This one is a hit:

Marlen's Black Forest Brownies

1-1/3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup baking cocoa
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups sugar
1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup chopped maraschino cherries
1/2 cup chopped nuts
Combine flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In a large saucepan, melt butter. Remove from the heat and stir in cocoa until smooth. Blend in eggs, sugar and extracts. Stir in flour mixture, cherries and nuts.
Pour into a greased 13 " x 9" x 2" baking pan. Bake at 350*F (175*C) degrees for 35 minutes or until brownies test done.

Icing:

1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups confectioner's sugar
6 tablespoons baking cocoa
1/4 cup milk
1/4 chopped nuts

For icing, blend butter, vanilla, sugar, cocoa and milk until smooth; spread over hot brownies. Sprinkle with nuts, cool.

Blueiris, these are the ultimate brownies, according to my family and friends. They are rich and good even without the ganache.

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1 cup butter
4 ounces (4 squares) unsweetened chocolate
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sour cream (this is optional, make them even more moist)
1 tablespoon instant (espresso) coffee granules (this just makes the chocolate taste more like chocolate, you canÂt really taste it. You can leave this out.)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (6 ounces)
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
6 ounces chocolate chips (semi-sweet)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon salted butter
1/2 cup chopped pecans or almonds (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare 9X13-inch baking pan: Grease with butter or spraying with cooking spray, lay a sheet of parchment over bottom and allow to overlap pan on 2 sides, grease again. Melt butter in a large saucepan. Over low heat add unsweetened chocolate and stir until chocolate is melted. Remove from heat, mix in sugar (in saucepan). Add eggs and vanilla, stir until incorporated. Combine flour, baking powder and salt and stir into chocolate mixture just till flour is mixed in. Gently stir in sour cream, instant coffee and 1 cup chocolate chips. Spread in prepared pan and bake 30 to 35 minutes just until brownies begin to pull away from the sides. Do not over bake. Cool on rack for 20 minutes; remove from pan and cool completely on rack.

After brownies are cooled, prepare Ganache topping. Over low heat in a medium saucepan, bring heavy cream to the boil. Remove from heat and add 6 ounces chocolate chips, 1 tablespoon butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Let sit for a few minutes to melt chocolate. Stir until all chocolate is melted. Let mixture cool and thicken, stirring occasionally until you can pour it and it coats your finger. Meanwhile, cut brownies and place on a rack. Pour Ganache over all or if Ganache is cooled longer and thickened to spreading consistency, frost cooled brownies while they are still in the pan. If desired, press chopped pecans into the Ganache. I like the texture of these after they have been refrigerated overnight. Very easy to make a half recipe using a square baking dish.

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Marilyn

Marilyn, I made your triple chocolate brownies last night and I have to say one thing...OMG OMG OMG okay 3 things. They are so good! I didn't have heavy cream to make the granache so I made them plain this time. Thank you for sharing your recipe. I'll start my diet next week! Gina

Thank you Gina. It sounds like you enjoyed them as much as we do! Makes me want to make some now:)

Marilyn

I planned on baking today while the tropical storm did its thing outside. Well, the storm is fizzling but I am baking!

Marilyn, I pulled the brownies out about an hour ago. I used Sharffen Berger bitter chocolate but didn't have chocolate chips. Aw, too bad, cause I did have a big chunk of Callebaut semisweet in the frig. Chopped the Callebaut up and used it instead of chips. To die for!!! Probably the best brownie receipe I have ever tasted--I don't usually like brownies. Really good chocolate really makes a difference!

Thanks Marilyn!

Thank you Beachlily and I'm glad you liked them too. I think you two are the only ones on this forum to ever give it a try! I always chop up my own semi-sweet chocolate for these because I like the big chunks. And you are right, really good chocolate really make a difference.

{{gwi:1497265}}, BTW I like them better without the sour cream and have deleted it from the recipe.

Marilyn

Marilyn, I made your recipe for my son's class and they all loved them. Mine didn't turn out as visually perfect as yours did, but the kids didn't seem to mind! Thank you so much for posting.

Ginger, My son doesn't like cherries, but I'm making yours next for a neighbor who loves black forest cake -- will have to see what he thinks of the brownie version!

Thank you both for taking the time to post.