Guinness Stout Brownies

Advocate-tested recipe

Guinness Stout Brownies

Makes 1 (9x13-inch) pan. Recipe is from Karen Doerr.

2 bottles Guinness Extra stout beer

1 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/4 tsp. salt

6 tbls. unsalted butter, cut into cubes

8 ozs. dark bittersweet chocolate, chopped

3/4 cup white chocolate, chopped

4 large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

3/4 tsp. vanilla

1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with nonstick foil, or regular foil, lightly greased.

2. Pour both bottles of beer into a medium saucepan, and simmer on medium heat until it’s reduced to 11/4 cups. If you keep a glass measuring cup nearby, you can check the progress when you think you’re close. It should take about 15 minutes. Set the beer aside to cool.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa and salt until evenly combined.

4. Melt butter, bittersweet chocolate and white chips in a double-boiler over very low heat, stirring constantly until melted. Remove from heat. (You can also do this in the microwave, heating it on high and stirring every 30 seconds).

5. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add melted chocolate mixture, beating until combined.

6. Beat reserved flour mixture into melted chocolate mixture. Whisk in the reduced beer mixture and the vanilla. The batter will seem a bit thin, but it will be perfect. Pour into the prepared baking pan and drop semisweet chocolate chips evenly on top of batter.

7. Bake 20 to 25 minutes on center rack in the oven, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Let brownies cool, uncovered, to room temperature. Dust with confectioners’ sugar if you want before serving.