Ridiculous Chocolate Brownies with Miss Sue’s Outrageous Chocolate Frosting
Are you a chocolate lover? Then you need to know about these Ridiculous Chocolate Brownies? Dark, rich, and dense…these brownies should be considered one of the seven wonders of the world!
1lb.plus 13 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided use, I used Ghiradelli brand
4oz.unsweetened chocolate, I used a bar of Baker's Unsweetened Chocolate, broken into pieces
6large eggs, room temperature
1 - 2Tbs.espresso instant coffee crystals, I love the Medaglia D’Oro brand, found at most grocers in the ethnic aisle
2Tbs.pure vanilla extract
2 1/4cupsgranulated sugar
1 1/4cupsall-purpose flour
1Tbs.baking powder
1tsp.kosher salt
2-3cupsroughly chopped toasted walnuts or pecans
Miss Sue's Creamy Chocolate Frosting
1/2cupsoftened unsalted butter
1egg
1/2tsp.kosher salt
1/3whipping cream or strong coffee, or a combination of both, as desired, I like half cream and half coffee
1tsp.pure vanilla extract
1/2cupcocoa powder, I like Hershey’s Cocoa Powder (sometimes I use Hershey’s Dark Chocolate Powder)
4cupspowdered sugar
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray a rimmed 1” deep, 12” x 17” baking sheet well with nonstick spray.
In a large, glass mixing bowl, place the pound of butter, 1 pound of the semi-sweet chocolate chips, and the unsweetened chocolate bar pieces. Microwave on high power in 30 second increments, stirring in between each one, until the mixture is smooth and glossy; cool slightly.
In a separate large mixing bowl, combine (but do not beat!) the eggs, coffee crystals, vanilla, and sugar; stir this mixture into the melted chocolate mixture and allow this to cool to room temperature.
Meanwhile, stir together just 1 cup of the flour with the baking powder and salt; stir this into the cooled chocolate mixture.
In another bowl, toss the remaining 1/4 cup flour with the remaining 12 oz. of chocolate chips and all of the nuts; gently fold this into the prepared chocolate brownie batter.
Pour the prepared brownie batter into the greased baking sheet. Bake, uncovered, on the center rack of the oven for for 20 minutes.
Remove the brownies from the oven, then rap the baking sheet against the oven rack to force the air to escape from in between the pan and the brownie dough.
Return the brownies to the oven and continue to bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the brownies. Do not over bake!
Let the brownies cool completely then frost with Miss Sue’s Luscious Chocolate Frosting (recipe below); cut into squares and serve.
Sue's Creamy Chocolate Frosting
In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter with the egg, salt, cream/coffee mixture, and vanilla. (Mixture will be a bit lumpy at this point.)
In a separate mixing bowl, combine the cocoa powder with the powdered sugar, then add this mixture to the butter mixture, beating until smooth. (Add more liquid or powdered sugar, as desired, to make the frosting the desired consistency you prefer.)
Notes
This recipe makes a large batch of frosting and can be refrigerated for later use. Once the frosting has chilled be sure to let it come to room temperature and softened before trying to use it. www.ChefAlli.com