Mocha Brownies

Last night, I went to a cookout, and had a great time with several friends. It was very fun, and relaxing, especially after what I thought would be a lazy afternoon, turned into sheer craziness...to say the least. It had been a good day. I had my coffee. I'd worked out. I went to the dentist. I was cavity free. I had made the Pioneer Woman's "Mocha Brownies," and they were ready to go. I was contemplating if I should start watching a season of some t.v. show. Then, the brother and I ended up going to pick up the mother's car from the shop. He went home. I headed to the store to pick up a few things for his birthday cake. I get a call from him, "Um, you need to get dessert...for tonight...your dog ate the brownies." It's amazing how quickly your day can turn around. I had like 2 hours to get in and out of the store (which was super busy) and bake another batch of brownies. You'll notice I have two pictures... The first is a brownie from the first batch, the second from round two. 

Round one: I one-and-a-halfed the brownie recipe, so there would be enough for a 9x13 pan and still be thick. These took around an hour to bake. I halved the frosting recipe...which is almost unheard of for me. I love frosting. A lot. But not everyone feels that way, so I halved it...and there was plenty. I did, obviously, manage to sample one before my dog did. Pretty delicious. The brother approved as well. However, it was a little "cake-y" instead of gooey brownie-y. That might just be me, though.

Round two: Considering the time crunch, there was no way I could make the thick ones again. I did a single recipe, omitting one egg (so they would be more gooey). I baked them in a 10x10, making them thinner and baked within 30 minutes. I halved the frosting recipe again. They didn't have as much time to cool, and the frosting didn't get to set before I had to cut them...so they weren't super pretty. But still tasty. 

The winner? I guess it depends on if you like cake-y or gooey brownies. These are fairly rich...to most people. I can usually put down "rich" desserts like no ones business, so I'm probably not the best judge. I wish the coffee flavor had been stronger... I used an extra bold Italian roast, but I think I would recommend a shot or two of espresso. 

Click here to get the recipe from The Pioneer Woman's website. Enjoy!