Triple Chocolate Oreo Brownies

Somehow we're already firmly into September. I think I must have been asleep for the last week and a half because I totally did not realize it. I'm terribly excited by this because my favorite season has arrived, although it surely does not feel like fall in Arizona.

Now I can start eating soup like a maniac and wearing knee high socks (even though it is 90°F today).

Oh, and I can start cooking with pumpkin.

It's not like I don't cook with pumpkin during the rest of the year.

It just seems wrong. Like socks and sandals.

And of course the most important thing - I can start planning my birthday cake. Last year I started thinking about it in August. This year I'm behind, I only have 85 days, 9 hours, and 40 minutes. This dessert has to be over-the-top. My good friend Angela's birthday is two days before mine, so I'm hoping to make something large and crazy for both of us to enjoy.

And that brings me to these brownies. Basically these are "research" for my birthday cake extravaganza. I need to make (and eat) desserts like this, just so I can gauge what would be just right.

At this point, you probably think I need to get my head checked. Well I already have. It seems I have a genetic abnormality that is only cured with copious amounts of chocolate. It's legit.

On a side note, I just wanted to recognize the 11 year anniversary of 9/11 tomorrow. My thoughts are with my Uncle Freddy and all of the other victims, heroes, and families.

Last Year: Chocolate Hummus

Triple Chocolate Oreo Brownies

These brownies are incredibly rich and so delicious thanks to some deliciously caloric ingredients like 3 sticks of butter, 1 pound of chocolate, and 6 eggs. I would have to say that they are my new favorites. They are thick, chocolatey, and fudgy, with bits of Oreo pieces and dulce de leche. 

If you aren't able to find dulce de leche, you can make your own with two cans of sweetened condensed milk. I used the baking method and you'll have some leftover. If you don't have the time, one can of sweetened condensed milk can probably be substituted for the dulce de leche. 

I used Triple-Double Oreos as my mix-in, but the original recipe says you can experiment with chocolate chips, toffee chips, nuts, etc. Yum!

Ingredients

• 1 lb. dark chocolate, chopped
• 3 sticks unsalted butter
• 13 oz. can dulce de leche (or homemade OR sweetened condensed milk)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 Tb. vanilla
• 6 eggs
• 1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 Tb. instant coffee granules - I used 2 teaspoons of espresso)
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped Oreos (or could be toffee bits, nuts, mint chips, peanut butter chips etc.)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9X13 baking dish and set aside.

2. Melt the butter, 1 lb. of chocolate and dulce de leche together in the microwave or oven a double-boiler. If melting in the microwave, heat for 60 seconds, then stir. Repeat in 30 second increments, if needed. Allow to cool a little.

3. Mix flour, cocoa, salt, and coffee granules together in a separate bowl.

4. Whisk eggs, sugar and vanilla into the chocolate mixture. Then slowly incorporate the dry mixture ad whisk until just combined. Finally add the chocolate chips and chopped (Triple-Double!) Oreos, stir well.

5. Pour the brownie batter into the dish and bake for 35-45 minutes. DO NOT OVER BAKE. Check at 35 minutes with a toothpick. When the toothpick comes out mostly clean, remove from the oven. The brownies continue to cook a little as they’re cooling, but you don’t want them to be overcooked. Allow the brownies to cool completely. Cut into 12 large, 18 medium, or 24 small squares. Clean the knife with a paper towel in between cuts to insure the edges are as smooth as possible. Carefully remove the homemade brownies with a spatula.

Makes 12 ginormous brownies or 24 "normal" sized brownies.

Recipe from A Spicy Perspective