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Super Wicked Chocolate Brownies

Way back when, in 1998 or so I had the very good fortune to cook and bake for a film legend, Mr. Robert Altman.  




He had several films going through the audio post facility I was working at and popped into the kitchen one day to ask "what that wonderful aroma was?

I was baking my now famous "Super Wicked Chocolate Brownies" and the smell was wafting through the building and onto the dub stages. 



"Why hello Mr. Altman," I said, "I call these Super Wicked Chocolate Brownies".  He promptly took several from the tray, smiled and said, "You are a Chef Goddess."  Yep, that's right.


I'll never forget that day.  Every time I make these brownies or any of the other 9 Super Wicked Chocolate Brownie flavors that currently exist and can be delivered to you overnight (if you so desire a dozen or so!) Super Wicked Caramel, Super Wicked Peanut Butter, Super Wicked Spiced Orange, Super Wicked Chocolate Chunk, Super Wicked Volcano (it's a red velvet brownie), Super Wicked Butterscotch Chip, Super Wicked Praline, Super Wicked Hazelnut, Super Wicked Cheesecake.  These are also a favorite of my good friend Rick Keeley who I admire so much for following his dream.  Last I heard, he is a chef in San Francisco via the New York Culinary Institute via New Line Cinema.  What a journey!  Such an inspiration.



Here's the base recipe that I thought I'd share.  Note: the success is all in the baking time.


Super Wicked Chocolate Brownies


Ingredients:

1 ½ sticks  (3/4 cup) unsalted butter
5 oz. Unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 cups granulated sugar
1 tbsp espresso powder or instant
coffee granules
1 tsp pure vanilla
½ tsp salt
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup unbleached flour
¾ cup bittersweet chocolate chips

Directions:  (pre-heat oven to 375ºF)
Line a 13X9 1” baking pan with foil, allowing about 2” of foil to hang over the ends of the pan.  Grease foil well with 1 tbsp of butter.

Melt remaining butter with the chocolate in a glass/ microwave proof bowl at :30 second intervals (stirring after each) until mixture is smooth.  Let cool for 5 minutes then transfer to medium sized bowl and whisk in sugar, espresso powder, vanilla and salt.  Add eggs one at a time and whisk until batter is smooth.  Stir in flour until combined.

Spread batter evenly in prepared baking pan and bake in the middle of the oven until the top is firm and edges have just begin the pull away from the sides of the pan (about 20 minutes  DO NOT OVERBAKE).

Let cool for 10 minutes then, carefully… very carefully, lift brownies from pan by grasping both ends of foil and set on cooling rack an additional 10 minutes or until brownies are completely cooled.

(This is the base brownie recipe… you can add anything you like, for example swirl peanut butter into the batter once you’ve spread it into baking pan or, drizzle caramel sauce on top before baking…drag a knife through to pull the caramel sauce into cool patterns. You can add pretty much anything, well except perhaps for trout!)

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There you have it!  Enjoy! They are deeeeeeeeeeelish!

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