Seriously Outragious

This past weekend some of my friends got together to wish our friend's a happy housewarming. We did it potluck style which turned out great! I love to have a variety of things to munch on.

One of the items I brought were brownies. Lizzie was making a cheesecake (YUM!), so I thought something really chocolatey would balance it out. I had seen Ina Garten make really big and delicious looking brownies on her Barefoot Contessa show, so I thought I'd try it out. She calls them Outragious Brownies, for their size, and their chocolatey punch.

I loved that she made them on a half sheet pan (13 x 18 x 1 1/2), because I knew this recipe was tested and scaled for a large batch. I like to have recipes that are used in restaurants and catering kitchens because they are scaled to make a lot, and that's how I like to bake for parties and for my co-workers. I'm rarely baking for just a few people.

I found these to have a slightly salty sweet thing going on and very chocolatey. They are on the fudgy side, but as a number of my co-workers said it was the perfect amount of fudgy to cakey for a brownie. Before I made them I asked the ladies who were going to be at the get together for a vote on the nuts or no nuts. We went for the nuts, and I'm so glad I did. I'll tell you how chocolatey these are, I took the left overs from the party to work and had them in a sealed container near my desk and I could STILL SMELL THEM!

I made a few changes to the recipe to adjust to the ingrediants I had in the pantry. Espresso Powder instead of instant coffee, but decreasing the amount because I wanted it to boost the flavor, not overpower it. Added some Cocoa Powder and a few extra ounces of chocolate to make up for not having enough unsweetened chocolate. And who keeps Extra Large Eggs in their fridge? I just subbed Large Eggs, actually I think 2 of them were mediums.

Totally Awesome Brownies, based on Ina Gartner's Outragious Brownies.

• 1 pound unsalted butter
• 1 pound 3 ounces plus 12 ounces semisweet chocoalte chips, divided
• 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder (dutch processed)
  
• 6 large eggs
  
• 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
• 2 tablespoons real vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
  
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided (1 cup for batter and 1/4 cup in the chips and nuts)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 cups diced walnut pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 13 by 18 by 1 1/2-inch sheet pan.

Melt together the butter, 1 pound 3 oz chocolate chips, unsweetened chocolate and cocoa powder on top of a double boiler. Cool slightly. Stir together the eggs, instant espresso, vanilla and sugar. Stir in the warm chocolate mixture and cool to room temperature.

Whisk together 1 cup of the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the walnuts and 12 ounces of chocolate chips with 1/4 cup flour to coat. Then add to the chocolate batter. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until tester just comes out clean. Halfway through the baking, rap the pan against the oven shelf to allow air to escape from between the pan and the brownie dough. Do not over-bake! Cool thoroughly, refrigerate well and cut into squares. Pizza cutter works perfectly.