Cafe Mocha Brownies Recipe

Z and I went to a housewarming party last night, and I adapted a recipe for brownies and made chocolate coffee-flavored brownies. Here's the recipe, originally from Betty Crocker's Cookbook: Bridal Edition.

Cafe Mocha Brownies

Prep: 25 minutes Bake: 45 minutes Cool: 2 hrs Makes: 16 brownies

2/3 cup butter or stick margarine (I always use butter)

15 Tablespoons cocoa powder and 5 Tablespoons oil (or 5 ounces baking chocolate, cut into pieces)

1 3/4 cup sugar

2 tsp vanilla

3 large eggs

1 cup flour (NOT self-rising)

5 packets instant espresso powder *only use the quick-dissolve kind that makes one cup of coffee when dissolved into hot water

1. Heat oven to 350. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit into an 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish, so that two ends come up higher than the sides of the pan. You are making a "sling" so the brownies can be lifted out of the pan immediately after baking. Lightly spray the bottom of the baking dish with pan spray, and press the parchment into the pan.

2. Melt butter and chocolate in 1-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly (if using solid squares), then cool 5 minutes. OR Melt butter and add cocoa powder and oil, mixing well.

3. Beat sugar, vanilla, eggs and espresso powder in medium bowl with electric mixer on high speed 5 minutes. Beat in chocolate mixture on low speed, scraping bowl occasionally.

4. Beat in flour just until blended, scraping sides of bowl well. Spread into pan.

5. Bake 40-45 minutes or just until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Carefully lift brownies out of pan with parchment "sling" and cut into squares with a sharp knife. Let cool on wire rack, about 2 hours.

Enjoy!