Brownieees!

Ah, brownies. Quite possibly my absolute most craved dessert. I love a brownie with a rich chocolate flavor, moist, cake-like, with a nice crispy top. I especially like the end pieces, but who doesn't? I've been making this brownie recipe from the very talented Slow Like Honey since she posted it this past Valentine's Day, and I am confident to say that this, yes this exact recipe, yields my ideal brownie. They are, in fact, Bittersweet Brownies, as they utilize 70% bittersweet chocolate. This time around, I got 60%, but they still came out just bittersweet enough.


I started by melting the chocolate and butter in a double boiler. Or a makeshift double boiler like this one...


Ooh, it comes out so smooth and creamy when it's all melted.


I beat the eggs, sugar, salt, and vanilla together in a separate bowl, until fluffy (again, by hand since I lack a hand or stand mixer... a good workout for my guns).


Once the chocolate cooled just a bit, I poured and scraped it into the egg and sugar mixture.


And mixed it together...


Then added the flour.


I poured the batter into a greased pan that was dusted with cocoa powder, spreading evenly. The recipe below is for a 9x9 pan, but I made a 1.5 recipe, which is why I'm using a 9x13 pan.


I baked in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes, until a chopstick came out clean.


Make sure you let it cool completely before cutting! If you're anything like me (and also like Slow Like Honey), you have a pet peeve with the top crust crumbling and falling apart when cutting, and being unable to get a nice clean slice of brownie. Well, too bad! It's going to happen! It tastes the same anyway!


Not too sweet, not too fudgey, not too chewy, not too crumbly, and in the words of Goldilocks, this one is just right! With a nice glass of milk, or served warm with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, this brownie is sure to become your favorite too.


Bittersweet Brownies
from Slow Like Honey

Ingredients:
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, 60% or higher, coarsely chopped
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
scant 1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp (1.2 oz) all-purpose flour

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl, and place over a saucepan of just simmering water (not boiling!). Or just use a double boiler.
3. Stir frequently until everything is melted and smooth. Resist temptation to stop making brownies and just consume chocolate/butter. Remove bowl from heat and allow to cool just a bit.
4. In a bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, salt, and vanilla until eggs are thick and light-colored, maybe about 2 minutes.
5. Whisk in the warm chocolate.
6. Stir in the flour.
7. Scrape the batter into a 9x9 pan that has been greased with butter and dusted with cocoa powder. (Or line the pan with foil, as Slow Like Honey does).
8. Lick the bowl and spoon. Wipe your face.
9. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick/chopstick comes out clean.
10. Allow to cool. Slice into pieces, or just dig in with a big spoon. You will be in heaven!