I have to say, I’m more in the light/milk chocolate camp myself. Always have been. Oh, I love a rich, dark chocolate bite or two…but I have to immediately wash it down with milk. Whole milk, preferably, that has been chilled to precisely 33.9 degrees. But that’s another story for another time.
My dad, on the other hand, has always been a dark chocolate addict. When I was growing up and my mom would buy those little bags of miniature Hershey’s candy bars, he’d go straight for the Special Dark chocolate bars no one else wanted. And I, of course, would scarf down the Krackels. Followed by the regular Hershey Bars. Followed by the Mr. Goodbars. Then I’d go watch Gilligan’s island and pull all the heads off my little sister’s Barbie dolls.
Over time, I’ve found that there’s no gift—for Christmas or birthday—that my dad has responded to more passionately than a box of good dark chocolates. So when I fiddled with these dark chocolate brownies this week, I knew I’d found the treat I’ll make him the next time he’s here. And he’s definitely getting a box of these on Valentine’s Day!
For these ultra-rich, ultra-decadent brownies, I basically adapted the regular brownie recipe that I’ve used for years. I made it in the saucepan rather than the mixer, and I added cocoa powder on top of the baking chocolate. Then, just before putting the batter into the pan, I stirred in chocolate chips. Whew! Chocolate, chocolate everywhere. There was no escape from it! And the results were delicious…though I have to admit to needing a swig of milk between each bite. Tiny squares of these brownies are more than enough, and if the idea that a little dark chocolate every day wards off depression…these babies could be downright medicinal.
Here’s how I made them!
But don’t listen to me. I like Krackel bars.
UPDATE: I whipped up another batch of these this morning as I was making breakfast burritos for the cowboys. They are EVEN BETTER with semi-sweet chocolate chips. That’s definitely the way to go! The chocolate flavor is more well-rounded. Amen!
About the pan size: A square pan will result in thicker brownies. These look great, but sometimes (depending on ovens, kind of pan, and astrological sign) it can be a challenge for the center to fully bake before the edges start to brown.
A 9 x 13 inch pan will result in a thinner brownie, but the baking can be a little more even.
Either one is fine—just keep an eye on it while it’s baking!
They should come right out of the pan (you might need to run a knife along the edges)…
Here’s the handy dandy printable.