BB: Outrageous Brownies

As strange as it may sound, given my love for chocolate, I did not love these brownies. Maybe I did something wrong . . . I have made brownies from The Barefoot Contessa's boxed brownie mix a couple of times, and I think the boxed mix turns out better than making the recipe from scratch. Specifically, I didn't enjoy biting into a piece of kosher salt in the middle of a fudgy brownie. Normally I think salty and sweet is about the best combination possible (and I love using kosher salt in some sweets, like oatmeal cookies), but to encounter crunchy salt in a fudgy brownie . . . just wasn't for me. Making this recipe was not a good use of my time - or the ingredients. Live and learn . . .

Outrageous Brownies
1 pound unsalted butter
1 pound plus 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, divided
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
6 extra-large eggs
3 tablespoons instant coffee powder
2 tablespoons real vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided (1 cup for batter and 1/4 cup in the chips and nuts)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups diced walnut pieces

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 13 by 18 by 1 1/2-inch sheet pan two disposable 11 x 9 x 1 1/2 pans.

Melt together the butter, 1 pound chocolate chips, and unsweetened chocolate on top of a double boiler. Cool slightly. Stir together the eggs, instant coffee, vanilla and sugar. Stir in the warm chocolate mixture and cool to room temperature.

Stir together 1 cup of the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the walnuts and 12 ounces of chocolate chips with 1/4 cup 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.
- Recipe from The Barefoot Contessa, via foodnetwork.com