When I'm stressed I go for the chocolate. This isn't groundbreaking news, I know. I'm not the first of my kind. I'm also not the first of my kind when it comes to adding a little something to brownies....
BANANAS, silly people! Only bananas.
Sometimes stressful situations will make you go a little bananas...like sometimes you'll perform an autopsy on such baked goods and then proceed to eat them monkey-style.
You'll neatly slice a few, perhaps take a picture of them if you are me, and then decide to eat a couple from the pan, picking them apart with your fingers even though the knife is right next to you.
Moral of the story: when I'm stressed, brownies are my drug of choice.
Just say yes.
Adapted from Cook's Illustrated
INGREDIENTS: (makes one ½ sheet tray- 9½“ x 13”)
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- ½ cup boiling water
- 8 oz. semi sweet chocolate chips
- 4 tbsp. (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup canola oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
- 4 medium bananas
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
-Preheat oven to 350° F. Line the sheet tray with aluminum foil, leaving a 1” overhang on all sides. Spray with cooking spray.
-Whisk the cocoa, boiling water and 2 oz. of the chocolate chips until smooth.
-Mash two of the bananas with a fork.
-Using a rubber spatula, mix in the melted butter, oil, eggs, vanilla and mashed bananas. Add the remaining chocolate chips (the batter won’t be totally smooth which is ok).
-Mix in the sugar, flour and salt until fully incorporated.
-Pour the batter into prepared sheet tray and top with banana slices from the remaining 2 bananas.
-Bake at 350° for 60- 75 minutes or until the center comes out clean when inserted with a toothpick.
-Let cool 1 hour before removing from pan.
