Will you just look at these?
I am feel like I am selling out several of my strongly held principles this minute by posting a Fudgy Cherry Port Brownies post on Valentines Day. Why in god’s name am I doing this when my personal disdain for the day is rather well known? In fact, you could say that it is award winning. Yet here I am not only posting a ridiculously romantic Valentine’s dessert (see the red people? That makes it Valentine’s Day worthy) but also specialty brownies. I don’t even like specialty brownies! (Why would you tinker with a classic unless you have something really special to say by doing so? These are classics for a reason people!)
But… if these brownies are the sort of things that you Valentine’s Day people like then you Valentines Day people will certainly like this sort of brownie. I am sure of it.
These brownies are ridiculously easy to make. These little chocolate lovelies, dotted with dried cherries macerated in simmering port, are hardly any more difficult than a standard cocoa brownie. They are quite lush and sophisticated tasting containing only enough port to draw out both the cherry and intense chocolate flavor without causing any need to check IDs before serving.
Your brownie target will be begging you for more. Isn’t that just what you want on Valentine’s day? Of course it is which makes these the prefect brownies for a Valentine’s Day brownie lover to love.
Hopefully you will find the fact that I posted these at the last possible moment to somewhat if not just a little bit subversive. Certainly by now it is way too late for you to rush home and bake up a batch, cool them, and then press out heart shaped heart shaped Fudgy Cherry Port Brownies with cookie cutters to wrap in deliciously wrapped cookie boxes for your friends and loved ones.
So take that you Valentine’s Day people! (You know who you are.) Lets just see if you can wait until next year to make these. I’m not sure I can.
Fudgy Cherry Port Brownies
If there is a person on this planet who can get me to reconsider Valentine’s Day for even the short 35 minutes it takes to bake these brownies it is certainly Ms. Dorie Greenspan. In fact, I would guess that this lady’s heart is warm enough to bake a pan of these brownies.
@SisBoomTweet Sweet, sweet V-Day to you – xoxoxo
— dorie greenspan (@doriegreenspan) February 14, 2014
When I saw the above Valentine’s Day message from her today I’m not saying that I squealed just a little bit with excitement but, um, I might have. I then realized I had to do something special in return.
So I made her these specialty brownies for Valentine’s Day.
What is happening to me?
Recipe adapted from Dorie Greenspan and Better Homes and Gardens
This is what you will need:
- 2 tablespoons port or water
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1/2 cup dried cherries
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs, cold
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 1/2 ounces chopped semisweet chocolate or 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate pieces
- Fresh raspberries (optional)
This is how you make it:
- Position oven rack in the center of the oven; preheat to 325 degrees F. Line an 8x8x2-inch pan with foil. Butter foil; set aside.
- In a small saucepan, bring the port and water to boiling. Add dried cherries; cook and stir over low heat until the fruit is soft and plump and liquid evaporates. Using a spatula, scrape the cherries into a bowl; set aside to cool.
- Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water (be sure that the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl). Place the butter in the bowl; scatter the 6 oz. chocolate over butter. Heat until the chocolate is almost melted (you do not want to heat the mixture so much that the butter and chocolate separate). Remove bowl from the heat. Stir until butter and chocolate are smooth.
- Whisk in the sugar until fully incorporated. Add eggs one at a time, stirring until batter is smooth and glossy. Whisk in salt. Gently whisk in the flour, stirring only until it disappears into the batter. Using a spatula, stir in the port-soaked cherries (and any liquid that accumulated) and the remaining 4 1/2 oz. chopped chocolate. Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth the top as much as possible.
- Bake 35 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack; cool to room temperature. Invert brownies onto a cutting board; gently peel away the foil. Turn brownies over. Cut into 36 squares. Serve with fresh raspberries, if desired.
Ha! I am not even mentioning the dreaded V-word in my post today (all-white, with nary a pink or red heart in sight). Those brownies look worthy of celebration all on their own, no “holiday” needed.
Oui, je parle, and I love the Tweet! I bet that amde your day. And these brownies sound great. I bet that with just 1/3 cup of flour they are indeed super fudgy. And I can just imagine how much the port and cherries enhance the whole shebang.
Brownies are a classic, and I usually say why mess with a classic? But with something like port and fie quality dried cherries well, that is reason enough. I hope you had a wonderful Valentine’s Day!
I’m sensing that you might be a closet V-Day person. Either way, the brownies get there for the cash.
I though V-Day stood for venereal disease, so what do I know? But I bet these brownies would cure the clap, they look that good!!
xxxxx
I agree with Teresa, your brownies look worthy of celebration all on their own – I have never added dried cheeries to my brownie batter, let alone cherries steeped in port. The recipe sounds wonderful. And I love the way you present them in your photographs – much better than the all-white winter salad I might add.
I guess the romantic Dorista’s are getting to you. I have to say I have been warming to the holiday as I’ve gotten older. I don’t feel as strongly anymore about making a stand against an artificially created holiday.
Lately, I’m just looking for an excuse for a party. I’m with Mary, if I find out about holiday, I’ll celebrate it. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate any holiday than with a liquor infused dessert. Cherries and port sound like a combo made in heaven.
You know, Trevor, I could bite a chunk right outta these this morning! They do look very yummy indeed!
Yup, I think all the Dorista estrogen is rubbing off on you 🙂 At least your chocolate creation was an adult version with the yummy boozed up cherries. I heartily approve.
I’m obviously late to the party but since we do romance every day we don’t celebrate one day. …or so he says.
Little heart shapes would have been over the top for you, surely. 🙂
I have a confession. I love boxed brownie mixes. I know. Me. I’ve never found a recipe from scratch worthy of a repeat showing. I have a feeling this may break my streak. Yours came out perfect looking. I may have to give this a try if just to add drunken cherries to the Ghiradelli mix. I’ll get the smelling salts for you.
LOL – I love this post and this brownie recipe. I hope to remember this brownie recipe, either for commercial love day or any time.
As long as you were not wearing red and pink while making or eating them, we will forgive you for *almost* succumbing to a food bloggers V-Day treat. If you paired them with a *holiday* sweater, we could never forgive you, no matter how charming your treats are…
Port is never a bad idea – on its own or in a baked good. I am partial to a nice 20 year tawny, but I would never turn my nose up at a good ruby port either. Heck, I wouldn’t turn my nose at any port (in a storm).
XO
Oh My! These look scrumptious! I do have port and dried cherries (I think – cld be cranberries) so might just make this (without the raspberries)!
I was with family for Valentine’s day so I never got to do any commenting…so sorry I missed these! They look fabulous! I have to say I’m a sucker for any holiday…you invent it and I’ll participate! Brownies and boozed up cherries…sounds like a perfect treat for any day even Valentines day! Very nice post, Trevor!