Ooey-Gooey Guinessey Brownies!

So I absolutely do not bake.  I won't go on about why I am not a baker, just know that I am not.  But for Valentines Day, I decided to try to tackle a recipe I found in Bon Appetite (the magazine that my wonderful boyfriend bought me a years' subscription to for Christmas) for chocolate-stout brownies.  I've decided to post them now, however, because it's kind of close to St. Patrick's Day.  Right.


Now, to say the very least, I messed them up pretty bad.  But I'm going to give you the recipe anyways along with a word of advice to the wise--don't mess them up.  If I were you, I would completely omit the "Guinness Glaze" that seeps into the brownies and makes them super gooey.  But that's perhaps because I mess that up... pretty bad.

Please let me reiterate-- I did not create this recipe, it does not belong to me but I bet, if you don't mess it up real bad, it would be real good! Recipe is courtesy of Bon Appetite and can be found online: http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2012/02/chocolate-stout-brownies

what you need...

1 cup stout (such as Guinness)

16 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped, divided

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (2 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

what you need to do...

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 9x9x2" metal baking pan with foil, leaving a 2" overhang. Bring stout to a boil in a medium sauce- pan; cook until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 12 minutes. Let cool. Reserve 1/4 cup stout.

2. Stir 12 oz. chocolate and 1 cup butter in a medium metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth.

3. Whisk sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in chocolate mixture, then 1/4 cup stout from pan. Fold in flour and 1 1/4 tsp. salt. Pour batter into prepared pan.

4. Bake brownies until surface begins to crack and a tester inserted into center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 35–40 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool for at least 20 minutes. Stir remaining 4 oz. chocolate in a medium metal bowl set over a sauce-pan of simmering water until melted and smooth. Add reserved 1/4 cup reduced stout, remaining 2 Tbsp. butter, and 1/4 tsp. salt; whisk until well blended.

5. Pour warm glaze over brownies. Let stand at room temperature until glaze is set, about 40 minutes. DO AHEAD: Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature. Using foil overhang, lift brownie from pan; cut into squares.