Simply the best chocolate brownie pt 1

12 Servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
4 tablespoons Plus 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
¼ cup Plus 1 teaspoon all purpose flour
2 tablespoons Unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon Baking powder
½ teaspoon Salt
3 ounces Unsweetened chocolate; broken into 1/2-ounce pieces
2 ounces Semisweet chocolate; broken into 1/2-ounce pieces
3 Eggs
1 cup Granulated sugar
1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
¼ cup Sour cream
MACADAMIA NUT CHOCOLATE CHUNK BROWNIE:
8 ounces Semisweet chocolate; chopped into 1/4 inch chuncks
1½ cup Raw; unsalted macadamia nuts
PEANUT RAISIN CHOCOLATE BROWNIE:
1½ cup Raisins
1½ cup Unsalted; shelled, toasted Virginia peanuts

Directions

BASIC BROWNIE

By: Marcel Desaulniers of the Trellis Restaurant (My note: Since the Trellis is located in Virginia, Mr. Desaulniers, would, of course, recommend Virginia peanuts. I imagine you could get away with others)

EQUIPMENT

Measuring spoons, measuring cups, 9 by 9 by 2 inch square cake pan, sifter, waxed paper, double boiler, film wrap, whisk, electric mixer fitted with balloon whip, rubber spatula, serrated slicer METHOD

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Lightly coat a 9 by 9 by 2 inch square cake pan with 1 teaspoon butter, then flour the pan with 1 teaspoon flour, shaking out excess.

Sift together the remaining ¼ cup flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt onto the waxed paper. Set aside.

Heat 1 inch water in the bottom of a double boiler over medium-high heat.

Place the 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, remaining 4 tablespoons of butter and 2 ounces semisweet chocolate in the top half of the double boiler.

Tightly cover the top with film wrap. Heat for 4½ to 5 minutes, remove from heat, and stir until smooth.

Place the eggs, sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a balloon whip. Mix on high until slightly thickened, about 1 ½ minutes. Add the melted chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and mix on medium for 30 seconds. Add the sifted ingredients, mix on low for 10 seconds, then on high for 10 seconds. Add the sour cream and mix on medium for 5 seconds.

Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a rubber spatula to combine thoroughly (also and adn combine 4 ounces of chocolate chunks if making the Macadamia Nut Chocolate Chunk Brownie, or raisins if making the Peanut Raisin Chocolate Brownie).

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, spreading evenly, including the corners. (If making the Macadamia Nut Chocolate Chunk Brownie, sprinkle the macadamia nuts and remaining chocolate chunks evenly over the batter, or if making the Peanut Raisin Chocolate Brownie, sprinkle the peanuts evenly over the batter). Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clea, about 40 minutes (bake for 10 to 15 minutes longer if making either one of the brownie varieties).

Remove the brownies from the oven and allow to cool in the pan at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes. Use a serrated slicer to cut into 12 portions.

THE CHEF'S TOUCH

I was only 19 years old in June of 1965 when I graduated from The Culinary Institute of America. As kids are prone to do (even those with a culinary arts degree), I did not give much thought to my eating habits. By day, I cooked in a fine club on Wall Street, and 5 nights a week I sweated out in a miniscule kitchen of a small French resturaunt on the Upper East Side.

When it came time to relax away from work, my favorite snack consisted of chocolate nut brownies from a favorite pastry shop and acouple of cold beers. Now that I am grown up I am more likely to sip a glass of vintage port with my brownie indulgence.

Because of the chocolate chunks, a toothpick inserted in the center of the Simply the Best Macadamia Nut Chocolate Chunk Brownies will probably not come out clean no matter how long you bake the brownies. I suggest pulling them from the oven after 50 minutes baking time.

continued in part 2

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