Best Cocoa Brownies

Cocoa Delight. 

This is short and sweet, literally. 

I'm going to let the following accolades convince you that these are some of the best brownies that you will ever make.  If you are looking for a simple, yet fantastic dessert for the upcoming holidays, this is it.  If your coworkers are stressed out, this is for them.  If you are going to your in-laws for the first time and don't want to overshoot, this is what you need.  If you have no other reason than you are craving the dark, rich cocoa flavor and fudgy texture that these brownies have, this is for you.  Cut them into little bites and they make perfect shots of chocolate. Not kidding.

Going...

Just listen to this praise!  When I brought the brownies to work and a bunch of college-age boys got their hands them, in addition to my boss, you would have thought their tough guy exteriors melted away to reveal a delightfully fudgy interior.  I took that way too far, but you get the idea.  Their resistance was down and one after another succumbed to my dark brownie temptation:

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"Oh...oh-oh-oh. [insert rubbing of tummy here] These remind me of my grandma.  My grandma makes brownies just like this.  These remind me of home. I want to go home!"

"Oh wow.  This is the point where if you were single, I would ask you to marry me."

"I don't even like fudge. Like, at all.  But these brownies are fudgy and awesome."

lin a southern twang] "Mmm these are good right here."

[and then there's always my boss who comes back for one, then another, then another, both quietly and pleasingly.]

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I'll let these accolades speak for themselves.  MAKE THESE BROWNIES!

{And thanks toSmittenKitchen.com who posted them!  Read what she has to say, but my favorite line is: "The result is something that could convert those that believe that all roads to fudgy, dark and rich brownies must be paved bricks of tempered chocolate."}

Going...

Best Cocoa Brownies


[From SmittenKitchen.com's 1.30.2010 entry and Adapted from Alice Medrich’s Bittersweet]
Makes 16 larger or 25 smaller brownies (the size you see pictured yielded 25ish)

10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks, 5 ounces or 141 grams) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups (9 7/8 ounces, 280 grams) sugar
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (2 7/8 ounces, 82 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-process)
1/4 teaspoon salt (or a heaping 1/4 teaspoon flaky salt, as I used)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, cold
1/2 cup (66 grams, 2 3/8 ounces) all-purpose flour
2/3 cup walnut or pecan pieces (optional)

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Line the bottom and sides of an 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides.
Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium heatproof bowl and set the bowl in a wide skillet of barely simmering water. (My note:  I know this step sounds funky, but trust me, give it a few minutes and it works like a charm). Stir from time to time until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth and hot enough that you want to remove your finger fairly quickly after dipping it in to test. Remove the bowl from the skillet and set aside briefly until the mixture is only warm, not hot. It looks fairly gritty at this point, but don’t fret — it smooths out once the eggs and flour are added. [SmittenKitchenNote: many people who have tried this recipe have found that this step works just fine in the microwave.]

Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one. When the batter looks thick, shiny, and well blended, add the flour and stir until you cannot see it any longer, then beat vigorously for 40 strokes with the wooden spoon or a rubber spatula. Stir in the nuts, if using (I left the nuts out). Spread evenly in the lined pan.

Bake until a toothpick plunged into the center emerges slightly moist with batter, 20 to 25 minutes is Medrich’s suggestion but it took me at least 10 minutes longer to get them set. Let cool completely on a rack. [SmittenKitchenNote:  I go further and throw mine in the fridge or freezer for a while; it’s the only way I can get them to cut with clean lines.] (My note: I did put them in the fridge after they had thoroughly cooled to spend the night.  It made them very easy to cut the next morning before work.)


Lift up the ends of the parchment or foil liner, and transfer the brownies to a cutting board. Cut into 16 or 25 squares. (My note: I cut mine into two-bite sized pieces since they pack a punch.  I also flipped the brownies upside-down when I put them on the plate to make use of the smooth texture and dark color on the bottom.)

Gone.

Pizza in July? A rant.

Our favorites: spinach, red onion, ground beef, mushrooms, mozzarella

Someone poke me and remind me what season it is.

 These are the things I know to be true:  I know Thanksgiving is coming this month.  I also know Christmas follows Thanksgiving. I am also aware that I live in Mississippi.  But come on, people!  It's 80 degrees today and over the weekend Hobby Lobby had a 50% off Christmas sale.  Christmas SALE?  Did I miss CHRISTMAS??  Maybe it's Spring and nobody told me? My capris say Spring! Can you tell my stubborn northern patience has worn thin??


 [I know people comment all the time on the majorly screwed up timeline that our retailers provide America regarding the holidays and believe me, I work in retail, so I'm inundated with Christmas cookie cutters already.  I also realize I'm probably preaching to the choir when I say, LET ME HAVE MY THANKSGIVING BACK.  And you know what? I WANT MY LONG PANTS BACK TOO.   I know I'm demanding, but if you skip Thanksgiving, then you skip my birthday, so not only am I offended that you {corporate America} have forgotten the most important meal of the year, but you {corporate America} have also taken away my presents.  Yes, I'm an adult, but I still love my presents.  And now, my soap box is accounted for until this time next year...]

turkey bacon, red onion, mushrooms, mozzarella

<b r e a t h e>

With all that said, I'm ready to talk about what tastes good to me no matter what time of year, what temperature it is outside, which state or country you live in, or what holiday season you're told it is:  PIZZA.  Ask my husband, but I make a pretty mean homemade pizza, though I can't confidently say they are completely homemade since most have a secret ingredient that starts with "Great" and ends in "Value."  I almost don't want to say it out loud, but *Wal*Mart* (insert bad words at the *) makes it way into my kitchen almost every time I make a pizza.  I wish it weren't the case, but my opinions on that subject are better shared another day. ANYWAY, you can't argue with a 48 cent bargain of a mix that creates a mean thin and crispy crust.  I've made homemade crusts before and don't mind doing them; heck, I've even taught a class on it, but these little crust mixes work wonders when you only have 30 minutes on a weeknight to feed your hungry man.  And as my iPhone picture gallery shows, I take pictures of them every time they come out of the oven because they are so darn good lookin'.  They are all different in toppings, but all wonderful.

Black Bean Fiesta Pizza (vegetarian)

I guess, but am not sure, that the purpose of today's post is to rant about American "consumerism" during a boisterous time of year, and then here I go raving about pizza crust mixes bought only from a monopolizing American corporation. 
{---S-o-r-r-y---} 
Regardless of this vicious trap, here are some pretty tasty pizzas to admire while you ponder what *Wal*Mart*, Christmas, Thanksgiving, means to you.  My next post will be full of (appropriate) holiday cheer, I promise!

Can you tell we like red onion? Along with feta, spinach, and turkey bacon.

This is my homemade crust w/pepperoni, spinach, mushrooms, onion