Fudgy Nutella-Swirled Brownies (this could be my favorite)

Fudgy Nutella-Swirled Brownies - made February 26, 2021, modified from Baked by an Introvert

I have made dozens, if not hundreds, of brownie recipes in my baking lifetime. Eaten my fair share too. Usually I try out of a recipe, have a taste test piece, nod approvingly (9 times out of 10), give the rest away and move on.

People always ask me for a "favorite" brownie recipe but there are so many good ones out there that I usually look at them helplessly and suggest instead they focus on the quality of the ingredients and making sure not to overbake the brownies. You'll get good results. 

I still believe all that. However, I will also tell you that in this instance, it should tell you something that by the time I've posted this, I will already have made this particular recipe 6 times in a row. I never do that. Until now. That's how much I like this brownie.

Dark chocolate lovers, rejoice! This is a dark chocolate brownie. I "stuffed" it with Nutella to provide a little sweetness but if you're a dark chocolate purist, you can leave it out or add dark chocolate chips.

But look at that texture. Baked fudge, amiright? I have a bias towards brownies made with unsweetened chocolate rather than cocoa powder. Cocoa powder brownies tend to be lighter in texture since cocoa is a dry ingredient and you need to add liquid to the batter to prevent dry brownies. 

This recipe, with a full 8 ounces of unsweetened chocolate, doesn't have that issue. I love these brownies. And - no lie - I've had a "taste test" piece from almost every single batch I've made so far. Good thing I ship these out in Soldiers Angels care packages or I'd be eating taste test batches rather than taste test pieces.

As you can surmise from the pictures, these are rich so you might want to cut the pieces a little small. Or go do a double workout before and after and just enjoy a regular-size brownie. Either way, just enjoy.

1/2 cup unsalted butter

8 ounces unsweetened chocolate

1 1/3 cups granulated sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

Nutella for swirling

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8 x 8" baking pan with foil and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In the top half of a double boiler set over hot water, melt the butter and unsweetened chocolate, whisking until completely melted and smooth.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together sugar, vanilla extract, salt and eggs until combined. Add melted chocolate and whisk until well combined. Fold in the flour and mix until just combined. Batter will be thick
4. Spread half of batter into prepared pan. Dollop generous spoonfuls of Nutella. Cover Nutella with remaining batter and smooth top. Bake 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean (watch the Nutella). Cool brownies completely before cutting.