Deep Chocolate Brownies

Deep . . . Chocolate . . . Brownies . . . Just the name stirs me, chocoholic that I am. Then there are the ingredients. Bittersweet chocolate . . . Chocolate chips . . . Butterscotch topping . . . Coconut . . . Pecans . . . I couldn't wait to make this. And be disappointed. You would think I would know better by now.

The batter was incredibly stiff resulting in dry, dry, dry brownies. I don't care for dry cakes and brownies. I much prefer moist. Theye also tasted burned to me. Then I realized it was the bittersweet chocolate. Too bitter. The brown sugar just didn't take enough of the edge off of it for me. This is a good thing for many people who don't care for very sweet chocolate. I am not one of them.

And I should know better by now than to use prepared toppings. I could taste the chemicals in it. I should have made my own. I bought finely chopped pecans rather than the coarsely chopped ones. Just a personal preference. I liked the resulting texture better than if there had been "chunks" of pecans.

Verdict: Not bad, but I definitely won't be making this again.

Deep Chocolate Brownies

(Source:BHG.com )

1 egg
1 cup butterscotch-flavored ice cream topping
2 cups coarsely chopped pecans
2 cups flaked coconut
3/4 cup butter, softened
1-1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 12-ounce package semisweet chocolate pieces

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 13x9x2-inch baking pan; set aside.

2. In a medium mixing bowl beat the 1 egg with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy and light colored. Stir in ice cream topping. fiold in pecans and coconut; set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Beat in brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in cooled chocolate, the 2 eggs, and vanilla. Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; beat or stir into chocolate mixture. Stir in chocolate pieces. Spread in prepared pan; spread nut mixture over batter. Bake about 35 minutes or until golden and set. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Makes 24 bars.

Recycle: ice cream topping bottle, vanilla bottle

Compost: eggshells