Sour Cherry Brownies

These brownies are rich, soft and chewy, with hidden pockets of a sour-cherry surprise.

FMM: I made 1/2 recipe in a 9-inch square pan and did not use parchment paper, just buttered the pan. I used walnuts instead of hazelnuts as that was what I had. I did not see how you could bring the cherries and confectioner's sugar to a boil without the sugar burning, so I just mixed the sugar with the cherries and let it sit until the sugar was absorbed by the cherries' juice. There was no need to drain the cherries. There was no cherry liquid to add with the vanilla to the melted chocolate. Instead of beating the eggs and sugar for 15 minutes, I beat the two together and let it sit so the sugar would melt into the eggs. Then I beat it again until it seemed thick and fluffly. I preheated the oven to 425 degrees, then turned it down to 350 when I put the brownies in the oven. Most brownies are baked at that temperature and 400 degrees seemed quite high. I baked them for 20 minutes and just cooled them in the pan. No flipping between racks. These were good if you like this fudge style of brownie, gooey and very rich chocolately brownies - definitely not a "cake" brownie. I noticed the recipe does not include any baking powder, which may have lightened them a bit. The cherries and nuts are a good addition, except I would cut the cherries up more instead of just cutting them in half. It was hard to cut through the large cherry halves and often pulled out of the brownie next to the one you are cutting. I doubt I will make these again because they are not the style of brownie I like.

2 cups fresh sour cherries, stemmed and pitted
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
10 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 eggs, large or extra-large
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup sifted flour
1/4 cup cocoa
1 cup hazelnuts

In a heavy saucepan, mix cherries with the confectioner's sugar. Bring to a boil and remove from the heat. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Grease a 10 x 15 x 1-inch jellyroll pan. Line bottom with parchment or wax paper. Grease paper and dust interior of pan with flour. Set aside.

Combine chocolates and butter in top of a small double boiler. Heat over simnmering water until half-melted. Remove from the heat and stir with a small whisk until mixture is smooth. Stir in vanilla and 2 Tbsp. of liquid from the cherries. Set aside to cool.

In an electric mixer, beat eggs at high speed until frothy. Add the granulated sugar and continue to beat at high speed for 15 minutes, until very thick and fluffy. While eggs are beating, sift flour with the cocoa. On low speed, beat melted chocolates into eggs, then dry ingredients into eggs, just until incorporated.

Fold in hazelnuts. Drain cherries and fold them into the batter. Turn into prepared pan and spread top evenly with a rubber spatula. Place in preheated oven and turn temperature down to 400 degrees. Bake for 20 minutes or until tester inserted into center comes out with a moist crumb or two clinging to it.

Loosen sides of the brownies with small knife and invert onto rack. Remove paper from the bottom of brownies, and invert back into jellyroll pan. Cool on rack for 20 minutes. Invert onto rack again and then back onto another rack to finish cooling. When completely cooled, chill for 30 minutes or freeze for 15 minutes.

Transfer to a cutting board. Trim edges with a long serrated knife, and mark six divisions along length of cake and four divisions along width. With sawing motion, cut into 24 brownies.

Makes 24 large brownies.