I’ve Got a Deep, Dark (Chocolate) Secret to Share

I have a deep, dark secret.  I don’t really like chocolate.  I’ve mentioned it in passing before, but I never get any understanding or compassion.  Instead I get… “What?”  “What’s wrong with you?”  “How can you not like chocolate?”  “It’s the best ever!”  …things like that.  It seems there aren’t a whole lot of folks out there who really don’t care for chocolate.   And they don’t really understand us “vanilla people” either.

Now don’t get me wrong… I’ll eat chocolate.  Especially if it’s attached to some kind of caramelly confection, or even better- TOFFEE!  But put a chocolate bar in front of me and I’ll rarely be tempted to eat it.   Understanding the wild cravings of the majority of the world, I bake up chocolate-themed things pretty often.  The drool factor is big with chocolate, and it’s deeply satisfying when your intended eaters literally salivate with joy when you place a chocolatey treat in from of them.  This recipe is a good one for those who find joy in chocolate:  Deep, Dark Brownies.
A combination of espresso powder, cocoa powder & melted chocolate within the brownie, plus extra chocolate chips thrown in too just before baking make them extra decadent and worthy of consumption for the above-average chocolate fanatic.

I prefer to bake brownies in a pan lined with parchment paper so that I can literally lift the whole thing out after cooling and remove it to a cutting board.  I’m a sucker for making sure I get clean cuts.  And as much as people might like the edges, I cut all of those off first.  I like the way the brownies look when they have nice, clean sides all the way around.  I’m strange like that.  My family thanks me for saving the edgy scraps for them.
As much as I don’t like chocolate, I did love these brownies.  Knowing that sampling would send me on a caffeine high good enough for an entire day, I ate a whole bunch of those edgy scraps to sample the goods.  They were extremely moist- not cakey at all, and I have to say that they’d be terrific with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream (gotta balance things out, ya know?)

The recipe for these brownies (from the guys at Baked) can be found here:  Deep, Dark Brownies


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42 Comments

  1. Posted February 1, 2010 at 1:26 AM | Permalink

    Now this is what I call a freak’n brownie.. I get you.. I’m a white choco person myself..I prefer cream over choco..

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  2. Posted February 1, 2010 at 2:46 AM | Permalink

    Lemon is my chocolate so I do understand but I also enjoy chocolate in small amounts. I wish I could stay away from chocolate bars,,,especially dark chocolate Mars:D These brownies would be my downfall as well.

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  3. Posted February 1, 2010 at 4:42 AM | Permalink

    Oh.My.Gosh. I just checked out Baked at the library and had wanted to make those over the weekend. Instead I made these cookies:http://fitography.wordpress.com/2010/02/01/day-119-rest/

    I am also doing the Healthy Challenge. I joined just over the weekend, but had decided at the beg of January to follow my healthy eating goals/training on my blog.

    Okay, so how do you balance eating sweets and desserts – because I refuse to give them up – with healthy eating? I am having trouble baking on the weekend and then wrecking my attempts to eat healthy!

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  4. Posted February 1, 2010 at 5:18 AM | Permalink

    These looks so sinful! I love the addition of expresso powder. I normal just add brewed coffee to mine.

    I’m like you.. I like a clean edge brownie, which works out well since my husband like the edges :)

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  5. Posted February 1, 2010 at 6:17 AM | Permalink

    haha…don’t worry, i’m totally in the vanilla camp too! but, i love DARK chocolate on occasion and the brownies look totally rich and dark. yum!

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  6. JudyP
    Posted February 1, 2010 at 6:27 AM | Permalink

    You can save a corner for me! Yummm

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  7. Posted February 1, 2010 at 6:27 AM | Permalink

    Oh no! First Matt’s cheese video and now this crazy good looking brownie post. I’m done for. I have some brownies in the freezer and feel my feet heading that way. This is not going to be a good food calorie day for me. Just a FRANtastically good eating day! :)

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  8. Posted February 1, 2010 at 7:08 AM | Permalink

    I’m not a huge fan of chocolate myself. It’s something that I can take or leave. But I *do* love brownies! And I think that cutting the edges off is genius. It appeals to the kid in me who STILL hates crusts on everything!

