Brownies With Pomegranate Juice - cooking recipe

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

Preparation

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!).
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.
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.
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.
Now whisk in the eggs and vanilla, followed by the flour, chocolate chips and chopped nuts. Stir well.
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.
Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center of brownies comes out clean. DO NOT overbake.
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.
Cool at least 1 hour.