San Francisco Fudge Foggies

This recipe was the grand-prize contest winner (“More than a brownie! Beyond fudge!”) in the November, 1986 edition of Chocolatier, the magazine for chocolate lovers. Its degree of difficulty is rated “easy,” as is its ability to apply inches to the hips. Which is why I must confess I haven’t tried to make it. Those who’ve tried it say it’s well worth the risk, but at my age, the “baby fat” excuse is starting to grow tired.

San Francisco Fudge Foggies:

1 lb. bitter-sweet chocolate, finely chopped

1 cup unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons

⅓ c. strong coffee or espresso

4 large eggs, at room temperature

1-½ c. granulated sugar

½ c. all-purpose flour

2 c. coarsely chopped walnuts

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 deg. F. Flip a 9-x-13-in. baking pan upside-down. Cover it with a double thickness of aluminum foil, allowing foil to extend 2 in. beyond pan’s sides. Remove foil and reverse pan, placing foil inside and buttering bottom and sides of foil lining. 

Set heat-proof metal bowl over hot - not simmering - water, melting chocolate, butter, and coffee in it, stirring frequently until smooth (Alternately, see Index for How to Melt Chocolate). Remove hot-water pan and bowl over it from heat. Cool 10 min., stirring occasionally.

In large bowl, with electric mixer on high speed, beat eggs 30 sec., or until foamy. Gradually add sugar, continuing to beat 2-to-5 min., until mixture is light and fluffy. Reduce mixer speed to low, gradually beating in chocolate mixture just until blended. Hand-stir in flour, followed by walnuts. Do not over-beat.

Spoon batter into prepared pan, spreading evenly. Bake 28-to-30 min., or until Foggies are just set around edges but are still moist at the center. Cool pan on wire rack 30 min. Cover pan tightly with foil, refrigerating at least 6 hours or overnight. Remove top foil, running knife around the edge of pan. Using ends of pan foil as “handles,” lift Foggies from pan. Invert onto large, flat surface such as upside-down cookie sheet, peeling away foil. Invert again onto smooth surface, cutting into squares.