Double-Chocolate Espresso Brownies

Warning: one of these brownies is too many and a million is not enough.

The comments on Epicurious* were right. These are amazing.

• 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter
• 5 oz unsweetened chocolate
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon instant-espresso powder or instant-coffee granules (I used more!) (optional)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1) Put a cup of water in a saucepan on the stove and bring to a simmer. Don't let it get crazy bubbling over -- just little bubbles. Preheat oven to 375.

2) Put the butter, chocolate and sugar in a large metal bowl (the mixer bowl if you have one). If you don't have a metal bowl, use a medium saucepan. Later you can transfer the melted chocolate and butter to a bowl for combining other ingredients.

3) Place the large metal bowl or saucepan over the bubbling water on the stove.

4) Combine your other ingredients in other bowls. Sugar, salt and espresso powder in one bowl, flour and chocolate chips in another.

Portions shown are for a double batch

5) Line a large casserole dish with buttered foil.

6) Stir your butter and chocolate until it's all deliciously melted together and looks like this:

 

7) Remove from heat and turn off burner. Mix chocolate and sugar mixtures together. It will look grainy like this:

8) Add eggs and vanilla, mixing well.

9) Add flour and chocolate chips, mixing well.

10) Pour into baking dish.

10) Bake for 20 minutes. Check to see if top is beginning to harden and form small cracks. Test with knife. Small crumbs should come out when it is done, but not uncooked batter.

11) Enjoy!

These are great to freeze and pull out a day before a party.