This past weekend the hubs & I took a quiet, blissful, relaxing, much needed weekend getaway to Boulder, Colorado. I was in granola heaven! The people, the vibe, the open market, the food… oh my the food! A girl could get used to this.
We had a quaint little picnic of sushi & Chia seed drinks where we sat in awe overlooking Boulder. Took a ride through Estes park. Stopped to watch a coyote being chased out by a herd of Mule Deer. Listened to the sounds of Boulder through it’s wanna be singer/songwriters. The hubs even had a street artist/poet/college student create a sweet birthday/anniversary poem for just the two of us! There was also a lot of talk about our future “out west” & if it was possible.
We booked this trip several months ago planning to possibly move to Boulder, much to the dismay of my parents. But now,
Charlotte, North Carolina is our future home. We both
agreed, though, that we could see our little family living in Boulder in the next
5 years… Time will fly by, I’m sure of it.
Now for the ooey, gooey goodness that are these Fleur de Sel brownies. Once we arrived back home I dug deep into my fridge & ate beet salad after beet salad, salmon & drank tons of lemon water. I mean, traveling is hard enough on my body, not to mention all of the delicious food you stuff yourself with! Memorable meals of shrimp & grits {in Colorado of all places!}, poached calamari, proscuitto tagliatelle, cheese, wine….. more wine.
I digress.
After cleansing my body of all that needed to be, I decided to bake. Not sure why really. I don’t do this often. Probably not often enough. My kids love it when I do & as well as the hubs. So I’m thinking this will be an every other week “event”. Gotta watch the waist line, right?
I wanted something chocolaty & squidgy after all of that “cleansing”. Obviously this is not one of those “good for you” kinda ideas. Anything that calls for 10 tablespoons of butter & more than a cup of sugar is not your friend. But in moderation, she can be! Sort of like that friend you can only take small doses of… but you know you’ll have a good time when you do!
Also, make sure you have a glass of milk handy! This brownie will stick to the roof of your mouth it’s just that squidgy.
And go ahead, lick the spoon! No one’s looking.
Fleur de Sel Brownies
{adapted from smitten kitchen’s best cocoa brownies }
Ingredients:
9 to 10 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-process)
1/4 teaspoon heaping of Fleur de Sel, plus more for a bit of a sprinkle
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, cold
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Directions:
Preheat the oven
to 325°F. Line the bottom and sides of an 8×8-inch square baking pan
with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides.
Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa, & salt in a large heatproof bowl {such as Pyrex}& set the bowl over a pot of barely simmering water. Stir once in a while until the butter is melted & the mixture is smooth &
hot. Remove the bowl from the pot & set aside until the mixture is just warm, not hot.
Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs one at a time,
stirring vigorously after each one, mixing well. When the batter is thick & shiny, add the flour & stir until you cannot see it any
longer, then beat vigorously for 40 strokes.
Spread evenly in the lined
pan. Sprinkle a bit of the extra salt over the top. A little goes a long way.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out slightly moist
with batter. Let cool completely on a rack.
Lift up the ends of the parchment liner & transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 16 or 25 squares.
Store left overs in an airtight container.
Enjoy!
XOXO
