Valentine's recipe

red wine chocolate fudge brownies

March 4, 2012

What do you do with that last little bit of wine?

Do you save it for the next day, knowing it will be so-so?

Do you pour it out, but feel guilty because you are a resessionista and waste nothing?

Do you go ahead and drink it, just for the sake of it?

These are my life questions at this very moment.

Next time you find yourself in this situation – shake that bottle for every last drop and bake your little bit of wine into a pan of deep, rich, and fudgy chocolate brownies.

These brownies get a double-hit of chocolate from both semisweet chocolate and unsweetened cocoa powder but you could go all triple-threat and fold in chocolate chips to the batter if you had them on hand.

The wine intensifies these little buddies and brings out major chocolate flavor.

These are brownies that are not messing around.

I also suggest not skipping the glaze – you can make it while the brownies bake – but the thin spread of red wine chocolate goodness is well worth the extra step. As the layer of fudge sets the wine flavor becomes more pronounced and turns a humble pan of red wine brownies into an ultra-decadent and fancypants glazed dessert.

Red Wine Chocolate Fudge Brownies
Makes one 8×8 pan

For the brownies:
4 ounces (120 grams) semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup (113 grams) butter, cut into pieces
1/4 cup (60 ml) red wine
2 eggs
1/2 cup (100 grams) brown sugar
1/4 cup (53 grams) sugar
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) vanilla
1/2 cup (62 grams) flour
1/4 cup (25 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

For the glaze:
2 ounces (60 grams) semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon (21 grams) butter
2 tablespoons (30 ml) red wine
pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 350. Butter an 8×8 pan and line with two sheets of parchment paper, then butter the parchment. Set aside.

Melt the chocolate and the butter together in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally until melted and smooth.

In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, sugars and vanilla. Whisk in the chocolate mixture and then the wine. Add the flour, cocoa powder and salt and stir until the batter is smooth and has thickened slightly. Fold in the chocolate chips, if using.

Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 15-20 minutes or until a tester comes out mostly clean with just a few crumbs attached. You may need to bake the brownies for a few minutes more, but set your timer for 15 minutes and then hang out in your kitchen for the last few minutes of baking time just to make sure they don’t over bake. An underbaked brownie is better than an overbaked one.

While the brownies are baking make the glaze. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water until melted. Add the butter, wine and salt and whisk until smooth. Pour the glaze over the warm brownies and spread it to the corners so the top is evenly coated.

Cool completely and cut into squares.

Source:  http://buttermeupbrooklyn.com/2012/03/red-wine-chocolate-fudge-brownies/