Almond Scented Brownies by Angela McKeller

A cross between fudge cake and brownies and so easy that an 8 year old can make them with some supervision!

Angela's Almond –Scented Brownies

2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 tsp. almond extract
6 oz unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 ½ c. all purpose flour, sifted
2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. mini milk chocolate chips
pinch of salt
4 eggs, room temperature
whole almonds for garnish
Preheat oven to 350º.
Grease, flour and line a square 9"x 9" anodized, aluminum pan with foil.

• In large saucepan over low heat, melt butter and chocolate together, stirring often.
• Remove from heat and add sugar, salt.
• When well combined, add eggs – one at a time.
• Add vanilla and almond extract.
• Stir in flour just until flour is moistened (the moment it is no longer visible when stirred).
• Stir in mini-chocolate chips.
• Pour into prepared pan and spread evenly.
• Make 4 rows of almonds placed about 1 ½ inches apart on top of batter as garnish (should be one almond in center of each brownie).
• Bake about 60-65 minutes (begin checking at 45 minutes and every 10 minutes after). Toothpick will not be clean, but brownies will feel firm to the touch.
• Let cool for 10 minutes before cutting and carefully remove brownies from pan with foil.
• Cut into squares and remove from pan with a cookie spatula (trust me, the cookie spatula really makes this much easier!).
Enjoy!

A big thank you to Chef Luci for sharing her experience of making this recipe with her grandchildren on my radio show! For more of her recipes, please visit her online group and message board at Cooking 101 - http://www.cafemom.com/group/128 or Bakers Are Us - http://www.cafemom.com/group/500. For more information about Chef Luci, please visit her homepage at http://www.cafemom.com/#box_18.

Thank you for listening to the show and trying my recipe and a BIG thank you to Chef Luci for being on the panel of recipe testers!!