Fudge Brownies, Sweet and Salty

I told you I'd be right back. Good god (notice lower case 'g', so Sr. Aquinata will not haunt me with a 'spelldown' tonight in my dreams), where in the holy heck have I been for NINE months? Written a best selling cookbook? Nope. Discovered a cure for whatever ails you? No, with my sincere concerns for whatever ails you. Traveled the world? With the exception of Switzerland, France, and Ireland, been keeping the home fires burning.

I've just been enjoying life --- Mr. RestaurantQuality, our fabulous children and spouses/fiances, those wonderful Little Sweethearts.

Today, FD#1 asked for the recipe for the entitled brownies and she also asked 'where has the blog gone?' That inspired me.

It's Friday. Mr. RQ has made the perfectly proportioned, well-iced old fashioned and I am ready to BLOG..........................

Fudge Brownies, Sweet and Salty

Musical Accompaniment: Hallelujah, Vitamin String Quartet

Adapted from Recipe Girl

3/4 Cup unsalted butter (12 T.), right out of the frig

2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1/4 Cup, plus 2 T. unsweetened cocoa powder

2 Cups white sugar

3 large eggs, room temp

1 1/2 t. vanilla extract

1 Cup all purpose flour

1/2 t.flaky sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

9" square pan, lined with non-stick foil

In large saucepan, mel butter with chocolate over low heat, stiffing occasionally. When melted and smooth, remove from heat.

Whisk in cocoa, then sugar, then eggs, then vanilla, then flour. Make sure each is incorporated before adding the next ingredient.

Pour batter into prepared pan.

Sprinkle sea salt over top of batter.

Bake for about 35 minutes, until edges are set, but center is a bit soft. A toothpick inserted into center should come out coated with a touch of the batter.

Let cool, on rack, for about an hour. Lift the foil out of pan and then into frig for about an hour.

Remove from foil.

Cut and swoon.

My Notes:

With apologies: I did not think to take photos when I made these out of this world brownies.

I used Ghiardelli bar chocolate. Easily obtained at a supermarket.

I used Hershey's unsweetened natural cocoa. Easily obtained.

The sea salt: I do not have a seashore from which to harvest sea salt, although the thought of it makes me ask Mr. RQ for another old fashioned. I did not buy anything fancy. I bought McCormick's grinder sea salt, easily obtained from a supermarket, because it is now beyond trendy to use sea salt. I did NOT measure. I just ground away, covering the batter with sea salt, but NOT densely. Any sea salt will do. If you wish to be beyond trendy, then trendy you shall be beyond.

Guinness Brownies

Here's the Irish story on these brownies: they are from Grace Neill's, said to be the oldest bar in Ireland. That's all I needed to read, as I put down my Smithwick's and made a copy.

Rich, thick, fudgy. Perfectly complemented by a scoop of Gilles vanilla custard or Haagen Daz vanilla bean ice cream.

Little Sweetheart #3 was my sous baker the other day. He does a very good job of using the electric mixer.


Guinness Brownies


4 eggs, room temperature
3/4 Cup sugar (I use super fine)
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped (I use Ghirardelli; 2 bars)
4 oz. white chocolate, chopped (I use Ghirardelli; one bar is 4 oz.)
6 T. butter, unsalted
3/4 Cup all purpose flour
3/4 Cup unsweetened cocoa
1 1/4 Cups of The Guinness (about one bottle)

Powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter an 8" square pan.

With electric mixer, combine eggs and sugar. Beat until light and fluffy.

To melt the butter and chocolates, use a double boiler. I make my own double boiler ---- saucepan of simmering water (about 1 inch); place a glass bowl onto the top of the pan --- voila --- double boiler.

Place the butter and chocolates into the glass bowl and place bowl on the top of the simmering saucepan. Stir occasionally, while everything melts. When melted and combined, remove the bowl.

Beat the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture.

In separate bowl, sift flour and cocoa together; beat into the chocolate mixture.

Whisk in The Guinness.

Pour into prepared pan. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until toothpick in center comes out almost clean.

Cool on wire rack.

Can dust with powdered sugar.

Cheesecake Brownies

These brownies are from a foodblog I follow. They are really good (but then I wouldn't repeat any recipe unless it was really good, would I?). The Number One fans of these brownies are Megan and Christian. It won't be long and Addi (the AZ Little Sweetheart) will be asking Grandma for 'just one more'. And, I'll give it to her................

Cheesecake Brownies

4 T. unsalted butter, plus more for pan
3/4 C. all-purpose flour
3/4 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
5 large eggs, divided into 3 eggs and 2 eggs, room temperature
2 large egg yolks, room temperature
1 1/3 Cup sugar, divided into 1 Cup and 1/3 Cup (I use Baker's sugar)
1 1/2 t. vanilla extract
1 pound mascarpone cheese (or cream cheese) I use mascarpone.


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9x13 pan and line with parchment paper.
(I love parchment paper --- it makes me feel almost invincible.)

Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Melt chocolate and butter together in the top of a barely simmering double boiler. Stir occasionally while this melting function is going on. Remove from heat. (I use a glass bowl, that sits on top of a pan, with simmering water ---- can you picture it?)

Using the whisk attachment of an electric mixer, beat 3 eggs and 1 cup sugar on high speed for about 5 minutes, or until thick and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and add chocolate mixture and 1 t. vanilla. Mix well. Add flour mixture, stirring until just combined. Spread into prepared pan and set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat mascarpone cheese, 2 eggs, egg yolks, 1/3 cup sugar and 1/2 t. vanilla. Mix until smooth. Pour over chocolate mixture.

Bake about 35 minutes, or until cheese mixture is golden and set.

Cool completely on a wire rack.