Triple Chocolate Brownies

Triple Chocolate Brownies - made January 10, 2015 from Extreme Brownies by Connie Weis

This was the first brownie recipe I made this year before the pms'ing buttercrunch one and it's just as good. Actually, I'm 2 for 2 from the Extreme Brownies baking book so I'm pretty pleased with that investment. Not that I don't already have a bunch of great brownie recipes to fall back on but, like workout DVDs and books, you can't have too many.

The first  three pictures were taken when the brownies had barely cooled to room temperature so they look a bit gooey (nothing wrong with that). Connie's directions say to chill these overnight. I never did the chilling thing though. I don't mind freezing brownies and thawing them as they keep just fine with no ill effects. But I've been conditioned from culinary school that refrigerating baked goods dries them out. Lord knows I've had enough bakery items from refrigerated display cases to bear that out. So I simply left these, covered, overnight on my counter.

The bottom two pictures were taken after the brownies had cooled completely and were cut, er eaten, the next day. You can tell the texture is more firm, closer to fudge than gooey chocolate cake. Fudge-like is how I like my brownies so this is one of the few times that something completely cooled and set is better than gooey warm from the oven. But that's a personal preference. Either way, these are fudgy goodness if you want a shot of chocolate in your system.

Brownie batter
3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter
4 1/2 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
1 1/2 cups (9 ounces) 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate chips
6 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 cups (10.5 ounces) granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) light brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (6.8 ounces) bleached all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder

Chocolate drizzle
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
1/4 cup (1.5 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon very hot water

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9 x 13 pan with foil and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Cut the butter into 1-inch slices. In a small, heavy saucepan, melt the butter pieces over the lowest setting. While the butter is melting, chop the unsweetened chocolate into 1/4-inch pieces and add to the melted butter along with the bittersweet chocolate chips. Use a small whisk to speed the melting process. When the chocolate is melted and completely smooth, turn off the heat but leave the saucepan on the burner while proceeding with the recipe.
3. Using a large whisk, lightly beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl. Place the sugars and salt in a separate small mixing bowl, then whisk into the eggs until just incorporated. Briefly whisk the melted chocolate mixture, then gradually whisk into the egg mixture until just combined. Briefly whisk in the vanilla. 
4. Place the flour and baking powder in a small mixing bowl; whisk together to combine. Sift through a medium strainer directly onto the batter; stir in with a spatula until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly with a small offset spatula. Bake for 34 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and let cool at room temperature for at least 15 minutes.
5. Chocolate drizzle: Melt the butter and corn syrup over low heat in a small, heavy saucepan. Remove the pan from the heat and add the chocolate chips; stir with a small spatula until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Stir in the hot water to thin it out. Using the spatula, drizzle thin, random stripes over the top of the cooled brownie slab. Let the drizzle cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then refrigerate the pan for 7 to 8 hours or overnight.