Better-Than-Cash Brownies

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into chunks
• 3/4 cup cocoa (I highly recommend using natural cocoa, not dutch process cocoa)
• 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Directions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 350°F; lightly grease an eight-inch baking pan (I spray it very lightly with Pam) and set aside.

2. 2

   Place the butter chunks in a glass mixing bowl and microwave on Medium power until melted (I find High power causes the melting butter to spatter all over the inside of my microwave, while the gentler power level seems to prevent this).

3. 3

   Put the cocoa, salt and instant coffee into a sieve (or sifter) and sift mixture into the melted butter -- you may need to use your fingers to force the coffee granules through the sieve -- and whisk until smooth.

4. 4

   Next, add in the sugar and whisk well; then add the eggs, one at a time, whisking after each addition just until blended. Whisk in vanilla.

5. 5

   Using a sieve (or sifter), sift flour over chocolate mixture, then stir with a wooden spoon just to incorporate flour. Batter will be thick.

6. 6

   Spread batter into prepared pan, smoothing top, and scatter a topping of your choice (nuts, chocolate chips, etc), if desired, over top. Twenty pecan halves or walnut halves, evenly spaced out, looks great and suits those who don't like nuts in brownies, as they can easily be picked off.

7. 7

   Bake in preheated oven for 30-32 minutes. A tester should come out with some crumbs on it. Do not overbake or brownies will not be fudgey. Let cool, in pan, then cut into small squares. Expect these brownies to not cut cleanly, some bits will cling to the knife.