Basic Chocolate Brownies
(Makes 1- 9x13" Pan)

Melt and Set Aside:

12 oz. semisweet chocolate, broken up
1 1/2 cups sugar
12 T. unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons

Whisk Together:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa, sifted
2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt

Beat until Foamy:

4 large eggs, room temperature
2 T. instant espresso powder
1 T. vanilla

Bake at 350� 22�25 mins. in Prepared 9x13" Pan.

1. In a double-boiler, stir chocolate, sugar, and butter over simmering water. Remove bowl from heat. Cool to room temperature.

2. Preheat oven. Spray bottom and sides of baking pan with Pam�. Cut and place parchment paper in the bottom of the pan and spray again.

3. As chocolate cools, measure 1/4 cup cocoa and sift into bowl containing flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine.

4. Beat eggs, espresso powder, and vanilla until foamy, scraping down sides of bowl once. Beat in cooled chocolate mixture, scraping down once more.

5. Sprinkle small amount of flour into chocolate mixture and fold in. Repeat. Add remaining flour. Fold in until no flour appears.

6. Spread batter evenly in pan. Bake in center of oven 22�25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center is barely moist.

7. Remove from oven and cool completely. Run knife around edge of pan. Place rack on top of pan and invert. Peel off paper.

8. Invert again onto cutting surface. With a sharp knife, trim off edges and cut brownies into 2" squares.

BROWNIE TOPPINGS

Here are a few general topping directions:

Toast (really saut�) chopped nuts in 1/2 T. unsalted butter over medium heat for 3�4 minutes until golden. Place peanut butter, caramel sauce or chocolate pieces into a corner of a Ziploc� bag. Press air out before sealing. Place the Ziploc� bag in a bowl of hot tap water for 5 minutes. Snip a tiny corner off the bag. Place cut brownies on a cooling rack (keep space between them) with waxed paper under the rack. Working quickly, use a back and forth motion to drizzle melted sauce over all the cut brownies. Now, add the nuts.

Peanut/Peanut Butter

1/2 cup roughly chopped peanuts, toasted
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter

Pecan/Caramel

1/2 cup roughly chopped pecans, toasted
1/3 cup caramel sauce Macadamia/White Chocolate
1/2 cup roughly chopped macadamias, toasted
1 oz. white chocolate, broken into pieces

Chocolate Mint

2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, broken
1/2 t. peppermint extract
(May cross-drizzle sauce.)

SPECIAL TIP: POWDERED SUGAR SPRINKLER
When you want a sprinkling of powdered sugar on things like brownies or cake, fill a tea ball with the sugar and �thump� it over the food. Works like a charm.

AUTHOR: Lori A