4/19/11

Barefoot Contessa Outrageous Brownies with Ganache Frosting







Made these last week.
Outrageous Brownies? 
Over 2 pounds of chocolate (actually, almost 3 lbs) in one recipe.  That's why.
If these don't satisfy your chocolate craving, I don't know what will.









Barefoot Contessa Outrageous Brownies with Ganache Frosting
adapted slightly from Ina Garten
print recipe

  • 1 pound unsalted butter
  • 1 pound plus 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
  • 6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
  • 6 extra-large eggs
  • 1 1/2  tablespoons instant coffee granules (I used decaf)
  • 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
  • 2 1/4 cups sugar
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter and flour a 12 x 18 x 1-inch baking sheet.
Melt together the butter, 1 pound of chocolate chips, and the unsweetened chocolate in a medium bowl over simmering water. Allow to cool slightly. In a large bowl, stir (do not beat) together the eggs, coffee granules, vanilla, and sugar. Stir the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and allow to cool to room temperature.
In a medium bowl, sift together 2 cups of flour, the baking powder, and salt. Add to the cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the remaining 1/4 cup flour and 12 ounces of chocolate chips in a medium bowl, then add to the chocolate batter. Pour into the baking sheet.
Bake for 20 minutes, then rap the baking sheet against the oven shelf to force the air to escape from between the pan and the brownie dough. Bake for about 15 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not over bake! 

Ganache Frosting
9 oz. Semisweet chocolate
1 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons butter
Place all ingredients in saucepan over medium heat.  Whisk until melted and combined.  Pour over brownies after brownies are cooled slightly.  Let sit for about 1 hour, or in refrigerator until set, then cut and serve.  

Tips:
-The original recipe calls for 3 cups chopped walnuts or pecans and 1 1/4 cups flour.
-These freeze well.  Cut and wrap in Ziploc bags on paper plates.  They will keep for up to two months in the freezer.  

9 comments:

  1. Just curious about something - what kind of change is produced in your brownies vs. the original by increasing the flour? Fluffier? Thanks, baking is a scary thing to me!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I stumbled upon your blog and this recipe looks amazing. I will be making this soon! Thanks for sharing :)

    Codee
    www.readableeatables.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. OMG This brownie is georgeous and tempting! gloria

    ReplyDelete
  4. I have this recipe in a cookbook, but was always terrified of making it. 2 lbs. of chocolate!!
    Glad you took the challenge. I bet they were amazing. :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. These are some of the best brownies ever. My mom found the recipe a few years back and has been making them ever since. Sooooo good.

    ReplyDelete
  6. This brownie looks delish! I would love to have one right now. It reminds me of some of the great deserts I saw on Extreme Chef http://www.facebook.com/pages/Extreme-Chef/195324160502642

    ReplyDelete
  7. could i do this but make it into a mint brownie? like add the pinch of salt lake mint layer before the chocolate ganache? would i just double the pinch of salt lake mint layer ingredients?

    ReplyDelete
  8. Looks great! Will bake these brownies this weekend!

    ReplyDelete

Tell us how you really feel...