The Best Brownies

I have always been a box mix brownie kind of girl. The box mixes are BOGO almost every week, they take all of 2 minutes to throw together, and I actually find them more delicious than homemade brownies. UNTIL NOW. Earlier this week I needed to make a bunch of brownies to take to a church event, so I decided to make several different kinds and for once and for all decide which brownie was the best. I tried a new recipe for a batch of homemade brownies, and I also made a Hershey's box mix and (my favorite) Ghirardelli box mix. I took a mixture of all three to the church event, and saved some of each for Caleb and I to do a blind taste test. 

The above photo shows how each brownie turned out. The Hershey's looks like it's going to be the richest as it's the darkest in color, the Ghirardelli looks like your standard brownie, and the homemade brownie is totally dominating the scene at twice as large as the box brownies. Here's how the taste test went down:

#1: Ghirardelli // we liked the chocolate chips, it was super chocolately, and pretty moist

#2: Hershey's // sticky, gooey, more milk chocolately, not as intense flavor, not as good as Ghirardelli, would not eat again

#3: homemade // richer, liked the chocolate chips, more of a brownie texture, moist, most intense flavor, hands down our favorite

We were both surprised that the homemade brownie was our favorite! We have declared this brownie recipe the best brownies we've ever eaten - they are that good. The winning recipe is originally from Taste of Home magazine, and the recipe is below, with my minor adjustments included.

Ultimate Fudgy Brownies
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup butter, cubed
1/4 cup water
20 oz bittersweet chocolate chips, divided (I used Ghirardelli)
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, letting ends extend up and over sides.

In a large saucepan, combine sugars, butter, and water; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add a generous 1 3/4 cups chocolate chips (this was a little more than a 10 oz bag). Stir until melted. Cool slightly.

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk eggs until foamy, about 3 minutes. Add vanilla extract; gradually whisk in the chocolate mixture. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining chocolate chips.

Pour into prepared pan. Bake on a lower oven rack 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs (do not overbake). Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

Lifting with parchment paper, remove brownies from pan. Cut into 16 squares.

source: recipe adapted from Taste of Home, September/October 2015

Reese's Cup Stuffed Brownie Cupcakes

These might be the most dangerous treats I have ever baked. And by dangerous I mean ridiculously-good-can't-stop-eating-them. I was inspired by my aunt who made these brownie cupcakes stuffed with Reese's cups over the 4th of July, and I loved them so much I made them the very next weekend. I have been all about chocolate + peanut butter lately, and these brownie cupcakes are the perfect combination. You could virtually stuff any candy inside of a brownie cupcake, so get creative and let me know what you come up with! The next one I want to try is York Peppermint Patties... yummm.

Reese's Cup Stuffed Brownie Cupcakes
one package of your favorite brownie mix (I used Ghiradelli)
one package of snack size Reese's cups
chocolate sour cream frosting (recipe below)

Prepare your brownie mix according to package instructions. Grease a standard cupcake pan with non-stick cooking spray. Add enough brownie batter to cover the bottom of each cupcake holder. Unwrap a Reese's cup and place in each cupcake holder over the small amount of brownie batter. Add more brownie batter to cover each Reese's cup and fill the cupcake holder 3/4 full (brownies will not raise up much). Bake at the temperature on your brownie package, being sure to start checking for doneness after 15 minutes of baking. Check every 5 minutes or so until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownie cupcake comes out clean. (Brands of brownie mixes vary so sorry the timing is not more specific here!) Allow brownies to cool slightly before removing from the cupcake pan. When cooled completely, frost the cupcakes as desired. Cupcakes will stay fresh in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Makes 12-15 cupcakes.

Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting
4 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup sour cream
smidgen of salt (less than a pinch!)

Heat the chocolate in a double boiler or medium heatproof bowl set over (not in) a saucepan of simmering water, stirring often, until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and let cool, 10-15 minutes.

Using an electric mixer, beat the butter on high until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low. Gradually add the sugar and beat until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the chocolate, sour cream, and salt and beat to combine.

source: stuffed brownie recipe inspired by my aunt, frosting recipe adapted from Real Simple, May 2011