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Wednesday, November 9, 2011

More Brownie Pimping

Yes, I am trying to seduce you.
Oops, so it's been a few weeks since I've posted. I did make another batch of pimped brownies, but I got a little too excited about eating them...so I didn't get any pictures.

I also happened to have had a birthday in the meantime, so I didn't really do any baking that weekend. I did make ice cream (can't help myself), but it also disappeared before pictures were taken...

So yeah, I'm 29 now. In a year, I'll be 30. My metabolism is going to slow down. I will no longer be young and hip (okay, I was never hip). I would have thought I'd have my life a little more together by now, but I don't. I don't have a career to speak of (yay, economy!), I don't have a house, and I am perpetually single. But I do have a car! I also have a family that makes me laugh, a sister who is like a soul mate, a few good friends who love me despite my quirks, a dog that makes my heart tickle when I look at her, a cat who provides me with endless entertainment, and a passion for baking and dancing. So really, when I think of all that, I'm pretty rich, right?

To be honest, 28 was a rough year, and I was glad to see it go. Living alone has taught me a lot about myself. I've learned that I'm a pack animal, that I feel most at home with a small group. I've learned that the state of my apartment is a direct reflection of the state of my mind. I've also learned to reach out when I need help, a tough lesson for an independent girl like me to learn. 28 wasn't all bad, but I am certainly glad to have it behind me.

Now, for some brownies. No matter my age, I am still a brownie freak. A friend of mine suggested that the road to hell is paved with brownies, and I fear that that may be the gospel truth. Not much good comes of me baking and eating brownies, in the moral sense. We all know how it goes- you eat one piece, then go back for another little sliver, and another sliver, and before you know it, half the pan is gone and you wind up in a chocolate-induced stupor.

But I digress. I am still on a brownie-pimping kick and this time I think I've created something wonderful. I used the same base from my Milky Way Brownies, and this time doctored things up by adding a tablespoon of cocoa powder in exchange for one of the tablespoons of flour, and a half teaspoon of espresso powder. I also added a half cup of semisweet chocolate chips to the batter and sprinkled a mixture of milk chocolate, semisweet, bittersweet, and white chocolate chips on top of the batter before putting it in the oven. The result is divine (or downright evil, depending on your take). Maybe I should name these Quadruple Chocolate Seduction Brownies...

Eat me!
Quadruple Chocolate Seduction Brownies


4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1 stick unsalted butter, cubed
1/2 tsp espresso powder
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 lrg eggs
3/4 cup + 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup + 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup milk chocolate chips
1/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with tin foil, then spray with a non-stick cooking spray.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan until foamy. Stir in the semisweet chocolate until smooth. Add the espresso powder and set aside to cool.

Stir the brown sugar and vanilla into the chocolate mixture. Add the eggs and stir until well-combined.

Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Slowly fold the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture. Stir in the 1/2 cup of semisweet chocolate chips. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. In a small bowl, combine the remaining chocolate chips, then sprinkle evenly on top of the batter.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Allow to cool completely (or for as long as you can bear).

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