Chocolate Stout and Bacon Skillet Brownies

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

In an 8- or 10-inch cast iron skillet, cook the bacon until done. Remove bacon from skillet. Swirl the bacon fat to coat the pan, discard the excess bacon fat.

Add the butter to the skillet, return to heat and cook until melted. Add the chocolate and stir until melted. Remove from heat. Add beer and stir.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until very well combined. Sprinkle the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and espresso powder over the eggs, whisk until just combined.

Add the egg mixture to the chocolate skillet and stir until just combined. Chop bacon and sprinkle over the top.

Cook until the top has set (don’t overbake), about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven, top with vanilla ice cream if desired (and I’m pretty sure you should desire) and set in the middle of a table full of hungry people. Add spoons.