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Ultimate Fudgy Brownies

Source of Recipe

From "Fine Cooking Cookies" by Editors of Fine Cooking


Recipe Introduction

"You won't find the secret to rich, fudgy chocolate brownies in a box: Make them from scratch for the best flavor and texture. This one-pot batter comes together in minutes and there's a good chance you already have all the ingredients on hand."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 ½ cups unsalted butter, cut into 9 pieces; more softened for the pan
â—¦ 1 ¼ cups natural unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted if lumpy
â—¦ 2 ¾ cups granulated sugar
â—¦ ½ teaspoon table salt
â—¦ 5 large eggs
â—¦ 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
â—¦ 1 â…” cups unbleached all-purpose flour


Recipe

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 325° F. Line the bottom and sides of a 9 by 13-inch straight-sided metal baking pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil, leaving about a 2-inch overhang on the short sides. Lightly butter the foil.

Put the butter in a large (4-quart) saucepan over medium-low heat and stir occasionally until melted, about 2 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth, 1 minute. Add the sugar and salt, and whisk until well blended. Use your fingertips to check the temperature of the batter—it should be warm, not hot. If it's hot, set the pan aside for a minute or two before continuing.

Whisk in the eggs, two and then three at a time, until just blended. Whisk in the vanilla until the batter is well blended. Sprinkle the flour over the batter and stir with a rubber spatula until just blended.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with small bits of brownie sticking to it, 35 to 45 minutes. For fudgy brownies, do not overbake. Cool the brownies completely in the pan on a rack, about 3 hours.

When the brownies are cool, use the foil overhang to lift them from the pan. Invert onto a cutting board and carefully peel away the foil. Flip again and cut into 24 squares. Serve immediately or wrap in plastic and store at room temperature for up to 3 days. They can also be frozen in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 1 month.

Makes 2 dozen