Rich Dark Chocolate Brownies

Dark chocolate is good for you!

It's been awhile since I did anything cooking or baking related.  Since the Chicks, over the last couple of weeks, have been making brownies in the evenings, I thought it was time to pull this recipe out.  (Luckily, they've been making mixes, so while they are pretty good, they aren't tempting.  And for the record, Healthy Chick says Ghirardelli has the best mixes.)  It was clipped from a magazine in 1992 (sorry I don't know which magazine).  Do you make notes on your recipes?  I do.  This one reads:  "One of the best recipes I've ever made."  I don't want to keep these all to myself, I can share:

Chocolate Dreams

by Judith Rosenberg

4 squares (1 oz. each) unsweetened chocolate

1/2 c. unsalted butter at room temp.

1 1/4 c. plus 1 Tblsp. sugar

1/2 teas. vanilla extract

3 large eggs at room temperature

3/4 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 c. chopped walnuts

1. Heat oven to 325^oF.  Lightly grease an 8 in. square baking pan.
2. Melt chocolate and butter in a small saucepan over low heat.  Cool 5 min.
3. Put sugar and chocolate mixture in a medium sized bowl.  Beat with electric mixer until blended.  Add vanilla.  With mixer on medium low speed, add eggs, one at a time, beating after each until blended.  Scrape bowl with rubber spatula.
4. On low speed beat in flour until blended.  Stir in 1/2 c. nuts.
5. Spread batter in prepared pan.  
6. Bake 35 min. or until thin crust forms on top and tester inserted in center comes out with a moist crumb.
7. Cool on wire rack before cutting into squares.

Frosting

1 1/2 squares (1 oz. each) unsweetened chocolate

1/4 c. canned evaporated milk

1/3 c. sugar

1. Melt chocolate in top of a double boiler.
2. Pour evap. milk, sugar and melted chocolate into blender.  Blend on medium low speed about 1 min. or until thickened.*
3. Spread over brownies.  Let stand 1 hour before cutting in squares

*I have never had this thicken for me.  I pour it on the brownies and after awhile it firms up to a nice frosting.

Makes 16.  Per square:  250 cal.  Exchanges:  1/4 starch, 1/4 lean meat, 3 fat, 1 3/4 fruit.  Looking at the pictures==> ZERO calories!

How clumsy of me, I forgot to show you the walnuts.  Let me just turn the plate around...

...there, much better!  WARNING:  These are some of the richest, most decadent brownies you will ever eat.  Proceed with caution.

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