Baked Brownies

These are from the cookbook Baked: New Frontiers in Baking.  I found them on Brown Eyed Baker.

I had to take advantage of my last chance of the Spring to make a snack for our small group.  Nick suggested brownies, and so my recipe hunt began.  I didn't have to look far, starting on Brown Eyed Baker's blog.  She talked up these brownies (and talked up how other people talked them up) so much that I had to make them.  And they're awesome.  I considered making an icing for them, but it totally wasn't necessary.  They're awesome on their own.  

The only problem that I had was that I didn't let them cool completely before cutting them and they didn't cut nicely.  The good part about this was that it allowed for a lot of tasting of crumbs!  But make sure they have enough time to cool.  At an hour and a half the center was still not cool.

Baked Brownies

makes 24 brownies

• 1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp. salt

• 2 Tbsp. dark unsweetened cocoa powder

• 11 oz. dark chocolate, coarsely chopped

• 1 c. (8 oz.) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces

• 1 tsp. instant espresso powder

• 1 1/2 c. granulated sugar

• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

• 5 eggs, at room temperature

• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350°.  Grease the sides and bottom of a 9x13 glass or light colored baking pan.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and cocoa powder together.

3. Put the chocolate, butter, and instant espresso powder in a large bowl and set it over a saucepan of simmering water (I used a double boiler).  Stir occasionally, until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and smooth.  Turn off the heat, but keep the bowl over the water and add the sugars.  Whisk until completely combined, then remove the bowl from the pan.  The mixture should be room temperature.

4. Add three eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk until combined.  Add the remaining eggs and whisk until combined.  Add the vanilla and stir until combined.  Do not over beat the batter at this stage or your brownies will be cakey.

5. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate mixture.  Using a rubber spatula (not a whisk) fold in the flour mixture until just a bit of the flour is visible.

6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.  Bake in the center of the oven for 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs sticking to it.  Let the brownies cool completely.  Cut into squares and serve.