The Color of Satisfaction is Chocolate Brown

Oh. My. God.

Bad weekend of monthly woman-pains has culminated today in a kitchen that smells like a chocolate factory blew up. In the process of destroying the kitchen, I have discovered a brownie recipe that doesn't taste like dirt! And, ickily enough, it is a recipe from Emeril Lagasse, the bam guy.

All the recipes I have ever tried for homemade brownies have never come close to the stuff that comes out of the box. They are usually dry, of suspicious texture, and not nearly chocolatey enough.

All those problems are solved in this recipe. So much fat, so much chocolate, so much more chocolate, these babies are moist and chocolatey like nobody's business.

When I tasted them, I began an involuntary humming in what I believe is F above middle C. These are powerful.

The only trouble is the recipe makes a big sheet cake pan sized batch, and there's just me and Drew. I hope they last until the Thanksgiving festivities. I would hate to have them go to waste. Or waist. (Ha! Super funny!)

Lizzie's Chocolate Brownies
by Emeril Lagasse

• 1 teaspoon plus 1 cup vegetable shortening
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I use Hershey's Special Dark)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (I hate nuts in my brownies, so I skipped this)
• 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (I used choc chips)
• 1 recipe of Chocolate Icing (recipe follows)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 17 x 12-inch baking pan with 1 teaspoon of the shortening.
2. In a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt the remaining 1 cup shortening. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Add the sugar and blend. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking after each addition. Add the water and vanilla, and whisk to mix well. Add the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt, and stir to blend. Fold in the walnuts (bleagh!) the chopped chocolate, then spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
3. Bake until the cake springs back when touched, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 30 minutes. Spread the icing over the cake with a rubber spatula. Let cool completely (right!) before cutting into squares to serve.

Chocolate Icing

• 1 pound confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1/4 pound (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup boiling water

1. Sift together the confectioners' sugar and cocoa powder into a large mixing bowl.
2. Add the butter and use an electric mixer to combine.
3. Add the water and mix until smooth. Let cool, then use.

Then hum.