Monday, June 6, 2011

Double Chocolate Brown Butter Brownies


Okay, okay.

You have caught me red handed.

I know I said before how I'm not really a chocolate person and you won't really see much of that here on Jolts  Jollies.

HOWEVER! I do believe there are times in life when nothing else but chocolate will satisfy.

Here's the deal...The Hubble has been gone for a couple weeks now. He's off to play Army. He's currently in Florida attending school and will deploy at the end of this year. Little Butt and I will get to see him for about 3 weeks in the coming year and a half. It sucks...but that's the life we've chosen.

That being said, I'm sure you can understand when I say that some days are harder than others.

When I realized he had been gone for a little over a week, I started getting kind of down. I was just in this funk for a few days and was trying to pull myself out of it.

So...what do I do when I'm feeling sad? I bake of course!

I had a recipe for a peach cake that I've been wanting to try. But that just didn't seem like it would fit the bill. I wanted comfort. I wanted chocolate.

I was on Pinterest (my newest obsession) and I ran across a recipe for an amazing sounding brownie! I am a sucker for brown butter so I was immediately intrigued.

I quickly pinned the recipe and moved on. But I couldn't stop thinking about those brownies. So I popped back over to read the ingredients. I had everything...except the walnuts. Dangit!

I started digging through my baking cabinet to see what I could swap out with the walnuts. Pecans? Nah. Coconut? Not this time. Butterscotch chips? I don't think so.

Eureka! I found it! More chocolate of course!!

I made these brownies and stood with the barely cool pan in front of me. I quickly cut them and ate 2 brownies on the spot. I knew then that I was in trouble.

I hurried and snapped a couple pictures, threw a few more in a container for Little Butt and me to enjoy the next day, and walked the rest of the pan over to my mom's house.

My family fought over these brownies and they were devoured within minutes of being presented.

These brownies are not for the weak hearted individual. They ain't no frou-frou cake brownie. Oh no, these are dense and incredibly rich yet addictive. You cannot eat just one!

The brown butter definitely adds another dimension to the taste. If you have never used brown butter in your brownies...I HIGHLY recommend it.

So let me now stop yammering and let's get baking!


Start by browning up your butter.


Once the butter is sufficiently brown and smells nice and nutty, remove from heat and dump in your cocoa powder, sugar, water, vanilla and salt. Be amazed at how much it bubbles...then start stirring! Let this mixture cool for about 5 minutes...


Then whisk in the eggs, one at a time.


By now the mixture should be thick and shiny, so throw in the flour. Whisk until it's nice and mixed in.


Now stir in the chocolate chips.


Spread the batter into a prepared pan and bake it up.


Let the brownies cool (as long as you possibly can) then cut 'em, serve 'em and enjoy 'em!!!


Not even Little Butt could stay away from these brownies. Make them today. Please!

PS. Don't you just love Little Butt's new hair cut?? I sure do!!!


Double Chocolate Brown Butter Brownies
Slightly adapted from Sweet Pea's Kitchen


Printer Friendly Version


Ingredients:

  • 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 3/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon unbleached all purpose flour
  • 1 semi sweet chocolate chips
Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 325F. Prepare and 8x8 inch square baking pan with baking spray.
  2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Continue cooking until butter stops foaming and browned bits form at bottom of pan, stirring often, about 5 minutes. 
  3. Remove from heat; immediately add sugar, cocoa, water, vanilla, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir to blend. Let cool 5 minutes (mixture will still be hot). 
  4. Add eggs to hot mixture one at a time, beating vigorously to blend after each addition. 
  5. When mixture looks thick and shiny, add flour and stir until blended. Beat vigorously 60 strokes. 
  6. Stir in chocolate chips.
  7. Spread into prepared baking pan. 
  8. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean (with a few moist crumbs attached). 
  9. Cool on a wire rack.
  10. Cut into 16 even squares. 
  11. Serve and enjoy!!!
at