Sweets For Your Sweet: Classic Fudge Walnut Brownies

Classic Fudge Walnut Brownies (Cooking Light)

Valentine's Day is right around the corner. Um, yay? Instead of emptying your wallet at an overpriced and inevitably underwhelming prix fixe restaurant dinner, I've got another idea for you. Why not mix it up, save some dough and spend a quality night in with your significant other and thick, rich, fudgy, walnut brownies?

Better yet, what if the brownies are the #1 winning chocolate recipe from Cooking Light, beating out 15 other indulgent masterpieces such as Texas Sheet Cake, Chocolate Frangelico Fondue, and Mexican Chocolate Cream Pie? They're filled with rich cocoa powder, melted chocolate, and bittersweet chocolate chunks yet each brownie only has 186 calories and 9 grams of fat. But who's counting calories on Valentine's Day? On the contrary, I'd say the brownies topped with some oozy salted caramel sauce sets the stage for a romantic night in, don't you think? Maybe Cooking Light has a recipe for that, too?

Check out the recipe below. They will be so popular that you might want to make two batches, especially if you've got kids hanging around. After Valentine's Day evening, of course.

Classic Fudge-Walnut Brownies
Adapted from Cooking Light

• 3.38 ounces all-purpose flour (about 3/4 cup)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chunks, divided
• 1/3 cup fat-free milk
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, divided
• Cooking spray

Directions: Preheat oven to 350°. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl. Combine 1/2 cup chocolate and milk in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave at HIGH 1 minute, stirring after 30 seconds. Stir in butter, vanilla, and eggs. Add milk mixture, 1/2 cup chocolate, and 1/4 cup nuts to flour mixture; stir to combine. Pour the batter into a 9-inch square metal baking pan coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup nuts. Bake at 350° for 22 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs clinging. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut into 20 pieces.