THE Baked Brownie

Guess what? You can stop searching. THIS is the only brownie recipe you'll need. I've been on a search for the perfect brownie recipe (let's face it...who isn't?) and after 3 recipes my search has ended. I don't even remember the other 2 recipes I tried, but it doesn't matter because this is officially my go to recipe. Usually I'd to want to try all the other brownie recipes out there anyway, you know... just in case, but I can promise you I will not be straying from this one.

It comes from the cookbook, Baked, which I've heard nothing but good things about. And even though I don't actually own the book yet I have a sneaking suspicion that it may be in the amazon.com box that Ross brought upstairs and neglected to mention anything about. (I do have a birthday coming up in a few weeks).


I made these and sent them to work with the Ross at about 1:00 on Friday. He texted me at 3:00 to tell me they were all gone. He works in an office of 10 people.



They are absolutely perfect. They are fudgey and crumbly and have a perfect crackly top. They are really easy to make. The recipe calls for cocoa powder and melted chocolate. It also adds instant espresso powder that gives the brownies a real depth of flavor (but they don't taste like coffee at all). I don't know what else to say. Make these! They're perfect!


Recipe
Yield: 24 brownies
from Baked New Frontiers in Baking

Ingredients:

• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 11 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
• 8 ounces butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
• 1 ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup light brown sugar
• 5 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray the sides and bottom of 9×13 baking pan.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, salt and cocoa powder together.
3. Put the chocolate, butter and instant coffee in a large bowl and set it over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and smooth. Turn off the heat, but keep the bowl over the water and add the sugars. Whisk until completely combined; then remove the bowl from the pan. The mixture should be room temperature.
4. Add 3 eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Add the remaining eggs and whisk until combined. Add the vanilla and stir until combined. Do not overbeat the batter at this stage or your brownies will be cakey.
5. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate mixture. Using a spatula, fold the flour mixture into the chocolate until just a bit of the flour mixture is visible.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake in the center of the oven for 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs sticking to it. Let the brownies cool completely, then cut them into squares and serve.