I can't tell you how many times I have rewritten this post because I keep meaning to finish it but I could never seem to get it done! I blame the busyness of the last two months. This term has been incredibly hectic and has left me gasping most of the time and reaching for some sort of respite. In spite of that, I am still thankful to have gone through such an intensely busy season, for it is a way for me to grow as a person. The busyness is not over yet, though, and I have my sights set on the next break already.
July was the month where my brownie craze began, and this craze carried over until now, when it can be finally resolved (until I start meddling with the recipe again, ha). I went on a hunt for my perfect brownie. I have made brownies before, many times (my very first blog post is a brownie recipe!). They are one of my favourite desserts (though, let's be honest, I have a long list of 'favourite desserts') purely for its richness and chocolatey-ness (yes, it's a word). Paired with ice cream, it's a dessert that is out-of-this-world amazing.
In fact, I think brownies are the quintessential dessert. They are the dessert that every baker would have in their arsenal. I would think that every baker would have at least one brownie recipe up their sleeve, and if not, multiple variations and varieties of brownie recipes. So the classic brownie became something I wanted to nail, hence the obsession in recent weeks. The good news is that I think I have finally found it – a really, really good brownie!
Look at it!!
I won't go as far as to say that these are perfect. There are many recipes out there for brownies – all you have to do is Google "brownie recipe" and you would get tons of search returns, with many claiming to be perfect or the best. I'm definitely not slamming anyone for saying that their brownies are the best; everyone has different preferences when it comes to brownies, so what is perfect for me may not be perfect for you (vice versa). And that's perfectly okay! So, I'm going to just go with calling these "Really Good Fudgy Brownies", because they truly are really good.
Really Good Fudgy Brownies
Makes one 8 × 8 inch brownie
Ingredients
170 g (approx 12 Tbs) unsalted butter
113 g dark chocolate (at least 70%), coarsely chopped
2 tsp instant espresso powder
1 tsp sea salt or kosher salt
100 g (approx 3/4 cup + 2 tsp) all-purpose flour
55 g (approx 1/2 cup + 1 Tbs) dutch-processed cocoa powder
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
150 g (3/4 cup) white granulated sugar
100 g (1/2 cup) brown sugar
100 g semi-sweet chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate
Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling (optional)
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper.
In a bowl over a bain-marie or in a microwave, melt the butter and chocolate together and stir until smooth. Stir in espresso and salt.
In a large bowl, sift together flour and cocoa powder.
Whisk together eggs, sugars and vanilla until pale and fluffy, for 5 minutes. Slowly stream in the butter-chocolate mixture. Then, fold in the dry ingredients and chocolate chips or chopped chocolate.
Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes (check it at 25 min). To test for doneness, insert a skewer or toothpick into the middle of the brownies. If it comes out with a few moist crumbs (or with a streak of wetness but not wet batter), it is done. Do not over-bake it.
Let brownies cool completely in the pan before removing it and slicing it. To get clean slices, warm the knife in hot water and dry it with a paper towel. Slice the brownie into squares. The brownies can be stored at room temperature for up to 5 days, or wrapped and frozen for up to three months.