I see I will have to have a array of brownie recipes. I wanted to use melted chocolate, so I used a Silver Palate New Basics one. But that was meant to be rich and make brownie bites. I made it richer by accident by using unsweetened chocolate for 1/3 of it. It was good, but too rich, they also crumbled up as you picked them up. Soozll, I will give your a try next time, they sound like the kind I like. Thanks all.

Sorry I'm late, but these are quick and delicious.
Maybe next time.
http://foododelmundo.com/2010/03/21/million-brownies/

Not always. In this particular application, you are substituting cocoa powder and some of the butter for roughly 4oz of unsweetened solid chocolate.

Is it best to always heat the cooca powder in with the butter before, for most baking recipes that include cocoa powder? Is this the way to make a more robust chocolate flavor?

Medrick's brownies are pretty fudgy. My recipe is similar but are a more traditional brownie with a shiney top and chewy edges! Folloing the ingredient list above, except for the amount of flour:

I melt the butter in a 2qt sauce pan until just melted and remove it from the heat. Stir the cocoa (to bloom it), then stir in the sugar and vanilla (Should be cool enough for the eggs at this point ) Mix in the eggs until fully incorporated then fold in (2/3 cup) flour and salt. Add in 1/2 cup nuts and chopped chocolate if desired. Scrap batter into greased pan and bake as above for about 35 minutes. Double the recipe for a 9x13 pan Brownies should be about 1 1/2 inches thick.

Here's one from Smitten Kitchen that uses cocoa powder and no coffee:


Best Cocoa Brownies
Adapted from Alice Mendrich’s Bittersweet

Makes 16 larger or 25 smaller brownies (the size you see pictured yielded 25)

10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks, 5 ounces or 141 grams) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups (9 7/8 ounces, 280 grams) sugar
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (2 7/8 ounces, 82 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-process)
1/4 teaspoon salt (or a heaping 1/4 teaspoon flaky salt, as I used)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, cold
1/2 cup (66 grams, 2 3/8 ounces) all-purpose flour
2/3 cup walnut or pecan pieces (optional)

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Line the bottom and sides of an 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides.

Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium heatproof bowl and set the bowl in a wide skillet of barely simmering water. Stir from time to time until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth and hot enough that you want to remove your finger fairly quickly after dipping it in to test. Remove the bowl from the skillet and set aside briefly until the mixture is only warm, not hot. It looks fairly gritty at this point, but don’t fret — it smooths out once the eggs and flour are added. [Note, many people who have tried this recipe have found that this step works just fine in the microwave. Couldn't test this because we don't have one, but it sounds like it would work.]

Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one. When the batter looks thick, shiny, and well blended, add the flour and stir until you cannot see it any longer, then beat vigorously for 40 strokes with the wooden spoon or a rubber spatula. Stir in the nuts, if using. Spread evenly in the lined pan.

Bake until a toothpick plunged into the center emerges slightly moist with batter, 20 to 25 minutes is Medrich’s suggestion but it took me at least 10 minutes longer to get them set. Let cool completely on a rack. (I go further and throw mine in the fridge or freezer for a while; it’s the only way I can get them to cut with clean lines.)

Lift up the ends of the parchment or foil liner, and transfer the brownies to a cutting board. Cut into 16 or 25 squares.