Brownies

Dense, Chewy, Fudgy, Chocolate Brownies.

Ingredients:

1 cup flour
2 cups white sugar
¾ cup cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking powder
A few turns of salt
2 sticks of butter
4 eggs
Vanilla extract
1-2 tablespoons of expresso powder or a splash of coffee
Semi-sweet chocolate chips (for an extra fudgy brownie)
Optional toppings: chocolate chips, chocolate bar, toffee bits, caramel
9×12 inch cake pan

Steps:

Place 2 sticks of butter into a 9×12 cake pan (or your pan of choice). Preheat oven to 350F and place the pan inside. Allow the butter to melt completely.
In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 cups sugar, 1 cup flour, ¾ cup baking cocoa, ½ teaspoon baking powder, and a few turns of salt. Optionally add 1-2 tablespoons of espresso powder. Stir gently until ingredients are thoroughly mixed.
When the butter has melted, remove the baking pan from the oven. Tilt the pan from side to side to coat the sides of the pan with butter. Add the melted butter to a medium mixing bowl along with 4 eggs and a splash of vanilla extract. Optionally, add a splash of coffee (liquid coffee is an alternative to espresso powder, I have not tried adding both to the same batch of brownies). Mix vigorously to ensure that the eggs are beaten.
Combine the two mixtures, adding the wet mixture to the dry. Mix until all ingredients are well incorporated and a dark, smooth batter forms. For extra fudgy and more chocolate-intensive brownies, fold chocolate chips into the batter.
Before adding the batter to the baking pan, sprinkle a small quantity of flour on the bottom and sides of the pan (this will prevent the brownies from sticking to the pan later on). Then, pour the batter into the pan. Gently shake the pan from side to side until the batter forms an even layer reaching all four corners of the pan.
Bake on 350F for 25-40 minutes. After about 25 minutes, I like to check the brownies periodically by stabbing them with a butter knife or toothpick. When the knife/toothpick comes out mostly clean, the brownies are done.

Notes and Results:

On Toppings: Brownies are better with toppings. I recommend the following 4 styles:
- Chocolate: More chocolate is always good. To make the brownies pictured in the photos above and below, just sprinkle your desired quantity of chocolate chips on top of the brownies when they are nearly done baking. I put these mini semi-sweet chips on after about 25 minutes, and then continued baking for another 10 minutes. I recommend putting the chips on part way through the baking process. When I tried adding them before baking, they melted and sunk into the batter.
- Chocolate #2: Alternatively, you can chop up a chocolate bar and place the chunks on top of the brownie batter before baking. The chopped chocolate bar seems to maintain its shape and resist sinking into the brownie batter better than chocolate chips. Its nice to get a big bite of concentrated chocolate on top of your chocolate brownie.
- Toffee: For a crispy, chewy toffee topping, sprinkle toffee bits on top of the brownie batter before baking. I used Heath English Toffee Bits found in the baking section of my grocery store.
- Caramel: This is the most complicated topping variation, and one that I have not mastered yet. I at first tried placing caramel chews directly on top of the batter before baking, but they didn’t melt and were kind of tough to chew. On the second attempt, I heated some caramel chews and a little butter in a saucepan over medium heat. After stirring for several minutes, the caramel and butter melted, forming a caramel sauce that I poured over the brownies right after they finished baking.