There are certain foods that can always be improved by adding a new twist, by pushing the limits just a little. Sea salt on chocolate chip cookies, for example, or adding bourbon to pumpkin pie. And then there are some things that definitely should never, ever be altered in the slightest, because they are perfect the way they are. In these times of uncertainty, I need to know that some things won’t change, that my reliably delicious baked goods remain that way!
Which brings me to the archetypal brownie. It is relatively thin (less than 1 inch high), and it is dense. It has less in common with chocolate cake than with fudge. It’s dark and rich – no semisweet chocolate here. And it is filled with chopped walnuts. This is that recipe.
These brownies come to us via Dorie Greenspan’s tome of baked goods. She has no fewer than 5 brownie recipes in Baking: From My Home to Yours, but this is the one that really caught my eye, because there are few things more satisfying than a perfect, classic brownie. It’s harder to achieve than you might think. I’ve tried many brownie recipes believing I can predict the result, only to find myself disappointed an hour later when it’s too cakey, or too dry. Until now. Dorie’s brownies are simple perfection.
As with anything that’s simple and made of few ingredients, make sure you’ve got the good stuff. These brownies are incredibly rich (live a little, you can cut your squares small) and you should use top-quality dark chocolate, about 60-70% (I usually use half and half, because that’s what I tend to have lying around.) Don’t overmix. Unless you have a nut allergy, you definitely want to include walnuts for some added texture and to cut the richness.
Also…I guess it’s Valentine’s Day? Lost on me, but these brownies are pretty amazing, and also pretty easy to make if you’re a novice baker looking to impress someone. No fancy equipment necessary, just a good old fashioned bowl and spoon!
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup walnuts, chopped
Instructions
- Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with foil; butter the foil and set aside. Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Put the butter in the bowl, add the chocolate pieces, and stir occasionally until the ingredients are just melted—you don’t want them to get so hot that the butter separates. Remove the bowl from the pan of water.
- With a spatula, stir the sugar into the chocolate mixture. Don’t be concerned when your smooth mixture turns grainy. One by one, add in the eggs. Add the vanilla and give the ingredients a vigorous mix before gently stirring in the espresso and the salt and flour. Stir only until incorporated. Fold in the chopped walnuts.
- Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top with the spatula. Bake for 30—33 minutes, or until the top is matte and a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and cool the brownies to room temperature.
- When the brownies are completely cool, remove them from the pan using the foil. Peel away the foil and invert brownies onto a cutting board. Cut into 16 squares, each a scant 2 inches on a side.
Notes
https://www.thekitchenchronicles.com/2017/02/14/classic-brownies/
