Double Fudge Brownies (Whole-Wheat)

 

 We made these to celebrate Jessica's half-birthday (since she's a summer birthday and wouldn't get to celebrate with her school friends otherwise and didn't want to get lumped in with all the other summer birthdays as they sometimes celebrate at the end of the year) and these brownies were DELICIOUS! They are now my go-to brownie recipe (they are not light in any way just so we get that clear and out of the way now - there's a bunch of butter and sugar - but I actually prefer the flavor of whole wheat flour with flour these days. The nuttiness of the flour and chocolatey-ness are a perfect pairing).

 

 

 

 

 Double Fudge Brownies (Whole Wheat!)

(adapted from King Arthur Flour's Whole Grain Baking cookbook)
Yield: 2 dozen (2-inch) brownies
Baking Temp: 350 degrees F
Baking time 30 minutes

Note: These are better made ahead and let to sit 24 hours before cutting into them. The wait gives the wheat bran a chance to soften.

Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks, 8 ounces) unsalted butter
2 cups (15 ounces) packed light or dark brown sugar
3/4 cup (2 1/4 ounces) Dutch-process cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
1/4 teaspoon cardamom (optional) (you could also use 1/4-1/8 teaspoon ground red chile pepper for a different flavor direction and bit of kick)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) traditional whole wheat flour
1-2 cups (6-12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch pan.
2. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan set over low heat (alternately, you can melt it in the microwave on low as well). Add the sugar and stir to combine. Return the mixture to the heat (or microwave), briefly, until it's hot and starting to bubble. Heating this mixture a second time will dissolve more of the sugar, which will yield a shiny top crust on your brownies.
3. Stir in the cocoa, baking powder, salt, spices (if using), and vanilla. Cool the mixture until you can test it with your finger: it should feel like comfortably hot bath water. Whisk in the eggs, stirring until smooth, then add the flour and the chips, again stirring until smooth. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.
4. Bake the brownies until a cake tester or sharp knife poked into the center reveals wet crumbs but not raw batter, about 30 minutes. The brownies should feel set on the edges and in the center. Remove them from the oven and let cool on a rack. Cover when they are cooled completely. Let sit overnight before serving

Nutritional information per serving (1 brownie, 61 g): 7g whole grains, 252 calories, 13g fat, 3g protein, 8g complex carbs, 25g sugar, 2g dietary fiber, 56mg cholesterol, 125mg sodium, 216mg potassium, 76RE vitamin A, 2mg iron, 46mg calcium, 100mg phosphorus.