red or green?: Kahlua-Spice Brownies

Ok, I am a bit of a rebel this week. My assignment from Food Network was Holiday Cookies. And I did share a delicious almond-sugar cookie with pepitas and dried apricot recipe over on my Napa Farmhouse 1885 blog. But I have been making these delicious brownies all holiday season, and I just had to share. Besides, brownies work on as assorted cookie platter, right?

I copied the recipe out of a murder mystery book a long time ago. You know the ones where the protagonist is a caterer, or owns a bakery, or restaurant, or is somehow involved in cooking? And there are a number of recipes included? Well, this recipe came from one of those books. I made a copy of the recipe, but nowhere on the page is there a book or author name. Then I googled "Kahlua brownie recipes from murder mystery book" and found a number of authors have included a similar brownie in their books. But I cannot find this one. So, if any of you know the answer, please respond in the comments section so I can give the proper attribution.

I followed the original recipe pretty closely. I just added the spices because I like cinnamon and Allspice with Kahlua and added dark chocolate chips because...well, obviously more chocolate is a good thing. Enjoy and Happy Holidays!

Kahlua-Spice Brownies
(makes 2 dozen)

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
4 oz unsweetened baking chocolate
4 large eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup Kahlua
1 cup unbleached flour
1/4 cup white, whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Allspice powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon chopped pecans, toasted

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x12 inch rectangular baking pan with parchment paper. Grease the paper with butter and set aside.

Add the butter and baking chocolate to a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds. Remove and stir. Continue this process in 30-second increments until the butter and chocolate has melted. Stir until chocolate is glossy. Set aside to cool.

In the bowl of a mixer, add the eggs and sugar. Beat at low speed until combined and mixture in pale yellow. With machine running, add the Kahlua and the cooled chocolate mixture and mix until smooth. Add the flours, 1/4 cup at a time, the cinnamon, Allspice, baking powder and sea salt. Increase the speed to medium and process until just combined. Do not overmix. Stir in the chocolate chips and pecans.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Place in preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of pan comes out clean. Rest pan on a wire rack until cool and then cut into squares. Delicious on their own...out of this world with salted caramel ice cream.