New Classic Brownies

By contessawannabe

Ingredients

• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup lightly toasted walnuts or pecans (optional).

Details

Servings 16

Preparation

Step 1

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line an 8-inch-square metal baking pan with foil. In top of a double boiler set over barely simmering water, or on low power in a microwave, melt butter and chocolate together. Stir often, and remove from heat when a few lumps remain. Stir until smooth.

2. Stir in sugar, vanilla and salt. Stir in eggs one at a time, followed by flour. Stir until very smooth, about 1 minute, until mixture pulls away from sides of bowl. Add nuts, if using. Scrape batter into prepared pan and bake 20 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, prepare a water bath: Pour ice water into a large roasting pan or kitchen sink to a depth of about 1 inch. Remove pan from oven and place in water bath, being careful not to splash water on brownies. Let cool completely, then lift out and cut into 1-inch squares or wrap in foil.