The Best Brownies EVER!
These are "Sarah's Chocolate Cherry Brownies" brought to us by Lambert Bridge Winery (Healdsburg, California). Make up a batch, then enjoy with a robust Zinfandel!
3 cups fresh or frozen (not thawed) pitted cherries (1 lb)
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 cup boiling-hot water
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1-1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Toss fresh or frozen cherries and any juices with granulated sugar in a bowl and let stand at least 2 hours. Drain cherries, reserving 1/2 cup juice.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 13 x 9 metal baking pan, knocking out excess flour.
Whisk hot water and cocoa powder in a small bowl until smooth, then whisk in reserved cherry juice and vanilla.
Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt into another bowl.
Beat together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes, then add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add flour mixture and cocoa mixture alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture and mixing at low speed until blended (batter may look curdled).
Stir in cherries and chocolate chips and pour batter into pan, smoothing the top. Bake in middle of oven until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool brownies completely in the pan on a rack, then cut into squares.
