MAKES: 16 servings TESTED BY: Linda B.
TASTING COMMENTS:
Varying the amounts of chocolate, butter, sugar, and flour in a brownie recipe makes them cakey or fudgy. With just 2/3 cup flour in this recipe, these are super chocolaty and decadent! —LB
prep 20 minutes bake 30 minutes at 350°F
1. In a medium saucepan melt butter and unsweetened chocolate over low heat, stirring occasionally until smooth; set aside to cool. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with foil, extending foil over pan edges. Grease foil.
2. Stir sugar into the cooled chocolate mixture. Add eggs, one at a time, stirring just until combined. Stir in vanilla. In a small bowl stir together flour and baking soda. Add flour mixture to chocolate mixture; stir just until combined. If desired, stir in nuts. Spread batter in the prepared pan.
3. Bake 30 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack. If desired, spread Chocolate-Cream Cheese Frosting over cooled brownies. Using foil, lift uncut brownies out of pan. Cut into bars.
Per serving 157 cal., 10 g fat (6 g sat. fat), 43 mg chol., 90 mg sodium, 18 g carb., 1 g fiber, 12 g sugars, 2 g pro.
caramel-pecan Use pecans for the nuts. In a bowl melt 16 to 18 vanilla caramels with 1 tbsp. milk in the microwave on high about 1 minute or until melted, stirring once. Drizzle caramel on batter. Continue as directed. If desired, frost and/or drizzle with additional caramel.
Banana Split Prepare brownies as directed. Frost. In a bowl combine ⅓ cup sliced fresh strawberries and ⅓ cup sliced banana. Sprinkle fruit on frosting. Sprinkle with ¼ cup chopped peanuts. Top each brownie with some whipped cream. If desired, top with additional fruit and nuts.
coffee Dissolve 1 tsp. instant espresso coffee powder in 2 tsp. hot water. Add coffee mixture and ½ tsp. ground cinnamon with the eggs. Continue as directed. For the frosting, stir ½ tsp. instant espresso powder into the melted chocolate. Top with chopped chocolate-covered espresso beans.
malted Stir ¼ cup malted milk powder in with the flour. Continue as directed. Frost and sprinkle with ½ cup coarsely chopped malted milk balls.
marshmallow-walnut Sprinkle frosted brownies with ½ cup chopped walnuts and ¾ cup tiny marshmallows.
coconut-almond Use almonds for the nuts. Sprinkle frosting with ½ cup chopped soft coconut macaroon cookies.
raspberry Spread ⅔ cup raspberry preserves over baked brownies. Cool. Frost as directed. Top with fresh raspberries.
mint Stir ½ tsp. mint extract in with the vanilla. Frost and sprinkle with 1 cup chopped layered chocolate-mint candy.
peanut butter cup Fold ¾ cup chopped bite-size chocolate-covered peanut butter cups into batter. Bake as directed. Sprinkle frosting with an additional ½ cup chopped peanut butter cups.
white chocolate Fold ¾ cup white chocolate baking pieces into batter. Continue as directed. Frost. If desired, sprinkle frosting with chocolate curls and/or shavings.
Chocolate-Cream Cheese Frosting In a small saucepan melt 1 cup semisweet chocolate pieces over low heat, stirring occasionally; cool. In a medium bowl stir together two 3-oz. pkg. softened cream cheese and ½ cup powdered sugar. Stir in melted chocolate until smooth.