Almond Dark Chocolate Brownies

I love brownies.  My mouth is quite fond of all things chocolate, but especially brownies.  I believe the perfect batch of brownies features a chewy edge with just a hint of crisp.  The middle should be rich and dense, promising a deep, dark chocolate experience that lingers in your mouth.

Now, I love baking from scratch, truly I do.  I fully intend to post some of these baking experiences in the future.  But I’ve yet to find a brownie recipe that bakes perfectly every time and stirs my taste buds quite like a boxed brownie mix.

So, boxed mix it is.  But because I fancy myself a creative baker (and because it tastes even better), I like to alter my boxed mix.  We had some almond extract I’ve been wanting to bake with, which was my inspiration for these almond dark chocolate brownies.

If you have little ones who like to help in the kitchen, this is a great recipe for them.  My almost five-year-old daughter did most of the pouring and mixing.  Isn’t it a delight to watch their eyes sparkle when they get to eat something they helped make?

Almond Dark Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients:
1 boxed brownie mix (9″ x 13″ pan size)
1/4 cup brewed coffee
1 TBSP instant coffee granules
1/4 cup canola oil (vegetable oil works just as well)
1/4 cup coconut oil
1-2 tsp almond extract
2 eggs

Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9″ by 13″ pan.

2. Pour the boxed mix into a large bowl.  In a small bowl or cup, stir together brewed coffee and coffee granules until granules are dissolved.  Pour into brownie mix.  Add all other ingredients and mix until smooth.

3. Pour into your pan and bake 24-32 minutes, watching (and smelling!) carefully.

Notes and Fun Facts:
*I used a Betty Crocker dark chocolate family size brownie mix.

*Our oven runs a little warmer than some, so although the brownie mix recommended 28-32 minutes, ours were perfectly done at 24 minutes.  Adjust the time according to your oven.  If they smell done, check ’em.  🙂

*Coconut oil makes an excellent substitute for other oils in flavor, but it can make your brownies overly dense because it solidifies at room temperature.  This is why I only switched half of the oil with coconut oil.

*I frequently substitute brewed coffee for water in chocolate recipes.  Coffee adds intensity and depth to the chocolate taste without giving the finished dessert a distinctly “coffee” flavor.

So, go bake some brownies.  And pour yourself a glass of milk.  You’re gonna need it.  🙂