Port Brownies for Valentine's Day

This recipe was stolen from Manatawny Creek Winery, but they've been such a hit with several groups of people that I've made them for, that I thought I should share given the up-and-coming romantic holiday!  :)

(Photo from Google Images)

Chocolate Brownies with Port Ganache

Brownies:

2 sticks butter

8 oz bittersweet chocolate

6 eggs

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup port (I use about 1 cup...)

1 TB vanilla

1 cup flour

1 tsp salt

For the brownies: melt the butter and chocolate in a saucepan. In a mixer, beat the eggs, sugar, port, and vanilla until smooth. Add the cooled chocolate, flour and salt and mix well. Pour into greased 13 x 9 pan and bake at 350 for 35 min.

Ganache:

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup port

6 oz bittersweet chocolate

For the ganache: simmer the port in saucepan until it has reduced to about 2 TB. In a separate pan, heat the cream until boiling. Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate until melted. Add the reduced port and mix well. Let cool and pour over cooled brownies.

Other suggestions: mix ganache in the brownie mix and then bake for gooey goodness.  Make sure you have some matching ruby port to sip on while eating the brownies!  Pop in a girly movie and enjoy the chocolate and port over load!  :)  Cheers!