Brownies With Pomegranate Juice

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• 2 -3 fresh pomegranates or 1 cup 100% pomegranate juice
• 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• 1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup chopped almonds or 3/4 cup walnuts

Recipe

• 1 preparing the pomegranate syrup: cut 2 to 3 pomegranates in half and using a citrus reamer, juice the pomegranates until you have 1 cup liquid. (warning: wear old clothes and an apron to do this!).
• 2 pour the juice through a strainer lined with cheesecloth or use a sieve. note: as an alternate, use 1 cup bottled 100% pomegrante juice instead of fresh pomegranates to prepare the syrup.
• 3 next, combine the juice (or bottled juice) and 3/4 cup sugar in a small saucepan. bring to a boil. reduce heat and simmer approximately 20 minutes, stirring frequently until you have reduced the mixture to 1/2 cup of syrup.
• 4 brownies: preheat oven to 350 degrees. grease or butter a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan. microwave the unsweetened chocolate and the butter on high for approximately 1 1/2-2 minutes until butter is melted. remove from microwave and stir mixture until chocolate melts. stir in remaining sugar.
• 5 now whisk in the eggs and vanilla, followed by the flour, chocolate chips and chopped nuts. stir well.
• 6 spread the brownie batter into the prepared pan. drizzle 1/4 cup of the pomegranate syrup over the batter; swirl the syrup delicately with a table knife to create a marble-like effect.
• 7 bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center of brownies comes out clean. do not overbake.
• 8 remove from oven and cool in pan for 15 minutes. drizzle the remaininng 1/4 cup pomegranate syrup over the cooled brownies, then cut into 20 square.
• 9 cool at least 1 hour.