Nutella Chocolate Fudge Brownies

Believe it or not, I've never baked brownies from scrath that didn't end up tasting dry and dull (ie: tasteless). I also have never eaten Nutella before. All of this changed over the weekend. These brownies actually came out of the oven moist with the perfect amount of crunch on the top. The chocolate chips were like a welcome pocket of chocolate bursting from random bites. The brownies actually reminded me of the Mrs. Fields brownies that my sister and I used to convince my grandma to buy us at the mall when we were little girls. What made these even better was that the recipe calls for spreading Nutella over them! I love Nutella. I can say that now. I might start eating it out of the jar or spreading it randomly on cookies and crackers. These brownies really were so good that you don't need the Nutella spread. They can hold their own. If tomorrow wasn't Monday, I would bake up another batch and eat them at my pleasing. But I can't stroll into work with chocolate crumbs around my mouth and my clothes not fitting. If only..

Nutella Chocolate Fudge Brownies

Recipe from Bunny's Warm Oven

4 - one ounce squares unsweetened chocolate
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)

2 1/2 cups sugar

4 large eggs

1 Tablespoons pure vanilla

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup unbleached white flour

1 cup chocolate chips, optional (recommended)

1/2 - 1 whole jar of Nutella

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter or spray and flour a 9 X 13 inch glass or non-stick baking pan.

Chop unsweetened chocolate and melt chocolate and butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Do not burn. Remove from heat.

Using a wooden spoon or spatula, add sugar and stir until well mixed.

Add eggs, vanilla and salt and beat well with a wooden spoon.

Fold in flour and mix just until smooth. Do not over mix. Fold in chocolate chips.

Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until knife comes out clean.

Cool for about 15 minutes, then spread desired amount of Nutella over warm brownies.

Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Don't you hate waiting for the cooling process to be complete?

7/8 Chocolate Overdose Cake

I love chocolate. Let me rephrase that- I really, really, really love chocolate. So when I first saw the recipe for Chocolate Overdose Cake at Confections of a Foodie Bride I bookmarked it and waited very patiently for the perfect moment to go back to it. The opportunity finally presented itself this past weekend for my sister's birthday party and I could not have been more giddy.  The cake baking process seemed a little daring at the beginning and I can't say that I wasn't warned by others who have made it. But all of the delicious reviews told me that it was going to be worth it in the end. And oh boy was it ever! The recipe calls for a few 7/8 measurements and  I don't own a 1/8 measuring cup, my set begins at 1/4. Because of this I had to guesstimate a few things and do some simple math. My mom joked that this cake should be called "7/8 Chocolate Overdose Cake" .

When assembling the cake, I didn't use enough of the chocolate mousse (oops) and heard a lot of "great cake..could have used more mousse". Live and learn, right? ::nervous laughter:: I have to say that my favorite part was the brownie base. Next time I may just bake the brownie base, scoop on some ice cream for good measure, and eat it straight out of the spring form pan. You can find the recipe here. Try not to be intimidated by the length of the recipe, it really isn't as troubling as it seems. And even if it was, it's chocolate. If anything is worth turmoil.. it's chocolate!