Mississippi Mud Brownies

Book Update:  I have not read much because I finished my last lesson in Positive Psychology Friday, and this week is the final.  Somehow I am supposed to type 6 pages…. I bet I could do it if I don’t sleep.  Who needs that anyway?

Recipe:  I think homemade brownies should be on everyone’s bucket list.  Making them yourself can create a brownie that you can never find in a box and this recipe is one of them.  It is dense, thick, chewy, soft, chocolatey and delicious.  Hey, it’s chocolate and I even liked it!  They really don’t take very long to make and most of the ingredients are easy to find.  Imagine a brownie you would purchase at a coffee house and this comes pretty close.

The Dutch Processed Cocoa can be found at Whole Foods, purchased at King Arthur Flour, or possibly substitute for Hershey’s Dark Cocoa which is a mix of natural and dutch processed cocoa and found in many grocery stores.

Mississippi Mud Brownies
serves 24

6 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 sticks (8 oz. or 16 Tb.) unsalted butter
1 and 1/2 cups (7.5 oz) AP flour
1/3 cup Dutch Processed Cocoa
1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups (21 oz.) sugar
5 large eggs (or 4 XL eggs)
3/4 cup chopped pecans

Topping:
3/4 cup marshmallow creme
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 tsp. vegetable oil

1.  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Spray a 13×9 pan or line with parchment or nonstick foil.
2.  In a microwave safe bowl, put the unsweetened chocolate and 2 sticks of butter.  Melt in the microwave.  I put mine on 60% power and stirred every 1-2 minutes.  After 4 minutes or so almost everything was melted and I just kept stirring until it came together.  Let this mixture cool slightly so we don’t cook the eggs later!  About 5 minutes.
3.  In another bowl, mix your dry stuff:  flour, cocoa and salt.
4.  In a large bowl or stand mixer, mix the sugar and eggs.
5.  Take the slightly cooled chocolate mixture and mix it into the sugar and eggs.  I used medium-low power on my mixer.  Then, add the flour in a little at a time (about 3-4 installments) until mixed thoroughly.  Don’t beat it more once it is combined.
6.  Fold your pecans into the brownie batter.  Pour all this batter into your 9×13 pan. Bake 35 minutes.
7.  Spray one or two spatulas or spoons with cooking spray.  Once you take out the brownies, dollop the marshmallow creme onto the hot brownie with the sprayed utensil.  Don’t touch!  Just let it sit and melt.   See?  It is nice and melty now.  Use an offset spatula or spoon to smooth the mixture over the brownies.
8.  In a small bowl, microwave the semisweet chocolate chips and oil together.  Once melted, drizzle this onto the marshmallow creme layer.  Cool for 2 hours.

Recipe from America’s Test Kitchen’s “Cook’s Country”