Who can resist a brownie, warm from the oven?  I love brownies.  They rank right up there as one of my favorite desserts.  They’re simple and always a hit.  Tonight, I made my embellished brownies.  I use any brownie mix from the store.  Tonight, I happened to use Trader Joe’s Brownie Truffle Baking Mix.  They are so good just as the recipe calls for them to be made, but I like to add a few things.  I learned from Ina Garten that adding a bit of espresso powder really brings out the flavor of chocolate.  As you know, I think Ina is always right, so I do this.

One of my favorite dish towels

I add one teaspoon of espresso to my mix.  I keep it in my freezer since I really only use it for this purpose.  I also add a teaspoon (or a bit over) of vanilla, plus 1/3 cup of chocolate chunks (semi-sweet).  I also throw in a pinch (about 1/4 teaspoon) of kosher salt.  After the brownies come out of the oven, I sprinkle Fleur de Sel finishing salt over the top. These brownies are so tasty.  I think if you try this, you’ll find them tasty too.  Enjoy!

Until next time, Kris