Lovely Brownies

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So, I have this recipe binder that I update obsessively. All the paper is lavender, don't laugh. Every recipe has where it came from and where that person got it from too. I'd say one quarter of the recipes are from my grandmother, one quarter are from Natalie over at IowasThinking and a solid 40% are from SmittenKitchen. I've written about Deb from Smitten Kitchen before, and while I don't know Deb personally, I really, really, really like her. Every recipe is solid, every write up is fun to read. Deb, if you see this, I clearly aspire to be you, so shoot me an email.


Anyway, I recently found myself hanging at home on a Saturday afternoon with a chocolate loving friend on my mind. Friend was in great pain and I tried to think of something which would raise spirits! My future brother in law, Eric, famously loves my brownies, but I didn't want to make those for my friend, because the secret recipe is that they're from a box. So, I figured I'd turn to my most reliable source: Deb.

And I present to you:

Classic Brownies, from Cook's Illustrated
by way of Smitten Kitchen.
(Slightly modified by me, because I can't help but rush baking)

1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 Handful milk chocolate chips
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into six 1-inch pieces
2 1/4 cups (15 3/4 ounces) sugar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 325 degrees. Spray foil-lined pan with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. Whisk to combine flour, salt, and baking powder in medium bowl.
  3. Melt chocolate and butter in microwave, heat butter and chocolate in large microwave-safe bowl on high for 45 seconds intervals. Do not let chocolate burn. (Burnt chocolate is major yuck). When chocolate mixture is completely smooth, gradually whisk in sugar and vanilla.
  4. Combine butter-chocolate mixture with flour mixture.
  5. Add eggs on at a time, whisking after each addition until thoroughly combined.
  6. Throw in a handful of milk chocolate chips.
  7. Transfer batter to prepared pan; using spatula, spread batter into corners of pan and smooth surface. Bake until toothpick or wooden skewer inserted into center of brownies comes out with few moist crumbs attached, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool on wire rack to room temperature, about 2 hours, then remove brownies from pan by lifting foil overhang. Cut brownies into 2-inch squares and serve.
* Edits were apparently excellent choices because some eaters asked how I made my brownies so fudgey and delicious.

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