THESE BROWNIES TASTE LIKE HEAVEN ON EARTH. They are slightly gooey, definitely decadent, and not too sweet. In other words, they are Very Serious Brownies. The step-by-step recipe:
To start, line a square 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment.
Tip: If your parchment paper refuses to mold to the shape of your pan, do what I do, and first spray the pan with a little vegetable spray. The paper will adhere without a hitch.
Now put 2 1/2 sticks of softened butter in the bowl of a standing mixer.
Yes, I realize that's a lot of butter.
Add 1 1/3 cups of super-fine sugar, which is not much sugar at all...
And beat them to a light, fluffy consistency.
Next, head into your pantry, and return with 8 ounces of bitter-sweet chocolate. The good stuff will contain at least 60% cacao.
Break off 2 squares (2 ounces)...
And coarsely chop them with a knife. Set aside.
Roughly break up the remaining 6 ounces of chocolate, and slowly melt them in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water.
While the chocolate is melting, set a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl...
Add to the sieve 1/2 cup of flour...
1 teaspoon baking powder...
A pinch of salt...
And a generous 1/2 cup of the best baking cocoa you can afford.
Then, with your hips swaying to this old Eydie Gorme tune, sift the dry ingredients by tapping the side of the sieve with your hand.
Did you know the aforementioned tune was composed by husband-and-wife songwriting duo Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil? 'Tis true. They also wrote "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling." And approximately 1 billion other pop hits.
Cynthia Weil has twice responded to me on Twitter. She even re-tweeted one of my tweets.
Don't pretend you're not impressed.
Now admire the fluffy cone of cocoa you've created.
Finally, crack 4 large organic eggs into a blue and white china bowl...
And beat them to smithereens with a fork.
With the mixer running at medium speed, gradually add the beaten eggs to the creamed butter and sugar.
Detach the mixing bowl, and bring it to your work-station.
Grab a spatula...
And use it to fold the melted chocolate into the butter and sugar.
Yum.
Then fold in the chocolate pieces...
And the dry ingredients you sifted while listening to Eydie Gorme.
And then...
And then...
Pour the beautiful batter into the parchment-lined baking dish, and smooth the top with your spatula.
This next step is crucial.
Are you ready for it?
Lick the spatula.
You might as well lick the mixing bowl, too.
I did.
Bake at 350°F until slightly puffed, and a knife or a wooden skewer inserted in the center of the pan comes out semi-clean (you want some moist crumbs to stick to the knife) -- about 40 minutes.
Let cool for at least one hour (or refrigerate over night), and then cut the cake into lots of delectable little squares.
Oh baby. This is pure, unadulterated bliss.
And here's a copy-and-paste version of the above:
My Very Serious Brownies
Kevin Lee Jacobs (www.kevinleejacobs.com)
1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, thoroughly softened
1 1/3 cups super-fine sugar
8 oz good-quality (at least 60% cacao) bitter-sweet chocolate
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup baking cocoa
4 large organic eggs, beaten
Set the oven rack at the lower-middle position; preheat the oven to 350°F.
1. Line a square 8x8-inch baking dish with parchment paper.
2. Put the butter and sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer, and beat them until light and fluffy.
3. Break off 2 ounces (2 squares) of chocolate, and coarsely chop them and set aside. Melt the remaining chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water.
4. While the chocolate is melting, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa.
5. Bit by bit, beat the eggs into the sugar and butter mixture. Then detach the work-bowl from the mixer, and bring it to your work surface. Using a spatula, fold in first the melted chocolate, then the chopped chocolate, and finally, the dry ingredients. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake until slightly puffed, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean -- about 40 minutes. Cool completely before cutting into small squares.
Think you'll try these Very Serious Brownies? You can let me know by leaving a comment. As always, I love to hear from you.
Other mind-numbing posts you might enjoy:
The Best Asparagus Tart in the World
A Sip-and-Stroll Garden Tour
House Tour Part 1: The Music Room
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