Double Fudge Whole Wheat Brownies

This is a great way to sneak whole grains into your diet! From King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking, they recommend waiting 24 hours before cutting these, but my DH loves them hot out of the pan. They do seem more moist the second day. I have found that they crumble easily, but taste oh-so-yummy, I can live with the crumbles! Preparation time is estimated.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Yields: 24 brownies

Ingredients

• 1  cup unsalted butter
• 2  cups brown sugar, packed
• 3⁄4 cup  dutch process cocoa
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1  teaspoon  espresso powder (optional)
• 1  tablespoon vanilla extract
• 4  large eggs
• 1 1⁄2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2  cups  semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F Lightly grease a 9 x 13 pan.
2. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the sugar and stir to combine. Heat briefly until it is hot and beginning to bubble. This dissolves more of the sugar, giving you a shiny top on the finished brownies.
3. Stir in the cocoa, baking powder, salt, espresso powder (if using--I never do), and vanilla. Cool until you can test it with your finger. (I put it in the fridge for 5 minutes if I'm in a hurry.) Whisk in the eggs, stirring until it is smooth and slightly thickened, then add the flour and chocolate chips. Stir again until smooth.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, bake 30-35 minutes, or until a cake tester shows wet crumbs, but not raw batter. (Mine always looks wet to me, but I think it's the chocolate chips!)
5. Remove from the oven and cool the pan on a wire rack. My DH eats them as soon as they are cool enough to handle! My cookbook recommends waiting overnight before serving. This allows the bran to soften.
6. Enjoy!