I have tried a lot of brownie recipes and none ever seem to turn out any better, or even as good as a plain old box mix. Until now! As usual, I was skeptical, but these are just amazing. Ron is one happy camper.
Alice Medrich's Best Cocoa Brownies
10 Tablespoons (1+1/4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-process)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cold large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup walnut or pecan pieces (optional)
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides.
Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium heatproof bowl and set the bowl in a wide skillet of barely simmering water. Stir from time to time until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth and hot enough that you want to remove your finger fairly quickly after dipping it in to test. Remove the bowl from the skillet and set aside briefly until the mixture is only warm, not hot.
Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one. When the batter looks thick, shiny, and well blended, add the flour and stir until you cannot see it any longer, then beat vigorously for 40 strokes with the wooden spoon or a rubber spatula. Stir in the nuts, if using. Spread evenly in the lined pan.
Bake until a toothpick plunged into the center energes slightly moist with batter, 20-25 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack. Lift up the ends of the parchment or foil liner, and transfer the brownies to a cutting board. Cut into 16 or 25 squares.
Yield: Makes 16 large or 25 smaller brownies.
Maryann's notes: This was a big pain trying to line the pan with parchment paper. Might try foil next time or nothing at all. Also, the brownies were still liquid after 25 minutes and had to bake for 45 minutes.
Alice Medrich's Best Cocoa Brownies
10 Tablespoons (1+1/4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-process)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cold large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup walnut or pecan pieces (optional)
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides.
Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium heatproof bowl and set the bowl in a wide skillet of barely simmering water. Stir from time to time until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth and hot enough that you want to remove your finger fairly quickly after dipping it in to test. Remove the bowl from the skillet and set aside briefly until the mixture is only warm, not hot.
Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one. When the batter looks thick, shiny, and well blended, add the flour and stir until you cannot see it any longer, then beat vigorously for 40 strokes with the wooden spoon or a rubber spatula. Stir in the nuts, if using. Spread evenly in the lined pan.
Bake until a toothpick plunged into the center energes slightly moist with batter, 20-25 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack. Lift up the ends of the parchment or foil liner, and transfer the brownies to a cutting board. Cut into 16 or 25 squares.
Yield: Makes 16 large or 25 smaller brownies.
Maryann's notes: This was a big pain trying to line the pan with parchment paper. Might try foil next time or nothing at all. Also, the brownies were still liquid after 25 minutes and had to bake for 45 minutes.
Maryann
"Drink your tea slowly and reverently..."
"Drink your tea slowly and reverently..."