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Brownies

All right, I admit it: my name is Ron and I'm a chocoholic.
This is the finest brownie recipe that I've ever tried and believe me: I've tried thousands. (well, dozens maybe...)
A warning, though: low calorie and low fat these most decidedly are NOT. But once in a while you just need to indulge.


2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
4 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
10 Tbsp. (1 stick plus 2 Tbsp.) unsalted butter
1-1/4 cups sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 large eggs
3/4 cup walnuts, pecans, macadamia nuts or peanuts, toasted (optional)


Preheat oven to 325º F. and set a rack on the lower-middle level. Spray an 8-inch square pan with vegetable spray. Fit a 16 by 8-inch sheet of foil into the pan and up and over two sides, so you can use the foil overhang as handles to pull the cooked brownies from the pan. Spray the foil with vegetable cooking spray. Whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder in a small bowl. Set aside.
Melt the chocolates and butter in the top of a double boiler over simmering water.
Remove from the heat and whisk in the sugar and vanilla. Whisk in the eggs, one at
a time, fully incorporating each one before adding the next. Continue to whisk until
the mixture is completely smooth and glossy. Add the dry ingredients and whisk until just incorporated. Stir in the nuts, if using.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Bake until a cake tester
or toothpick inserted into the center comes out with wet crumbs: 35 to 45 minutes.
Important note: if the toothpick comes out clean, the brownies are overcooked.
Cool the brownies in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Use the foil handles to pull the one big brownie from the pan and turn it out on the rack upside down to cool completely, at least 3 hours. Cut the brownies into 16 squares. If not serving immediately, don't cut the brownies but instead wrap the whole cake in plastic wrap,
then foil, and refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze.

Makes 16 brownies.