Monday, June 2, 2008

French Chocolate Brownies - Tuesdays with Dorie

French Chocolate Brownies

French Chocolate Brownies
In the library, we have chairs with open backs and just a wooded bar for back support. Sometimes, when I walk by the internet computers, I can see way too much. And I'm not talking about what's on the screen.

Often, I'll walk back to my office and shout, "Call the DEA! It's a crack den out there."

My brownie top was a little like that.

French Chocolate Brownies French Chocolate Brownies
French Chocolate Brownies
Although blurry, can you see the flame in the left hand corner? My first flambe! This brownie recipe has a handful of raisins, a tiny bit of rum, and a bunch of bittersweet chocolate.

This week's recipe for French Chocolate Brownies (page 92) was selected by Di's Kitchen Notebook. My co-workers liked them (cracked top and all), and I ate so many throughout a long meeting that I gave myself a headache (not the brownie's fault!)

Be sure to check out the other Tuesdays with Dorie bakers! And thanks J for the booze!

French Chocolate Brownies
Some roads in Los Angeles are just like this brownie top!

32 comments:

  1. noskosJune 3, 2008 at 3:32 AM

    I had the same cracked top on my brownies! Aren't they great!?

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  2. AndreaJune 3, 2008 at 5:14 AM

    I just love the crunchy top. Well done.

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  3. Engineer BakerJune 3, 2008 at 5:46 AM

    Hehe - but these are beautiful with their cracks, whereas the other cracks.... not so much :P

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  4. PrudyJune 3, 2008 at 5:58 AM

    Your crackyly top is artsy beautiful. They look terrific and so does that basket of vegetables from the farmer's market.

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  5. AprilJune 3, 2008 at 6:01 AM

    Crack and all, they look delish!

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  6. CarrieJune 3, 2008 at 6:26 AM

    I see the flame! I wasn't adventurous enough to try and photograph mine, Great job!

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  7. AnonymousJune 3, 2008 at 6:35 AM

    Looks tasty! I didn't get a cruncy top like that...it seems like everyone else did. I'm kind of jealous, it looks good!

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  8. BumblebuttonJune 3, 2008 at 7:01 AM

    Congrats on your first flame!

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  9. vibiJune 3, 2008 at 8:11 AM

    Many Montreal roads are exactly like your Brownies' tops too!
    They look absolutely delicious and moist, very French I guess? (your Brownies I mean, not the roads!)
    I've seen quite a few this morning and yours are the best, by far.
    Great job!

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  10. LindaJune 3, 2008 at 8:13 AM

    Love that cracked top...I think it contrasts nicely with the rich layer right below it.

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  11. maraeJune 3, 2008 at 8:23 AM

    lol re the cracked roads in LA..we have the same roads here in N.CA. i actually kinda liked the cracks in the brownies, it gave it character! fab brownies!

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  12. MelissaJune 3, 2008 at 10:13 AM

    I had the same cracked top!

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  13. The Kitchen VixenJune 3, 2008 at 10:20 AM

    My top was just as cracked. They are wonderful the next day. Great job!

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  14. UnknownJune 3, 2008 at 10:24 AM

    That is some awesome crackling! Beautiful.

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  15. eatme_deliciousJune 3, 2008 at 12:03 PM

    I LOVE how cracked on top your brownie is! I'd want to just pick off the crackly pieces and eat them.

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  16. JayneJune 3, 2008 at 12:56 PM

    HAHAHAHAHA - crack den? How funny. And I like how the cracks look. On the brownies, I mean.

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  17. AnonymousJune 3, 2008 at 1:08 PM

    The brownies look great, even with the cracked tops! That will sometimes happen to mine, too - but not quite that cracked, although I didn't try this recipe...maybe that's yet to come. :)

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  18. MariJune 3, 2008 at 2:15 PM

    I thought that brownies were supposed to have crackly tops? In that case, yours are picture perfect!

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  19. Heather BJune 3, 2008 at 4:30 PM

    Your brownies look delicious! I'm jealous of the cracked top!

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  20. ChristineJune 3, 2008 at 5:10 PM

    Beautiful cracks! Great job!

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  21. AmyJune 3, 2008 at 6:14 PM

    Your brownies look delish, cracks and all.

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  22. AnonymousJune 3, 2008 at 6:38 PM

    I loooove your cracked top. Mine was cracked but not enough to look intentional, you know? Yours actually looks like it's supposed to be that way. I'm insanely jealous!

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  23. AnonymousJune 3, 2008 at 8:03 PM

    Ha! My mom's a high school librarian, and she says the exact same thing. Too. Much. Crack. ;)

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  24. BarbaraJune 4, 2008 at 5:14 AM

    You crack me up! I love your bit about the chairs and crack den. I gotta remember that one for work.

    Your brownies look so good, especially the crackly tops. Yum!

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  25. AnonymousJune 4, 2008 at 5:20 AM

    I love the cracked top, Delicous!

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  26. Katie B.June 4, 2008 at 6:11 AM

    Hubs and I fought over the brownies - but we fought MORE over the crackly top!!! They were like... brownie potato chips!

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  27. ShannonJune 4, 2008 at 9:16 AM

    Who knew those brownies had some flambe in them! They sure were good, snacks almost always make the meetings go better.

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  28. CeciliaJune 4, 2008 at 4:52 PM

    Oh wow. Your pictures are gorgeous; bravo on capturing the flambe flame!

    The crack analogy made me laugh. I have to admit that I'm guilty of wearing low riders from time to time.

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  29. Shari@Whisk: a food blogJune 4, 2008 at 6:09 PM

    Crackles are beautiful, aren't they?! More texture, I say.
    Shari@Whisk: a food blog

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  30. ostwestwindJune 5, 2008 at 6:09 AM

    Beautiful looking brownies with a perfect cracked top.

    Ulrike from Küchenlatein

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  31. JaimeJune 7, 2008 at 8:40 PM

    LOL at your comment about the LA roads - i sometimes felt that way when i was in NC :)

    your brownies look nice and "rustic" like mine - we both got really thick cracked crusts, while others had a nice, more subtle thin crust...i'm so jealous of them! but at least they still tasted great, right? :)

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  32. JaimeJune 7, 2008 at 8:40 PM

    oh, and great job on your first flambe! if you liked this one, try the brioche raisin snails, the flame was much bigger for those!

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