Going Away

I did the final installment of the goodbye to my cubemate with my VTB - Very Tasty Brownies. Prior to this recipe I always made brownies solely with cocoa powder, not with melted chocolate. These have both the chocolate and instant espresso powder, which I think makes all chocolate things taste better. I was a little unhappy as I sent my husband out to buy the chocolate and couldn't get the high-quality stuff I used last time. They were good, but not as indulgent rich as the last batch.

Chocolate Brownies - adapted from Martha Stewart

1 cup pecans
1 cup unsalted butter
8 oz good quality unsweetened chocolate
5 eggs
3 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 2/3 cups sifted flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Spread pecans on baking pan. Toast until fragrant, 5-10 minutes. WATCH THEM - they can go from fragrant to burnt in seconds. Transfer nuts to bowl to cool.
3. Raise oven temperature to 400 degrees F. Generously butter a 9"x13" pan.
4. Combine chocolate and butter in a double boiler. Remove from heat when chocolate mixture has melted.
5. In the bowl of a mixer beat eggs, sugar, and espresso powder at high speed for 10 minutes. This is an odd step to me, but it makes a very light-colored, well incorporated mixture. Do not skip! Do not do less than 10 minutes!
6. Reduce speed to low and add melted chocolate mixture and the vanilla. Beat until combined.
7. Slowly add flour and salt. Beat JUST until incorporated - do not overbeat.
8. Chop pecans coarsely. Take bowl off mixer and fold in chocolate chips and pecans by hand.
9. Bake until the edges are dry but center is still soft, about 35 minutes. Remove pan from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Cut into 3-inch squares and store in an air-tight container up to 2 days.

My brownies almost always never take the full 35 minutes. The edges get quite crips and I take them out early. I don't know if it's the way I cook them or what. I always cook in an aluminum pan lined with parchment paper or foil for easy clean-up: spray the pan with cooking spray, then line pan with parchment or foil and spray again. Most times 2 pieces of parchment or foil going opposite ways is easiest. Just lift them out of the pan by the paper or foil and slice. Whatever the reason for early doneness, the brownies never suffer.

It's also true about the 2-days: they just don't taste good after that. I think it's because these are so moist. I don't even like them the next day unless I warm it up a little in the microwave. But boy is that good - gets a little melty and with a dollop of whip cream or even better, ice cream, the contrast is soooo good. You won't have a problem with them lasting more than 2 days though. These goodies were gone in 4 short hours!