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  9. Posted February 1, 2010 at 7:13 AM | Permalink

    I’m not a chocolate fan either but these look like a must try!

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  10. Posted February 1, 2010 at 7:24 AM | Permalink

    I love chocolate, so I’m one of those people that can’t understand where you’re coming from :) these look incredible. I just made some wonderful fudgy brownies, but now I think I need to make these! thankfully I know lots of people who love chocolate too

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  11. Posted February 1, 2010 at 9:51 AM | Permalink

    I again don’t have much of a sweet tooth, but these brownies, I suspect, are not overpoweringly sweet, so I will give them a go!!!

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  12. Posted February 1, 2010 at 10:01 AM | Permalink

    Finally! Another person who’s, at best, indifferent to chocolate! I’m prolly a little more active in my dislike for it (I avoid it, typically), and I get the same stares and cries of disbelief. It gets to be fun, after a while. Still, I agree – got to have good chocolate recipes on hand for everyone else. This one looks decadent!

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  13. Posted February 1, 2010 at 10:38 AM | Permalink

    I’m a chocolate addict… and these brownies look absolutely perfect to me!

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  14. Posted February 1, 2010 at 10:56 AM | Permalink

    Wow. These brownies look so dark and rich. I’m not as crazy about chocolate as most other people, but I do enjoy it. I would love these brownies.

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  15. Posted February 1, 2010 at 10:58 AM | Permalink

    Yep. I’m one of those who would say, “What?!” I do love chocolate and your brownies sound and look wonderfully chocolatey. Right up my alley.

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  16. Posted February 1, 2010 at 11:21 AM | Permalink

    You are hilarious. I will totally take those brownie edges if your family has had enough.

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  17. Posted February 1, 2010 at 12:06 PM | Permalink

    Me too! I’m not a fan of chocolate either! I mean, I’ll have a piece here and there but I’m not a chocolate fiend or anything. My boyfriend thought it was awesome until we hit Valentine’s Day last year and he had no idea what to get me.

    What’d I ask for? Pizza. There’s something I can’t turn down.

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  18. Posted February 1, 2010 at 12:19 PM | Permalink

    Doesn’t bother me if you don’t like chocolate. More for me. :D The brownies look awesome!

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  19. Posted February 1, 2010 at 12:58 PM | Permalink

    LOL! I don’t like chocolates that much either but funnily I keep baking chocolaty cakes or cookies. :)

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  20. Posted February 1, 2010 at 2:22 PM | Permalink

    I am a definite lemon-head but a dark over-the-top brownie like this would tempt me any time!

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  21. Posted February 1, 2010 at 2:32 PM | Permalink

    my name is grace, and i’m not crazy about chocolate either. phew–it feels good to get that out in the open. that said, these brownies look amazing. :)

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  22. Posted February 1, 2010 at 4:10 PM | Permalink

    I AM crazy about chocolate…and these are making me crazy right now! MUST.MAKE!

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  23. Posted February 1, 2010 at 4:14 PM | Permalink

    You and smitten kitchen both tempting me with chocolate brownies. Shame on you!

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  24. Posted February 1, 2010 at 6:44 PM | Permalink

    these look amazing! did you double the recipe and bake them in a 9×13″ pan (from the looks of your picture) or just keep the recipe the same?

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    Lori Lange Reply:

    Jenny- yes, I doubled the recipe and baked in a 9×13 pan.

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  25. Posted February 1, 2010 at 7:02 PM | Permalink

    Ohh I can’t believe it Lori!! I’m in the opposite part of the chocolate spectrum, but I know lot of people that chocolate for them is bland or don’t like it…bizarre ;-)
    This dark – recipe worth trying very soon!!

