Gooey Chocolate Brownies with Ice Cream, chocolate sauce and pecans

Chocolate Pecan Brownies – great on their own too

I think one of the first recipes anyone makes when they’re young is brownies.  There are a million different recipes and variations.  This one I refer to as ‘the best’ because it’s dense, chewy and rich– with intense chocolate flavour.  The technique is a little more complex than a basic brownie, but not difficult and the result is worth it.  Eaten alone these are extremely delicious, but assembled on a large plate with some ice cream and a chocolate drizzle kicks it up a level and can easily be served as an elegant dessert.  The recipe calls for “UNSWEETENED” chocolate – usually in a blue box – so don’t mistake it for bittersweet or semi-sweet.  Try it out – this recipe is a keeper.

The Best Chocolate Brownies

from Chris Mitchell

makes one 9 x 13 pan full of goodness

Ingredients:

4 squares (ounces) unsweetened chocolate

1 cup butter

4 eggs

2 cups granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup all-purpose flour (or substitute 1 cup GF flour with 1/4 tsp xanthan gum)

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup chopped pecans- Optional – great with or without

Directions:

Prepare a 9 x 13 inch pan by lining it with parchment or foil, leaving enough to come up and overhang the sides. (you will be using this to lift out your brownies later).  Place pan on a baking sheet. Set aside. Preheat oven to 325 F.

Place an inch of water in a medium saucepan or double boiler and turn burner on high.  Place a steel bowl or top of double boiler over water, and put butter and chocolate in bowl. Stir occasionally until melted.  Remove from heat and remove bowl from on top of saucepan to cool.

In stand mixer, beat eggs for a minute before adding the sugar. Mix on med-high until well incorporated and buttery yellow in colour.  Add vanilla, mix.   Slowly drizzle in chocolate/butter mixture until well blended.  On low speed add flour and salt and mix until no flour is visible. With spatula, fold in pecans, if using.

Bake 325 F for 25 minutes, until center is just set, no longer. Cool. Remove from pan.  Cut into squares.

These brownies can be wrapped individually and frozen for several weeks.  They also work well with gluten-free flour and 1/4 tsp of xantham gum.

Melt unsweetened chocolate and butter together in bowl over boiled water

Add melted chocolate mixture to egg/sugar mixture

Add flour and salt to batter and mix until combined.

Fold in nuts, if using

Brownies are done when center no longer jiggles, about 25 minutes

Makes an irresistible dessert

Dress it up with chocolate or caramel sauce or both