These may be sinful...

But I don't care! Anything chocolate is not on my list of sinful. :)

These brownies were adapted from a recipe I saw done on America's Test Kitchen. ATK is one of the shows Jeff and I like to watch on Saturday mornings. (We also like This Old House, and no ideas I get from there are going to negatively impact my waistline like some ideas I get from ATK).

On this particular episode, ATK actually went out on the streets of some big city (I don't remember which one) and taste-tested brownies...in particular, homemade vs. brownies from a boxed mix. I wasn't surprised that most people picked the boxed mix over the homemade. Those who picked homemade said it was because of the better chocolate flavor, while those who picked the mix said it was because of the chewiness. So America's Test Kitchen set out to make homemade brownies with great chocolate flavor and the chewiness of a boxed mix. Turns out the secret is in using both butter and oil. Who knew? Not me! But now I do, and these will be the brownies I make from now on. Jeff said that they were so good he had to have seconds and that he would have to run extra for it this week. :)

Chewy Brownies
from America's Test Kitchen

1/3 cup Dutch process cocoa
1 1/2 t. instant espresso (optional, and I left it out)
1/2 c. plus 2 T. boiling water
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
4 T. unsalted butter, melted (I only buy salted butter so that is what I used)
1/2 c. plus 2 T. vegetable oil
2 large eggs
2 egg yolks
2 t. vanilla extract
2 1/2 c. sugar
1 3/4 c. all purpose flour
3/4 t. salt
6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, cut in 1/2 in. pieces (I used semi-sweet chocolate chips)

Adjust oven rack to lowest position. Heat oven to 350. Line a 13x9 pan with foil (leaving length on the foil at the ends)and spray with cooking spray. Whisk cocoa & boiling water together until smooth. Add unsweetened chocolate and whisk until it melts. Whisk in butter and oil. Add eggs, yolks and vanilla. Continue to whisk until smooth and well mixed. Add sugar and whisk until fully incorporated. Add flour and salt and stir with a rubber spatula until combined. Fold in bittersweet chocolate pieces. Bake until a toothpick inserted halfway between the center and the edge comes out with moist crumbs, 30-35 minutes. Cool on wire rack 1 1/2 hours. Lift brownies out of the pan by holding the foil. Continue to cool on wire rack another hour (if you can wait that long!) Cut into 2-inch squares. Makes 24 brownies.