Baked Brownies

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I’ve baked a few brownie recipes, trying to figure out the characteristics that I enjoy most in a brownie. Many people like dense, fudgy brownies. Others prefer moist, cakey brownies. Most recipes lie somewhere along this spectrum, and I found this recipe, which ultimately comes from the Baked Bakery in New York City, is roughly in the middle with a slight skew towards the fudgy side.

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The “taste testers” at the birthday party to which I brought these brownies much preferred the Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars instead (there was also cake and other brownies present, too), so I ended up bringing a lot of them home for “further analysis.” They were not the best brownies I’ve ever had, but I thought they were more than serviceable.

BAKED BROWNIES
Based on this recipe.

INGREDIENTS

1 1/4 cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
11 oz. dark chocolate, chopped
1 cup unsalted butter, cut into 1 tbsp. pieces
1 tsp. instant espresso powder
1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (100 g) light brown sugar
5 large eggs, room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9″ x  13″ baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang to easily remove brownies from the pan after cooling. Set aside.
  2. In the top of a double boiler set over simmering water, melt chocolate, butter, and espresso powder until chocolate and butter are completely melted and smooth.
  3. Turn off the heat, keep bowl over warm water, and add sugars, whisking until completely combined. Remove to a large bowl and allow to cool to room temperature.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and cocoa powder.
  5. Add 3 eggs to the chocolate mixture, whisking until combined, then add the remaining 2 eggs and vanilla.
  6. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate mixture, using a spatula to fold together until just combined.
  7. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 30 minutes, or until tester comes out with a few moist crumbs.
  8. Let brownies cool completely, then lift out of the pan and cut into squares.