DF Gingerbread Brownies

DF Gingerbread Brownies
(adapted from Epicurious)


INGREDIENTS

• Nonstick vegetable oil spray
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted EarthBalance "butter"
• 4 large eggs
• 3 tablespoons molasses (not robust/blackstrap)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1. Place a rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F. Coat a 9x9" (or 9x13" for thinner brownies) baking pan with nonstick spray. Line pan with 2 overlapping layers of parchment, leaving a 2" overhang on all sides. Coat parchment with nonstick spray. 
   
2. Whisk 2 cups sugar, 1.5 cups cocoa powder, and 1 tsp salt in a large bowl. 
3. In a small bowl, mix together 1 cup flour, 2 tsp cinnamon, 2 tsp ginger, 1 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp cloves.  (Heap those spices!)
4. Melt 1 cup (2 sticks) butter in a medium heatproof bowl in the microwave or in a medium pot over medium heat. Immediately add hot butter to sugar mixture and stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until smooth. 
5. Add 4 eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously with spoon or spatula after each addition, until batter is thick, shiny, and smooth. Stir in 3 T molasses and 2 tsp vanilla.  (I got about 2.5 T molasses before it ran out, close enough.)
6. Using a sifter or fine-mesh sieve, sift in the flour-cinnamon-ginger-baking powder-cloves mixture. 
7. Stir until well incorporated, then beat vigorously for 40 strokes.
8. Transfer batter to prepared pan; smooth top. Bake brownie until top is firm to the touch, edges are set, center is moist but not uncooked, and a tester or paring knife inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs (not runny batter) attached, about 20 minutes.  *Note: It took about 40 minutes to bake in my oven (gas) probably because they're so thick.  Next time I'll use a 9x13 pan so that they're thinner and bake faster.
9. Transfer to a wire rack and let brownie cool completely in pan. Using parchment overhang, lift brownie out of pan and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 16 squares.