Fudgy Brownies

Our local newspaper today had an article about a fundraiser held at a nearby school that Melissa Hamilton, one of the cookbook authors of the series, " Canal House Cooking",  attended. She, along with Christopher Hirsheimer are the team responsible for this food journal published three times a year.

I've seen the books around town, as they are local women but I've never actually bought one (sorry ladies!). But the brownie recipe in the paper today sounded pretty darned good so I had to give it a try.

It turned out to be a fudgy dense chocolaty and quite delicious brownie! I may have underbaked it a bit ( which I often seem to do with brownies...for fear of overbaking them! Go figure!) But some people love underbaked brownies. I did pop them into the fridge and they tightened up a little and tasted even fudgier. I also love the espresso powder in them which brings out a more chocolaty flavor.

The top crust is shiny and tissue paper thin as noted in the recipe. These are just the best and definitely worth every calorie!

Chop up the chocolates before melting with the butter and sugar.

Then stir the mixture together til it's all combined and melted.

Beat the eggs with a hand held beater...

Slowly add the chocolate mixture into the eggs, a little at a time, beating all the while.
Add in the vanilla, then stir in the flour, stirring just til combined.

Pour the batter into your prepared pan and bake for 45 to 60 minutes.

It looks like a lot of batter (and it is) but it didn't overflow.

Brownies ( from "Canal House Cooking, Volume No.6",  by Melissa Hamilton and Christopher Hirsheimer)

14 tbsp. butter
1 cup flour, plus more for the pan
2 cups sugar
4 ozs. semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 ozs. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 tsp. instant espresso powder, optional
1/4 tsp. salt
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup walnuts, optional
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Preheat the oven to 350. Butter a 9" square pan with 2 tbsp. of butter then dust with flour and tap out any excess. (I thought the butter amount was a little excessive so I only used about a generous teaspoon.

1. Melt the remaining 12 tablespoons of butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add the sugar, stirring til it has the consistency of very soft slush and just begins to bubble around the edges of the pan, 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and add the chocolates, espresso powder, if using, and salt, stirring until the chocolate melts completely.
4. Put the eggs in a medium mixing bowl and beat them at medium speed with an electric hand held mixer.
5. Gradually add the warm chocolate mixture, about a quarter cup at a time, beating constantly til smooth.
6. Stir in the vanilla.
7. Add the flour and walnuts, if using, stirring til just combined.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
9. Bake 45 to 60 minutes, or til a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Put the pan on a wire rack to cool, then cut into squares.