Grown Up Belgian Brownies

About a month or so ago, I decided I wanted to cook Mister Man a spectacular dinner to show him how much I love his wonderful self. Smitten Kitchen had posted a recipe for these Belgian Brownies a long time ago, and I loved the look of them - all dolled up in schmancy cupcake wrappers, whispering "come hither" with their delicious chocolatey good looks. And so I made 'em.

I think these would be great at a dinner party full of witty, urbane adults with sophisticated palates. They're not overly sweet. In fact, I'd call them an adult dessert. Yup. They are a serious brownie. If they were a kind of clothing, they'd be a bold and snazzy power suit with a pair of "don't mess with me" pumps. And I think they'd be even more delicious served with raspberry coulis (though I had none on hand). A note of caution. They do move from JUST done to OVERDONE on a dime. So I would watch them like a hawk. The original recipe had them in the oven for 30-35 minutes. Maybe my oven runs hot, but I think they were 5 minutes beyond perfection.

Belgian Brownies (from Smitten Kitchen)

9 ounces bittersweet chocolate (60 – 64% cacao)
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
5 eggs, beaten lightly with a fork
1 1/3 cups superfine sugar
3 tablespoons pastry flour

1. Roughly chop the chocolate into pieces and place in a medium-sized bowl. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Add the butter. Heat until the two ingredients have melted. Mix well and transfer to a large bowl. Set this aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Sift the sugar and flour together, then stir this into the chocolate. Add the eggs and stir well. Cover and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. The batter will thicken as it stands.
3. Line a muffin tin with cupcake papers. Spoon one-fourth cup batter into each paper-lined cup. Bake 25-30 minutes. The brownies will still be moist when done; they will puff up and fall slightly as they cool.