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Prescription-Strength Fudge Brownies

Source of Recipe


From "The Weekend Baker" by Abigail Johnson Dodge






List of Ingredients



• 12 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
  
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch process), sifted if lumpy
  
• 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
  
• 1/4 tsp salt
  
• 2 large eggs
  
• 1-1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  
• 1/2 cup topping (choose from semisweet, peanut butter, or white chocolate chips; coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans; or chopped hard peppermint candies), optional
  






Instructions



1. Position an oven rack on the middle rung. Heat the oven to 350° F. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking dish.
   
   
2. Put the butter in a medium saucepan and set over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter is melted. Slide the pan from the heat and add the cocoa powder. Whisk until the mixture is smooth. Add the sugar and salt and whisk until blended. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking after each addition just until blended. Whisk in the vanilla with the second egg. Sprinkle the flour over the chocolate mixture and stir with a rubber spatula just until blended.
   
   
3. Scrape the batter into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly. Scatter the topping evenly over the batter, if using.
   
   
4. Bake until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out with small, gooey clumps of brownie sticking to it, about 32 minutes. Don't overbake, or the brownies won't be fudgy. Transfer the baking dish to a rack to cool.
   
   
5. Using a bench scraper or a knife, cut the cooled brownie into 3 equal strips, then cut each strip into 4 equal pieces. If the brownie is still warm, it will be hard to cut it cleanly. But even if these fudgy cookies are completely cool, some sticky crumbs will be left on the knife.
   
   Makes 1 dozen (2-inch) brownies.