Chocolate chip brownie double-deckers

[corazon]

I made these today and recieved many compliments about them (even DH, who prefers fruity desserts called just to tell me how good they were). This is from a new cookbook I bought called Weekend Baker. They are fast and easy to make. Enjoy!
Chocolate chip brownie double-deckers
Makes: 2 dozen/ Preparation time: 30 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes (plus cooling time)

This recipe mixes a brownie batter with a chocolate chip batter that combine to create bar cookies that offer the best of both.

CHOCOLATE CHIP LAYER
12 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

BROWNIE LAYER
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 equal pieces
3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted if lumpy
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cups all-purpose flour

Position the oven rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.

To begin the chocolate chip layer: In a medium saucepan over medium heat melt the butter. Slide the pan from the heat and add the brown sugar. Whisk until no lumps remain. Set the butter mix aside to cool while making the brownie layer.

To make the brownie layer: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Slide the pan from the heat and add the cocoa powder. Whisk until the mixture is smooth. Add the sugar and salt and whisk until blended. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking after each addition just until blended. Whisk in the vanilla with the second egg.
Sprinkle the flour over the chocolate mixture and stir with a rubber spatula just until the ingredients are blended. Scrape the batter into the prepared baking dish and spread it evenly with an offset or rubber spatula. Set it aside while you finish the chocolate chip layer.

To finish the chocolate chip layer: In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Whisk until it's well blended. Once the butter mixture has cooled, add the egg and vanilla to it and whisk until blended. Pour in the flour mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until the ingredients are blended. Stir in the chocolate chips. Drop the dough over the brownie batter in large scoops and spread it evenly with an offset or rubber spatula.

Bake until a wooden pick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out with small, gooey clumps of brownie sticking to it, about 40 minutes. Don't overbake or the brownies won't be fudgy. Transfer the baking pan to a rack to cool completely.

Using a bench scraper or a knife, cut the brownies into small squares measuring about 2 inches each. The cooler the double-deckers are, the cleaner the cutting will be, but these fudgy treats will always leave some sticky crumbs on the knife.

COOK'S NOTE: After baking, cooling and cutting into squares, these can be frozen up to 1 month. There's almost no thawing necessary - about 20 minutes - because these brownies are delicious even when partially frozen.

From "The Weekend Baker" by Abigail Johnson Dodge. Tested by Susan Selasky for the Free Press Test Kitchen. 276 calories (47% from fat), 15 grams fat (9 grams sat. fat), 36 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams protein, 90 mg sodium, 57 mg cholesterol, 21 mg calcium, 1 gram fiber.

[Chocoholic]

I made these a few days ago...yummy! We loved them! Thanks for the recipe

[corazon]

bumped for Alix

[redkitty]

Yummmmmmm!!!

[KitchenScrapbook]

Oh, yum!! These look so good! I need to print this out. Thanks!

[pdswife]

Some day.. they'll invent a GOOD brownie like this that doesn't have 5 zillion fat grams and even more calories.. I wish it were today

[Alix]

pdswife, if you eat them standing up all the calories fall out. And if you break them in pieces they are virtually calorie free! I mean really, crumbs have NO calories right?

[pdswife]

ya gotta good point there j
Alix!

[AMSeccia]

These look fantastic, thank you for posting (and pointing to the old post). :)

[beginner_chef]

I made these today to take to the inlaws house. They are AmAzInG!! They're very rich, so you can't eat much at once but they're still sooo good!