Birthday brownies

 

 

Happy Birthday to me!

For my birthday (the big 2-9, by the way), I made up a batch of Dorie Greenspan’s French chocolate brownies. I had seen pictures on blogs and they looked decadent and fudgy … they didn’t disappoint. They are delicious.

I was actually surprised at how light they were – they weren’t heavy like some boxed types of brownies. These would be awesome with some ice cream (mint chocolate chip is the best) or even with just a little bit of whipped cream (the good stuff, not from the can). 

French Chocolate brownies

Adapted from “Baking: From My Home to Yours,” by Dorie Greenspan

12 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces, plus 1 teaspoon melted butter for brushing pan
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, in pieces
3 eggs
1 cup sugar

1. Place a rack just below center of oven and preheat to 300 degrees. Line an 8-inch-square pan with foil and brush with melted butter.

2. In a bowl, whisk flour, cinnamon and and salt together. In top of a double boiler set over barely simmering water, melt chocolate. Once chocolate is melted, remove from heat and add butter. Stir to melt together. It’s OK if a few pieces of butter don’t melt. 

3. In a mixer, beat eggs and sugar together until thick and pale yellow. Add chocolate mixture and vanilla and mix at low speed until smooth. Add dry ingredients and mix 30 seconds, then finish mixing by hand. Pour into prepared pan and bake 50 to 60 minutes, until top is dry. Let cool in pan, then lift out and cut into bars or wrap in foil.

Yield: 12 to 16 brownies.