Brownies have to be one of my all-time favorite deserts. I mean, for one thing, they’re chocolate. They’re sweet, soft, and are just begging for a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a tall glass of cold milk. There’s just not much better than that.
Unless you’re one of those people who don’t like chocolate. If that’s the case, I can’t imagine how you landed on my little blog – but anyway, have you had your head checked lately? You don’t like chocolate? Are you sure? Are you just saying that for attention? 😉
I kid, I kid.
Kind of.
Not really. Seriously, get your head checked. It must be broken.
My dear husband and I have been spending the first week of the new year on a juice detox. We’ve had nothing but fresh, organic, raw fruit and vegetable juice. For a week.
A week is a long time in raw-fruit and veggie land.
But now we’re back, and I’m sad to say that I didn’t learn much from my little fast except that brownies always sound way better than spinach-kale-apple-carrot juice.
I’m not bad-mouthing my juice detox. For reals, I’m not. I’m just really, really happy about these brownies. Even though I just had a teeny-tiny bite, I’m still really, really happy to have them in my life…and if these are the reward for a week of juice detoxing, well – sign me up for another week.
Here’s the other thing about these little guys: they’re so, so easy. If you can melt butter and stir stuff together, you can do this. It’s just a matter of melting the butter and chocolate together and then stirring it all in a big bowl. EASY. No harder than making it from a box, and they taste a gajillion times better.
You could easily halve the recipe if you don’t have a half-sheet pan, just use a 9×13 pan instead. If you don’t want to cut out hearts, no biggie, just cut them into regular brownie squares. Because I was going to use a cookie cutter, I omitted the walnuts from this recipe, but nuts would be a welcome addition to this recipe.
And, the name? Why, “I Love You” Brownies? ‘Because they are the perfect little treat to tell someone you love them – and they’ll know you mean it. They’re perfect Valentine’s Day goodies, too. And pretty much anyone you give them to will love you forever!
Enjoy!
- 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
- 2 cups (4 sticks/32 Tbs) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 8 eggs at room temperature
- 5 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups chopped walnuts (optional)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).
- Prepare a half sheet pan by lining with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
- In a medium sized, heavy bottomed sauce pan, melt butter over low-medium heat.
- Add chopped chocolate to melted butter. Stir constantly until chocolate is melted.
- Remove from heat, and allow chocolate to cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, whisk together vanilla, eggs, sugar and salt in a large bowl.
- Add the chocolate, and stir to combine completely.
- Add flour, and fold together until just combined.
- If using, fold in walnuts.
- Pour batter in prepared pan.
- Bake 45-55 minutes or until top looks dry and cake tester comes out just clean. Don't over bake.
- Let brownies cool completely.
- Using a large heart cookie cutter (about 3"), cut hearts out and remove from sheet pan.
- Using a fine mesh strainer, liberally dust with powdered sugar.
- Enjoy!
Just checking, but 5 cups of sugar? This seems like a lot…
I know, it’s a lot, but that’s what the recipe called for! This is essentially a doubled brownie recipe, so if you think of it that way it’s not SO bad. 😉 My other favorite recipe, my Amazing Brownies use 2.5 cups of sugar for a 9×13 pan, so it seems consistent with other recipes. 🙂
I know, it’s a lot, but that’s what the recipe called for! This is essentially a doubled brownie recipe, so if you think of it that way it’s not SO bad. My other favorite recipe, my Amazing Brownies use 2.5 cups of sugar for a 9×13 pan, so it seems consistent with other recipes.