Chocolate Cherry Brownies

These are the best brownies I have made to date.

This is cherry recipe number 2 this week, cause it's a week of cherries.
They are ripe and wonderful now.....use what is in season.

By all means, if you have a brownie recipe that you love, then just plop halved cherries into the batter before baking.

These are chewy and gooey and that cherry flavor w/ the chocolate takes these to a new level.

Chocolate Cherry Brownies:

1/2 cup cocoa (I use Hershey's)
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup chopped pistachios (save some for the top)
1/4 cup chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
pinch of salt
ripe, sweet cherries, halved for the top (as many as you like)

Heat oven to 325F degrees.

Melt butter in saucepan with cocoa and stir until smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a large bowl. Whisk in eggs, one at a time. Stir in vanilla and almond extract.

In a separate bowl, combine sugar, flour, nuts (if using) and salt. Add to the cocoa-butter mixture. Stir until just combined.

Pour into a greased or parchment lined 8 x 8-inch-square pan. Dot the top of the batter w/ the cherry halves, pressing into the batter.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Do not overbake, the brownies should be gooey.

Tomorrow, it's cherry skillet cake.......so make sure you buy a double batch of cherries!