Recipe Weekend: Fudgy Brownies Thanks to Scharffen Berger Cocoa!

One of the great joys being a blogger is getting to review new products, and those that you are familiar with, but that may be in a new form or packaging.

Such is the case today. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Program, I received this WONDERFUL package in the mail this week:

Scharffen Berger Sweetened Natural Cocoa Powder is naturally processed and pure- they only add pure cane sugar — no powdered milk or the alkali used in Dutch-process cocoa. You get chocolate and sugar in an irresistible combination. It is the ONLY chocolate I like for hot chocolate, and have since 1997 when they came out while I was still in San Francisco! FYI- they were bought our by Hershey's in 2005, but have been allowed to keep their artisan chocolate in place.

You CAN cook with this excellent cocoa powder too! You just need to substitute 1/2 cup of Unsweetened Cocoa Powder with 1 cup of Sweetened Cocoa Powder, AND decrease the amount of sugar in your recipe by 1/2 cup. I've used this variation for years with no problems!


And I knew JUST what I wanted to make- these fudgy wonderful brownies, that are a standby in my recipe box (yes, the new mixer wanted to get in the picture, even though it wasn't used !). 

Scharffen Berger Sweetened Cocoa Fudgy Brownies


Ingredients

2 cups Scharffen Berger Sweetened Natural Cocoa Powder
11 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cold eggs
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup (3.5 ounces) walnut or pecan pieces, or 1/2 cup chocolate chips, optional


Directions:

1. Preheat to 325 degrees. prepare 8x8 pan by either greasing pan, or lining with parchment paper or foil.
2. Melt butter in a medium heatproof bowl and then set in a wide skillet of barely simmering water.
3. Add the sugar, cocoa and salt to the bowl, and stir until the butter is melted, and the mixture is hot.
4. Remove the bowl from the skillet, and set aside until the mixture is only warm, not hot.
5. Then mix in the vanilla to the bowl.
6. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing vigorously with a spatula after each one is added.
7. When the mixture looks thick, shiny and well blended, add all of the flour, at once, and stir until combined, and then stir for about 40 strokes with a wooden spoon.
8. Stir in the nuts (or extra chocolate chips) if using, then spread batter evenly in your prepared pan.
9. Bake brownies until a toothpick plunged into the center emerges slightly dirty looking, 20-25 minutes.
10. Cool pan on a wire rack. Lift the edges of the parchment or foil liner and transfer the brownies to a cutting board for cutting
11. Brownies can be stored, airtight, for 2-3 days- good luck if they last that long! They're pretty addicting!