Ingredients

• 3  ounces  unsweetened chocolate
• 1/2  cup  butter
• 1  cup  sugar
• 2    eggs
• 1  tsp.  vanilla
• 2/3  cup  all-purpose flour
• 1/4  tsp.  baking soda
•     stir-ins*
• 1  cup  dark chocolate pieces
• 1/2  cup  chopped nuts (optional)
• 1    recipe Chocolate Drizzle (optional)**

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coarsely chop unsweetened chocolate. In saucepan melt butter and chocolate over low heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; cool.

2. Line 8x8x2-inch baking pan with foil. Spray with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. Stir sugar into melted chocolate mixture until sugar is dissolved. Add eggs, one at a time, beating with wooden spoon just until combined. Stir in vanilla.

3. In bowl stir together flour and baking soda. Add stir-ins. Add flour mixture to chocolate mixture; stir just until combined. Stir in dark chocolate pieces and nuts. Spread batter in prepared pan.

4. Bake 35 minutes or until edges are set and begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool in pan on wire rack. Spoon chocolate Drizzle across top. Cut into bars. Makes 16 brownies.

*Spice stir-ins: Add 1 tsp. ground cinnamon or ground ancho chili powder; 2 tsp. orange peel; or 1 Tbsp. expresso powder to flour mixture. Add 1 tsp. ground cinnamon or ground ancho chili powder; 2 tsp. orange peel; or 1 Tbsp. expresso powder to flour mixture.

*Sweet stir-ins: Add 1/2 cup dried fruit soaked in sparkling wine for 30 minutes, drained, and chopped; or 3/4 cup candy-coated peanut butter pieces to batter.

**Chocolate Drizzle: In bowl stir together 1/2 cup softened powder sugar, 1 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/4 tsp. vanilla, and 1-1/2 tsp. milk. Stir in additional milk, 1 tsp. at a time, until icing is drizzling consistency.