Best-Ever Brownies

By annekeeney

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 c. sifted all purpose flour
• 1 t. salt
• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 2 c. sugar
• 1 t. vanilla
• 4 lg. eggs

Details

Servings 18

Preparation

Step 1

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350.

Sift the flour and salt together and set aside.

Melt the butter and chocolate together in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently and keeping a watchful eye on the pot to make certain the chocolate doesn't scorch. Add 1 c. of the sugar to the mixture and stir for half a minute, then remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour the mixture into a large bowl.

Put the remaining 1 c. sugar and the eggs into the bowl of a mixer (or a mixing bowl if you're using a hand held mixer)and whisk by hand just to combine. Little by little, pour half of the sugar and eggs into the chocolate mixture, from the heat. Fit the whisk attachment to the mixer and whip the remaining sugar and eggs until they are thick, pale, and doubled in volume, about 3 minutes. Using the rubber spatula, delicately fold the whipped eggs into the chocolate mixture. When the eggs are almost completely incorporated, gently fold in the dry ingredients.

BAKING THE BROWNIES Pour and crape the batter into an unbuttered 9" square pan - a heavy ceramic or glass pan is ideal. Bake the brownies for 25 - 28 minutes, during which time they will rise a little and the top will turn dark and dry. Cut into the center at about the 23 minute mark to see how the brownies are progressing. They'll be perfect if they're just barely set and still pretty gooey. They're still awfully good on the other side of set, so don't worry if you miss the moment on your first try. Cool the brownies in the pan on a rack. Cut into 1 1/2 x 3" squares to serve.

TO STORE: The brownies will keep, covered for 2-3 days at room temperature and can be frozen for up to a month. Thaw, still wrapped, at room temperature. These never freeze solid, so you might want to think about using them as a mix in for ice cream.