Museum-Quality Chocolate

DEAR SOS: I want to surprise my wife with the recipe for Killer Chocolate Bars that she says are to die for. We had them at Caffe Museo at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Any chance of getting the recipe?

BOB LEVY

Beverly Hills

DEAR BOB: Anna Neiderholzer, with Gordon’s House of Fine Eats in San Francisco, is the pastry wizard who created the bar cookies. Have a happy surprise. Use the best chocolate you can find.

Caffe Museo Killer Chocolate Bars

Active Work Time: 40 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 2 hours 10 minutes plus 24 hours chilling

2 1/2 pounds semisweet chocolate, 1 pound cut into 1/2-inch chunks

1/2 pound bittersweet chocolate

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

8 eggs

3 cups sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 tablespoons brewed espresso or strong coffee

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

* Melt 1 1/2 pounds semisweet chocolate and all of bittersweet chocolate with butter in double boiler set over, but not touching, simmering water, about 8 minutes. Use rubber spatula to stir and blend, scraping down sides.

* In large mixing bowl, whip eggs with sugar. Add vanilla and espresso. Add chocolate mixture to egg mixture and blend well.

* Sift together flour and baking powder. Add 1/3 chocolate mixture to dry ingredients and combine well. Mix in rest of chocolate mixture, then fold in chocolate chunks.

* Line bottom and sides of 13x9-inch baking dish with plastic wrap and pour batter into pan to shape, smoothing top. Rap pan on counter to distribute batter evenly and remove air pockets. Refrigerate 24 hours. Cut into 3x1/2-inch bars. Transfer pieces to baking sheet lined with parchment, spacing 1 inch apart.

* Bake at 350 degrees, in batches, until bars resemble brownies and look moist, 15 to 20 minutes. Bars should still be moist when removed from oven. Do not overbake.

About 60 bars. Each bar: 191 calories; 31 mg sodium; 32 mg cholesterol; 9 grams fat; 26 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams protein; 0.08 gram fiber.