Project Description

 Chewy Chocolate Brownies

May 2, 2009 Update: I just made these with Bob’ Red Mill gluten-free Brown Rice Flour, and they came out great! They don’t have quite the consistency as when made with sprouted spelt (which is a lower gluten wheat flour), but a great alternative.

Over the years, I have made these brownies literally hundreds of times, slowly modifying the original recipe I got off the back of a box of unsweetened chocolate square more than twenty years ago to the one you see here. I make these brownies for events at my sons’ schools and gatherings that need a little sweetening up. They are always a favorite. You can double the recipe as I often do and cook on a half sheet or in a high-sided cookie sheet. After cooling, I’d cut into twenty squares and sell them at my work to those who needed a sweet break. They always sold out.

Strive to use the best ingredients and you will be paid back with flavor, moistness and requests for the recipe. I use real Irish butter, organic sugar or sometimes maple sugar, free-range eggs with bright yellow yolks from a local farmer, sea salt instead of table salt and sprouted spelt instead of white or wheat flour.

  • 1 cup butter
  • 6 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate
  • 2½ cups sugar
  • 5 eggs
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp. sea salt
  • 1½ cups sprouted spelt
  • 2 cups chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 375°F. Place the butter and chocolate in a small saucepan. Cook over very low heat until the chocolate and butter are melted. Stir until the mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

In a large mixer bowl, beat sugar and eggs until light yellow and fluffy; add vanilla extract and salt. Add in the chocolate/butter mixture and stir to incorporate. Gradually add the sprouted spelt until incorporated. Stir in nuts with a big wooden spoon. Pour into a greased 9×13-inch baking pan, or if doubling, into a parchment-lined half sheet baking pan in which the sides have been greased.

For the 9×13-inch pan, bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. For the half sheet, bake 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Completely cool and cut into squares.