May 28, 2009

Ina's Outrageous Brownies

Sometimes things are understated- words like "KitchenAid". To the unsuspecting eye, you might think of a nice little helper to wipe the counters behind you, not the kitchen appliance that will change the way you cook and make the kitchen your favorite room (what, that's just me?) Some things, though, are a serious understatement. Like any baked good that Ina Garten describes as "outrageous". Well we all love to laugh at the amount of butter in the beloved Contessa's recipes (and I'll stick up for Ina and say she's not nearly as bad as Paula Deen), even Ina admits a certain fondness for butter. So with that said, you know when Ina calls it outrageous, that you'd better watch out.

And of course, she delivers. These brownies really were ridiculously delicious. I took the liberty of halving the recipe since I didn't feel right about actually using a pound of butter in a single dessert (except for my beloved Brioche Snails or Pecan Honey Sticky Buns). I omitted the coffee as usual and used my slacker large (not extra large) eggs. I baked them in a small, rectangular Pyrex and think any smaller dish would do (like an 8 by 8- it will just change the thickness a little, which is a matter of personal preference anyways). I did under bake them in my attempts not to over bake them per Ina's dire warning at the end of the recipe. Nonetheless, these tasted as good gooey as I imagine they do fully cooked. And next time I'll serve them with a little ice cream. Even Paula Deen would admit that's outrageous.

Outrageous Brownies
adapted from Ina Garten
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter
14 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, divided
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons real vanilla extract
1 cup sugar plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/8 cups)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (plus 2 tablespoons for the chips and nuts)
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup diced walnut pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour an 8 by 8 inch pan.

Melt together the butter, 8 ounces chocolate chips, and unsweetened chocolate on top of a double boiler. Cool slightly. Stir together the eggs, vanilla and sugar. Stir in the warm chocolate mixture and cool to room temperature.

Stir together 1/2 cup of the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the walnuts and remaining 6 ounces of chocolate chips with 2 tablespoons of flour to coat. Then add to the chocolate batter. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until tester just comes out clean. Halfway through the baking, rap the pan against the oven shelf to allow air to escape from between the pan and the brownie dough. Do not over-bake! Cool thoroughly, refrigerate well and cut into squares.

Don't forget to check out the rest of the Barefoot Bloggers' Outrageous Brownies. It'll have you busting out your double boiler (and our of your jeans, likely) in no time.

34 comments:

  1. yummyyyyy.. i loovveee brownieesss.... interesting blog with amazing recipes.. keep it up!!
    cheers!!

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  2. I have heard this recipe is delicious from multiple people. It sounds like I am ging to have to try it.

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  3. Yours look great! Thanks for the tips on halving the recipe. Love your serving plate!

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  4. I can't wait to try these! I love everything of Ina's I've made!
    Thanks for sharing :)

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  5. Oh, Yum! I've made these before and they are quite a treat. I tossed Oreos in there once and WOW!! They look amazing, Anne.

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  6. oh my brownies twice in one week! they do look yummy!

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  7. Wow, you've had a brownie-filled week! I halved the recipe too. I totally forgot the flour though.

    ~Cat

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  8. These were fabulous.

    I made the full batch as I was going to a family gathering.

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  9. Ina's brownies are incredible. I recently made a half batch of her outrageous oreo crunch brownies variation and they were terrific too.

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  10. Your brownies look wonderful!

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  11. New to your blog and love it! The brownies look amazingly moist!! :) Gotta love Ina!

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  12. Seeing how delicious yours look, and reading that you were careful not to overbake, made me realize I left these in too long. As much as it pains me to kill another pound of chocolate, I think I'm going to have to make them again.

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  13. They were pretty outrageous! I halved them too--because of the butter (1/2 pound felt much better!) The don't over-bake warning made me paranoid too!

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  14. Could not agree with you more about the understatement! These were fabulous!

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  15. They look really good. I LOVE your serving plate too!

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  16. Lovely brownies...my first time on your site...great pics!

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  17. i thought the pound of butter sounded excessive so i halved the recipe too and made two 8x8 pans! brownies for everyone!

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  18. I'll have to try this one - I am always on the lookout for a good, gooey, fudgy brownie, and it looks like you liked this one a whole heck of a lot better than the chipster brownies from TWD.

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  19. You are so right. Our Ina is not going to throw around the word "outrageous" lightly. And these did deliver. I was kicking myself because I used espresso powder, which gave mine kind of a "mocha" taste. I'll use coffee powder next time like the recipe calls for, or just follow your lead and leave it out all together. I think the pound of butter and two pounds of chocolate can carry the load, don't you? Oh, I used slacker large eggs too. Rebels, we are! Your brownies look . . . outrageous!

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  20. I wish I thought to halve the recipe, although maybe that would mean that I wouldn't still have two boxes of brownie in my freezer. I will definitely make these again.

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  21. I love your writing!
    My kitchen aid is my best friend, yet I treat that thing so hard.

    The brownies were awesome, I halved the recipe too.

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  22. I'm a strawberry lover too..i love your blog as well

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  23. You're right: there's no words for how good these brownies look. Words like outrageous and delicious and stellar are total understatements, but let me try to put it into words nonetheless: OH MY GAH. I cannot wait to try out Ina's recipe.

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  24. So glad to hear Ina's brownies are as outrageous as she says they are. I will try them now instead of my own recipe- but I do love coffee so will use it.

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  25. The brownies were excellent. I'm still trying to decide on the best size pan to use when halving the recipe. I did mine in a 6 x 9. They were thicker than Ina's. Yours look a lot like mine.

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  26. I've made these before and you're right ~ they are outrageous!

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  27. Love it. I think I'll half the recipe too. Can't wait to try it!

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  28. Oh my goodness - these look scrumptious! Must. make. now. :)

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  29. Lots of brownies this week. I need/want to try Ina's Outrageous recipe sometime, soon! They look great!

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  30. The brownies are amazing, aren't they? Ina always delivers!

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  31. I have made these before too and they certainly are ridiculously delicious. Yours look wonderful1

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  32. Yours look great! Glad you liked them. My KitchenAid also revolutionized my kitchen. I went for way too long without it. Every make angel food cake with a whisk or a yeast dough by kneading by hand? My shoulders were actually sore after the first time I did that. I can't imagine going back now.

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  33. i so love your brownies.. very tummy tempting Love it.. :*

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  34. and so i love the looks of your brownies

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