in for just a hint of heat.
Here is a list of the chocolate bars I often use with links to purchase them:
- The Dark Chocolate Lover’s Chocolate Bar – Trader Joe’s
- Kallari 84% Cacao (This is an AMAZING chocolate bar!)
- Guittard Extra Dark Chocolate – their cocoa powder is pretty tasty too.
- Theo Dark Chocolate (any of them will work!)
- Dagoba New Moon, Xocolatl, Dark, or Extra Dark
- Lindt Excellence – I use the Chili when I want to add just a touch of heat. Maybe 1 oz worth.
- Cotes d’Or Noir bar
- Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Truffle Bar
- Vosges Haut – I use the caramel ones occasionally, to add a different flavor.
- I occasionally add butterscotch, peanut butter, or cinnamon chips for something different.
Use your favorite chocolate bars – milk or white chocolate will work, but they won’t have as intense of a flavor as dark chocolate.
Enjoy!
