Get Real with Real Brownies

It’s time to get real for Valentine’s. When it comes to desserts, while we love some blondies anytime, and crème brulée is romantic, what we really all want is apparently a brownie.

I used to really labor over bring-a-dish parties (there’s a lot of pressure, can’t I just bring napkins?) but then, in a rush one evening, I pulled out a high-end brownie box mix, baked them up, and cut them out with a heart-shaped cookie cutter. They were the first things to go at the party, the plate sporting only crumbs at the end of the cocktail hour, and people milling about with gin and beer and brownies. I’d found a new niche.

This recipe from Chef David Guas of Bayou Bakery and Travel Channel fame will make you forget the box forever. Just reading it made my heart beat a little faster. Imagine the taste: a dark chocolate, accented by espresso and the lingering heat of cayenne. Yes, I should write for the Chocolate Board or something with the way I’m gushing, but seriously … it’s brownie time. Make it happen and make someone happy.