Chocolate Brownies

For quite some time now, I had been searching for the best chocolate brownie recipe I could find. But much to my disappointment, most of the brownies turned out either too dry, or too chewy. It seemed near impossible to find a recipe that had the kind of soft and moist consistency I was looking for. And I'd be damned if I had to succumb to using a boxed brownie mix! But at long last my prayers to the brownie gods were answered! I finally came across a recipe that lived up to the brownie I had been dreaming of. This is the kind of brownie that can't make up its mind whether it would rather be a cake or fudge. It is absolutely rich and moist beyond any other brownie I have made up to this point. I made a few adjustments to the recipe as I went and the end result was pure heaven! So from my kitchen to yours, here is one of the best brownie recipes you'll find out there!

Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients:

10 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups sugar

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cold large eggs

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 325°F with rack positioned in the lower third of the oven. Line the bottom and the sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with foil or parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides to make it easier to lift the brownies out of the pan when they are done.

Combine the butter, cocoa, sugar, and salt in a medium pot. Set the medium pot in a larger pot of barely simmering water (creating a double broiler effect). Stir the butter cocoa mixture from time to time until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth and hot enough that you want to remove your finger quickly after dipping it in to test. Remove the medium pot from the larger pot and set aside briefly until the mixture is only warm, not hot.

Using a spoon, stir in the vanilla extract. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring quickly after each one. When the batter looks shiny, thick, and well mixed, add the flour and stir until you cannot see it any longer, then beat for 40 strokes with the spoon. Spread the batter evenly in the lined pan.

Bake until a tester inserted into the center comes out just slightly moist with batter, 20 to 25 minutes. Let the brownies cool completely on a rack. Lift up the ends of the foil or parchment paper liner, and transfer the brownies to a cutting board. Cut into 16 or 25 squares.