Chewy Chocolate Brownies

source:  Nestle baking bar

1 c flour
1/4 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
3/4 c granulated sugar
1/2 c butter
2 T water
2 chocolate baking bars (4 oz each)
2 eggs
2 t vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350.  Butter and flour 13x9 baking pan.  Microwave butter, sugar and water in large bowl for 3 minutes on high.  Immediately add baking bars broken into small pieces and stir until melted.  Add eggs one by one.  Mix until well blended.  Add baking soda and salt.  Add flour.  Stir well.  Pour into pan, and bake 16 to 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

So you ask me -- why bother with a brownie recipe?  I love brownies. They are so delicious, chocolatey, cakey, chewy -- what more could you possibly want.  I am also a little bit of a brownie snob -- most people make brownies from a mix and while those brownies are fine, there is no comparison to a brownie from scratch.

This was a fun recipe to make.  There was something playful and fun in dropping the bits of the chocolate bar into the boiling sugar and butter mixture, and seeing them melt and transform the mixture into a glorious chocolatey mess.

The batter is relatively thin, and barely gets around in the pan.  But remember, these are meant to be chewy brownies.  They do rise a bit due to the baking soda, but they are not going to be fluffy and cakey.

Super delicious, not overly sweet, and really highlighting the chocolate flavor.  Use good quality chocolate bars for this, and enjoy a delicious version of a classic.