Here’s a link to a story from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s food section about American craft brewers and the wide selection of stouts for St. Patrick’s Day feasting. The story concludes with a recipe  for Fudgy Stout Brownies:

It’s been almost 20 years since I first poured stout into a batch of brownies, but one taste of these moist, fudgy and deeply chocolaty bars will convince even the stoutest of skeptics. No matter what style of stout you choose, you’ll be sure to enjoy the roasty flavors of the dark ale with these truffle-like treats.

Recipe adapted from “The Best of American Beer & Food: Pairing and Cooking with Craft Beer,” by Lucy Saunders (Brewers Publications, $22.95, available at www.amazon.com).

 

Fudge Stout Brownies

 

Makes 16 fudgy brownies

Butter to coat pan

 

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

4 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate

1 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons packed brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup coffee stout (see note)

2 tablespoons Irish whiskey

¾ cup sifted flour

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped nuts (such as macadamia, pecans or walnuts) (optional)

Suggested pairing: Coffee stout or Imperial stout

 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare a 9-inch metal baking pan by buttering it well and dusting the inside with 1 tablespoon cocoa powder. Set aside.

In 2-quart saucepan, melt the ½ cup butter over low heat. Add chopped chocolate, stirring often, until melted and smooth. Remove saucepan from heat and let cool to lukewarm (still liquid but not hot).

Stir in sugars and mix well 1 minute. In large measuring cup, beat together 2 eggs, yolks, vanilla, stout and whiskey until smooth. Sift flour with salt into a separate bowl. Stir stout mixture into saucepan in thirds, alternating with flour by 1/3 cupfuls, and stirring after each addition until batter is just blended. Stir in nuts if desired. Do not overbeat.

Scrape batter into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven about 1 hour. Let cool to lukewarm before slicing. Use a knife dipped in warm water and wiped clean with each slice (otherwise, because of the very fudgy texture, the brownies will clump).

Note: Coffee stouts are made by breweries across North America, but if you can’t find one, substitute 2 ounces sweet stout mixed with 1 ounce brewed espresso.