The Baked Brownie

A while back I was watching The Best Thing I Ever Ate on the Food Network channel and saw the salted caramel brownie from Baked in New York and I wanted one so bad! Too bad I don't live anywhere near there! I was just about drooling over it....it looked so gooey, caramely, and fudgey. So, I finally went out and got the Baked New Frontiers in Baking Cookbook and I love it! There are so many different recipes in it. If you don't have it I would definitely reccomend it!

I made the baked brownie recipe because they didn't have the salted caramel one in cookbook and I have to say it was really, really good. It was dense, fudgey, and very chocolately....just the way I like my brownies. I don't like cakey brownies at all and this brownie definitely isn't cakey. Everyone who likes coffee really enjoyed these. I sent some to work with my dad and some of his co-workers didn't like the coffee flavor in the brownies. Next time, I might leave the espresso powder out and see how they are.

But, if you enjoy a coffe flavor and very moist and fudgey brownies then you should really give these a try! I hope you enjoy!

The Baked Brownie (from Baked New Frontiers in Baking)

-1&1/4 cups all-purpose flour

-1 teaspoon salt

-2 tablespoons dark unsweetened cocoa powder

-11 ounces dark chocolate (60-72% cacao), coarsely chopped (I used 60% ghiradelli chocolate chips)

-1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes

-1 teaspoon instant espresso powder

-1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

-1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

-5 large eggs, at room temperature

-2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degress F. Butter the sides and bottom of a 9x13 inch glass or light colored metal baking pan. ( I just used cooking spray to grease the pan and I used a metal pan.)

2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and cocoa powder together.

3. Put the chocolate, butter, and instant espresso powder in a large bowl and set it over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and smooth. Turn off the heat, but keep the bowl over the water and add the sugars. Whisk until completely combined, then remove the bowl from the pan. THe mixture should be room temperature.

4. Add 3 eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Add the remaining eggs and whisk until combined. Add the vanilla and stir until combined. Do not overbeat the batter at this stage or they will be cakey.

5. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate mixture. Using a spatula, fold the flour mixture into th chocolate until just a bit of the flour mixture is visible.

6. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake in the center of oven for 30 minutes (I did mine for 26 minutes because I like mine really fudgey and they came out perfect), rotating pan halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the brownies comes out with a few mosit crumbs. Let the brownies cool completely.