With just the right balance of cakey & chewy, and three types of chocolate keeping the sweetness in check, these babies hit on all cylinders. They're best eaten the same day as baked (the chocolate chunks stay melty), but keep beautifully in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Prep the Pan
Make a foil sling for a 13x9" baking pan by folding two long sheets of aluminum foil; the first sheet should be 13" wide, and the second sheet should be 9" wide. Lay sheets of foil in the pan perpendicular to one another, with extra foil hanging over edges of the pan. Push foil into corners and sides of the pan, smoothing the foil flush to the pan. Grease the foil, and set the pan aside.
Why should I do this? Sounds like a pain.
The foil will keep the brownies from getting too dry. After cooling the brownies in the pan, you can lift them out by the foil edges, then easily cut them.
This is one of those recipes that pays to have all the ingredients ready in advance of mixing.
Get it Together
1/3C unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2t instant espresso (optional, but recommended)
1/2C plus 2T boiling water
2oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped fine
1/2C plus 2T vegetable oil
4T melted unsalted butter
2 large eggs plus 2 yolks (use the extra whites to make these!)
2t vanilla extract
2 1/2C sugar
1 3/4C flour
3/4t salt
6oz bittersweet chocolate cut into 1/2" pieces
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| Trader Joe's carries unsweetened baking chocolate, as well as cocoa powder and bittersweet chocolate. Their cold-pressed sunflower seed oil is ideal for baking. |
Preheat the oven to 350'.
Whisk together the flour and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk the cocoa and espresso powders with the boiling water. Add the unsweetened chocolate and whisk until melted.
Whisk in the melted butter and oil. The batter may separate.
Whisk in the eggs & yolks, one at a time. Now the batter should look like chocolate pudding.
Whisk in the vanilla extract, then the sugar.
Switch to a spatula and stir in the flour, then the bittersweet chocolate chunks.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs.
Yes, you have to do this, or they won't set properly.
In order to get the right balance of chewy and cakey, brownies tend to be slightly underbaked. Allowing them to cool completely before cutting, ensures they set so you get that fudgy center, cakey outside, and crisp crust.
Cool the brownies in the pan on a wire rack for 1 1/2 hours.
Then lift the brownies out of the pan by the foil edges, and allow to cool on the wire rack for another hour.
Cut brownies into 24 pieces and serve.
Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
на здоровья!
Recipe by America's Test Kitchen