    Have a great week,

    Gera

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  26. Posted February 1, 2010 at 11:17 PM | Permalink

    Mmmmm… I love my brownies ooey-gooey and moist like that! You know the way right to my heart!

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  27. Posted February 2, 2010 at 6:29 AM | Permalink

    I’m with you. Not much of a sweet tooth, just a few particular things that will turn my head. My mom, a confirmed chocoholic, doesn’t understand how that happened. Fudgy brownies, however, will turn my head – these look fab!

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  28. Posted February 2, 2010 at 8:45 AM | Permalink

    I don’t tell many people. I don’t particularly love chocolate either. It would not be my first choice in a cookie, cake or ice cream. It’s not that I never eat it, or that I’m allergic to it, it just is not my favorite sweet.
    Your brownies look wonderful and I make chocolate desserts all the time. But am never tempted to eat them. How odd of me.

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  29. Posted February 2, 2010 at 5:21 PM | Permalink

    To use a cliche: those look to die for! I love a chewy, moist brownie and I love chocolate. I recently learned the parchment trick and I like that you are so particular about your edges! Very nice.

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  30. Posted February 2, 2010 at 6:31 PM | Permalink

    Oh GOD, I could not live without chocolate! Love the brownies!

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  31. Posted February 2, 2010 at 6:35 PM | Permalink

    I a fan of just about anything and these certainly do fit the bill, edges or centers who the heck cares.

    I’m making these for the SUPER BOWL party

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  32. Posted February 3, 2010 at 3:53 AM | Permalink

    This dark chocolate brownie is mouth-watering!!!

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  33. Terri A.
    Posted February 3, 2010 at 6:06 AM | Permalink

    While I like chocolate (and would definitely eat one of those brownies), if I had a pick of desserts, chocolate is not usually my first pick. I don’t like chocolate with any kind of fruit. Vanilla or cinnamon are usually my first choices.

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  34. Vicki Wynn
    Posted February 3, 2010 at 7:40 AM | Permalink

    Finally….someone who understands me! I really don’t care for chocolate either, and people just don’t get it. But give me vanilla, caramel, or toffee and I’m so happy! But these brownies are beautiful, as are all of your creations :)

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  35. Posted February 3, 2010 at 12:53 PM | Permalink

    I too only have a mild affection for chocolate. What sends me into orbit is caramel! These brownies with a fluer de sel middle would do it. I am going to try these for myself and my friends. The look fabulous! Thank you!

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  36. Posted February 3, 2010 at 4:53 PM | Permalink

    Yeah, I am more a toffee and vanilla girl.

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  37. Posted February 3, 2010 at 9:07 PM | Permalink

    LOLOL…I am right there with you sister! I am not a big fan of chocolate. You give me something with caramel, toffee or butterscotch in it and i’m like a kid in a candy store? (pun intended)

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  38. Posted February 5, 2010 at 12:30 PM | Permalink

    I certainly love my chocolate…and my absolute favorite dessert is a BROWNIE! I can’t wait to try this recipe…although I’ll have to save up my WW points so I don’t ruin the success I’ve had so far!

    And about cutting those edges off…I too like clean edges. I chop up the edges one I cut them off and toss them into a freezer bag and inot the freezer. Then, we can just toss some brownie pieces on ice cream whenever the mood strikes!

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  39. Posted February 6, 2010 at 8:06 AM | Permalink

    i made these a while back but they dont look as good as yours! :)

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  40. Lila
    Posted February 7, 2010 at 2:31 AM | Permalink

    I just made these brownies. They are amazing!! The best brownies I have ever had. I used instant coffe powder instead of espresso and t turned out great.

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  41. Vaness
    Posted February 7, 2010 at 9:06 PM | Permalink

    These were delicious!!
    I made them for a girl’s night and they were a huge hit!!

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  42. Posted February 26, 2010 at 6:45 AM | Permalink

    I love brownies!! And yours looks so gloriously decadent! Only after seeing your pictures have I realised how fudgy and gooey these brownies are.

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