It's a cake, it's a cookie... it's a brownie! But not just any brownie. Possibly the very best brownie you will ever eat.

Seriously. Every time I make these I'm hailed as the Mighty Dessert Queen. But cast away your jealousy, for you, too, can earn the title of Dessert Royalty with this recipe (provided you don't show up with it at the same time I do!). Should that happen, alas, I will have to banish you from the Sweet Kingdom and label you eternal Dessert Dunce. Apologies in advance.


All kidding aside, these brownies will make you very, very popular, very, very quickly (unless someone has a nut allergy; then you might be in trouble). And they're not hard to make.


The chocolate chips are an important component of this dish, because they provide the chocolate flavor in the batter, and they're folded through with the nuts. So I strongly suggest you buy really good quality chocolate.

Melt 1 cup of chocolate chips and the butter/margarine over a double boiler. You can make a double boiler with a pot and a bowl, as pictured. Put an inch or so of water in the pot, put the bowl on top. The bottom of the bowl should not be touching the water, so use a smaller pot and a slightly bigger bowl. Put the chocolate chips and margarine in the bowl, turn the heat on and wait for it to melt.


When fully melted, take the bowl off and stir in the sugar. Add the eggs, vanilla and salt and mix. Stir in the flour and baking powder until batter is smooth. Stir in the other cup of chocolate chips and the nuts.


Pour the batter into a greased 10 x 10 square pan, or a 9 x 13 rectangle pan. Bake on 350 for 30-40 minutes. Let the brownies cool before cutting.


While they're baking, take your favorite arm chair and decorate it with balloons and streamers so you'll have a throne upon which to accept your Dessert King/Queen coronation. Congratulations!

Alternatively, you could spend that time coming up with the ultimate hiding place so you don't have to share them. (Hint: No one ever looks in the tool box!)

Ingredients:

  • 8 Tbsp. margarine
  • 2 cups chocolate chips, divided
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 1/4 cups flour
  • 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 cup pecans

Directions:

  1. Melt 1 cup chocolate chips with the margarine, until smooth.
  2. Stir in the sugar, eggs, vanilla and salt until incorporated.
  3. Add the flour and baking powder, mix until smooth.
  4. Fold in the pecans and the other cup of chocolate chips.
  5. Pour the batter into a 9 x 13 rectangle pan, of a 10 x 10 square pan. Bake on 350 for 30-40 minutes.

What's your signature over-the-top decadent dessert?