Ingredients:
- 1 cup (225 g) Unsalted Butter, cubed
- 8 oz (225 g) Good Quality Dark Chocolate (60%+ cocoa solids), chopped
- 1 ½ cups (300 g) Granulated Sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) Light Brown Sugar, packed
- 4 Large Eggs, room temperature
- 1 Tbsp (15 ml) Vanilla Extract
- ¾ cup (90 g) All-Purpose Flour
- ¼ cup (25 g) Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (Dutch-processed preferred)
- 1 tsp Fine Sea Salt
- ½ cup (60 g) Chopped Walnuts or Pecans (Optional)
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9x9 inch (23x23 cm) baking pan with parchment paper, ensuring excess hangs over the sides to create a sling.
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and chopped dark chocolate together, stirring until smooth and glossy. Remove from heat immediately.
- Whisk the granulated sugar and brown sugar directly into the warm chocolate mixture until fully incorporated and the mixture looks slightly grainy. This step is essential for the crust.
- Add the room temperature eggs one at a time, whisking vigorously for 30–60 seconds after each addition until the mixture thickens slightly and becomes glossy. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to fold until just combined. Stop mixing immediately when no streaks of flour remain to prevent over-developing gluten.
- If using, gently fold in the optional nuts or chocolate chips.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan, levelling the top gently. Bake for 30–35 minutes. The edges should look set, and a toothpick inserted near the centre should come out with moist, fudgy crumbs attached.
- Remove from the oven and allow the brownies to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack for a minimum of 60 minutes. This cooling process is crucial for structure and chewiness.
- Once fully cooled, use the parchment sling to lift the slab out of the pan. Wipe a large, sharp knife clean between cuts, and slice into 16 even squares.