I started thinking about Brownies one day because I had lunch with a client (and Travel*Food*Cool reader, THANK YOU!) who mentioned that his son was in Beaver Scouts. I mentioned that I was a Girl Guide and before that was in Brownies. Brownies…..mmmmmmm…anyway, the idea of making Brownies got stuck in my head.

Now, while I used Fernet Branca (general list LCBO Ontario, peeps), you could just as easily use China-China, another Amaro, Giffard Vanille de Madagascar, Grand Marnier (if you like orange), Coffee Liqueur, Chartreuse or the Giffard Menthe de Pastille (which I keep hoping becomes a general list LCBO item *cough cough*).

The great Katharine Hepburn was my kind of girl. Not only did she stand up in her films and go toe to toe with the men, she was a fan of booze and Brownies. This recipe is loosely based on her family recipe. An added bonus to this very easy recipe? You can make it all in one pot and save some time on the clean up!

Want to try some other easy desserts? Check out: Boozy Fudge, White Chocolate Violette Lava Cakes or the Dessert tab, up top!

Prep time: 15 minutes; Cook time:  40 minutes + cooling time; Serves: 16 squares (but I’m not judging on how many you serve)

What you need:

• 2 oz chocolate chips (2 squares) – I used semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 stick butter (8 tbsp)
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 tbsp Fernet Branca (general list LCBO)
• 2 tbsp flour (sift together with cocoa)
• 2 tbsp cocoa (sift together with flour)
• 1/4 tsp salt

What you do:

• Preheat your oven to 350ºF
• Grease (butter) and flour an 8″ square pan
• Over medium heat, in a saucepan, melt together the chocolate chips and butter (I chopped the butter into chunks)

• Stir
• Once melted, remove from heat
• Add sugar

• Stir
• Add eggs, vanilla and Fernet

• Mix well together, until smooth
• Add the flour/cocoa mix and the salt

• Stir well
• Pour into the pan

• Bake for 30-40 minutes

• Let cool
• Cut into squares

• Slightly adult brownies

• Not too sweet

• Not too boozy

• Enjoy!

• Practice up for National Brownie Day (Dec. 8)

Yield: 16

Fernet Boozy Brownies

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Additional Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

An easy to make (slightly) adult brownie.

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Ingredients

• 2 oz chocolate chips (2 squares), I used semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 stick butter (8 tbsp)
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 tbsp Fernet Branca (general list LCBO)
• 2 tbsp flour (sift together with cocoa)
• 2 tbsp cocoa (sift together with flour)
• 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350ºF
2. Grease (butter) and flour an 8" square pan
3. Over medium heat, in a saucepan, melt together the chocolate chips and butter (I chopped the butter into chunks)
4. Stir
5. Once melted, remove from heat
6. Add sugar
7. Stir
8. Add eggs, vanilla and Fernet
9. Mix well together, until smooth
10. Add the flour/cocoa mix and the salt
11. Stir well
12. Pour into the pan
13. Bake for 30-40 minutes
14. Let cool
15. Cut into squares