Basic Brownies

These are brownie perfection: moist, chewy and rich. If you want cakey brownies, go somewhere else!

Ingredients
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ cup butter, cut into pieces
4 ounces good quality unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup chopped toasted nuts (optional)
½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks (optional)

Equipment
dry measuring cups
small bowl
small whisk
large bowl
rubber spatula
large saucepan
large whisk
9” × 13” baking pan greased with butter, bottom lined with parchment and greased again
cooling rack
baking sheet
cake knife

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. In the small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. Fill the large saucepan with 2 inches water and simmer over medium heat.
4. Put the butter and chocolate in the large bowl. Set over simmering water and melt, stirring with the rubber spatula, taking care that the water does not boil or touch the bowl. You may need to turn the heat off during this process.
5. When chocolate and butter are almost completely melted, remove from double boiler. Continue stirring until completely melted. Allow to cool to room temperature.
6. With a whisk, beat in one egg at a time.
7. Beat in sugar, 1 cup at a time.
8. Add vanilla extract and mix thoroughly.
9. Add flour mixture, in fourths, mixing just until combined after each addition. Do not over mix.
10. Stir in nuts and/or chocolate chunks, if using.
11. Pour batter into prepared pan.
12. Bake for 35-40 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few crumbs. Do not over bake.
13. Cool pan on cooling rack until brownies are completely cooled.
14. Turn brownies onto baking sheet and remove parchment paper.
15. Cut, top side down, into 24 pieces, cleaning the knife between each cut. (Cutting this way prevents the tops from cracking too much.)
16. Turn brownies right-side-up to serve.

Yields 2 dozen brownies

© 2009 by Allison Lattman