These are, quite simply, the best brownies I have ever eaten.
We’ve been on a bit of a brownie kick lately, with the Cookies ‘n’ Cream brownies, then the Peanut Butter Crunch brownies, and now this. Do other people make brownies every week too?
I hope so.
These brownies end my quest for a homemade brownie that beats the Ghirardelli brownie mix for richness, gooey-ness and crispy-crackly-topped-ness. Also, because they’re made with dark chocolate, the flavour is intense and rich but not TOO sweet. They are a brownie that needs no icing or whipped cream, but with the roasted cherries in there you might be inspired to top them with whipped cream and a cherry to get a Black Forest experience.
Due to their richness, not to mention the cost of ingredients that goes into them, I recommend small portions of these brownies, and savour every bite. They are fantastic with a glass of red wine too, if you’re into that kind of thing. Midnight snacking has never looked better.
I have just been getting into roasting and broiling fruit this summer, and I’m so glad I did. Broiled peaches with a bit of brown sugar and cinnamon are an amazing, healthy fix for a sweet craving, and roasted cherries are delicious in baking (I also used them in Chocolate Cherry Scones) and all on their own. I used cherries that were slightly past their prime so I could justify not just eating them as God intended them, and cherries don’t generally last long around here so I might have to try these brownies soon without the cherries, since I’m sure they would still be ridiculously good.
- 1 cup fresh cherries, pitted and quartered
- 2½ cups (1 lb) dark chocolate, roughly chopped
- ½ cup butter (if it's unsalted butter, add 1 tsp salt to recipe)
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup + 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- Combine chopped cherries with 1 Tbsp sugar on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Roast for 10 minutes. Remove from baking pan and transfer to fridge or freezer to cool down.
- Lower oven temperature to 350 degrees (I did 325 degrees for a glass dish). Lightly grease an 8x11" pan; set aside.
- Melt chocolate and butter, stirring, until completely smooth. Let cool slightly.
- In medium bowl, whisk together eggs, 1 cup sugar and vanilla until well blended. Add the melted chocolate/butter and mix until incorporated. Fold in flour and baking powder. Stir in roasted cherries.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 20-30 minutes, until brownies no longer jiggle in the center when shaken. (A toothpick will not come out clean...you want these to be slightly underbaked).
- Let cool before slicing, then store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. These also freeze well.
I would dearly dearly love one of these today. They sound delicious. My husband adores black forest cake, so I bet he would really like these.
Black forest is one my husband’s faves too :)
These look delicious! I will have to try them next year when fresh cherries are around…or else try them at your place sometime. I didn’t buy any of cherries here but enjoyed them thoroughly while I was in BC in cherry season this summer. I do love cherries :)