Double Chocolate Brownies

Sometimes there’s nothing better than a simple brownie.  Finding that perfect recipe isn’t easy though, is it?  Oftentimes it takes weeding through a few recipes, though really it’s not a burden to find the recipe that really resonates with you. I’m not complaining about trying multiple brownie recipes in order to find the perfect one.  Out of all of the recipes I’ve tried thus far, Ina’s Outrageous Brownies (in all forms) have been my favorite and I think this statement still stands.  I definitely enjoyed these brownies because well, they’re brownies. They were chocolaty and moist but not as fudgy as I had hoped they would be.  Ina’s brownies outshine this recipe by way of the depth of chocolate flavor, likely due to the addition of instant coffee granules which Ina swears by in her chocolate recipes, as well as the texture.  Granted, I loved how these brownies held together really well while Ina’s brownies can be a little crumbly at times but I suppose I prefer my brownies a little softer and more fudgy.  The only other complaint I had was they they were a little thin which you can see from the photo in the link below which I didn’t look at before I made them.  This of course isn’t a huge issue but it’s necessary to ensure that you don’t over bake them since they are on the thin side and thus don’t bake as long as other recipe may.

Double Chocolate Brownies

source: Martha Stewart, Cookies

Makes 9 large or 16 small squares

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for pan
• 6 ounces coarsely chopped good-quality semisweet chocolate
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a buttered 8-inch square baking pan with foil or parchment paper, allowing 2 inches to hang over sides. Butter lining (excluding overhang); set pan aside.
2. Put butter, chocolate, and cocoa in a heatproof medium bowl set over a pan of simmering water; stir until butter and chocolate are melted. Let cool slightly.
3. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl; set aside.
4. Put sugar, eggs, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat on medium speed until pale, about 4 minutes. Add chocolate mixture; beat until combined. Add flour mixture; beat, scraping down sides of bowl, until well incorporated.
5. Pour batter into prepared pan; smooth top with a rubber spatula. Bake until a cake tester inserted into brownies (avoid center and edges) comes out with a few crumbs but is not wet, about 35 minutes. Let cool slightly in pan, about 15 minutes. Lift out brownies; let cool completely on a wire rack before cutting into squares.