Recipe #83 - Chocolate Cherry Brownies

Chocolate Cherry Brownies

butter for greasing pan
2 cups dried cherries (I LOVE the mixed ones from Chukar)
1 c. port wine
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 lb. bag of GOOD choc chips not the Nestle ones. I used the Ghirardelli Bittersweet ones in the dark brown edged bag. YUM!
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
scant 1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup chocolate chips/ chunks
more cocoa powder, for dusting
A day or two before you want to bake the brownies, place the cherries in a medium bowl and pour in the port. Cover and set aside. Stir every twelve hours until ready to use.
Preheat the oven to 325F / 170C and place a rack in the top third. Butter and line a 13 x 9 x 2-inch rectangular baking dish with parchment paper. An important step if you want to eventually get these brownies out of the pan. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder into a bowl and set aside.
Make a double boiler by placing a stainless steel bowl over a small pan of gently simmering water - the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water. Place the chocolate into this bowl along with the butter and sugar. Stir just until the chocolate has melted and the ingredients come together into a mass. Transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer and allow to cool (cool enough that it won't cook the eggs when you add them). Mix on slow and add the eggs, one at a time, letting each get incorporated before adding the next. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula a couple times along the way. Add the flour mixture and stir by hand until combined, then add the sour cream, remaining chocolate chips, and the cherries with the port. Stir until just combined.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for about an hour, or until just set. The center of the brownie should be set and not at all wobbly. Allow to cool completely in the pan. Dust with cocoa

There must be a hole in my brownie pan... where'd these go? Better make more!