Dark Chocolate Cherry Brownies with Ganache and Sea Salt

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a 9x13 baking pan with foil and spray with non-stick spray.

In a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, melt 8 ounces of bittersweet chocolate and all the butter, stirring occasionally until smooth. Whisk in the cocoa powder and until smooth. Set aside to cool.

In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, vanilla bean paste and 1/2 teaspoon salt; whisk until combined, then pour in the warm chocolate mixture and whisk until smooth. Gradually add the flour, stirring with a spatula or wooden spoon just until combined. Fold in the 2 cups pitted cherries.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a crust forms on top a toothpick comes out almost clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature, about 2 hours. Once cooled, lift the brownies by the foil out of the pan, and transfer to a cutting board.

To make the ganache, place the remaining 8 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate in a bowl. Pour the heavy cream into a saucepan; over medium low heat bring the cream to a gentle simmer just until it starts to bubble. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let stand for 5 minutes, then stir with a spatula until smooth.

Pour over the cooled brownies and smooth out the top.

Before the ganache sets, sprinkle the remaining1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt over the ganache, then garnish with whole cherries. Let sit for 15-20 minutes until the ganache is set (you can refrigerate them to speed up the process), then cut into squares.