Baked these brownies for a charity and they wrote to say how much they looooovvved them! The mattress delivery men were eyeing the brownies as they went up and down the stairs…and were happy to leave with their goodie bags. They said best brownie they ever had. Wow. (Although these are very good, I’m thinking they were hungry). But it is amazing what a little treat can do for someone. That is prob my favorite part of baking. The delight (my own, and others). My family prefers the “favorite fudge brownies” and although I too love those, they can be a bit rich at times. These are chewier and have a shiny top which is fun for some reason. If you can, add the walnuts because the texture and taste is definitely heightened and you can get a good dose of omega-3 fats too (making them healthy?!) 🙂
You will need a little muscle for this recipe.
brown butter brownies (from Alice Medrich’s Sinfully Easy Delicious Desserts):
10 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup (2.4 ounces) unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably natural
rounded 1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cold large eggs
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (1.78 ounces) all purpose flour
1 cup (3.5 ounces) walnut pieces
chocolate chips (optional)
Toast your walnuts if you have time – 350 degree oven for about 10 min – plus or minus — basically until fragrant. Set aside to cool.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Line the bottom and sides of an 8 inch square baking pan with tin foil and spray with a non stick spray or rub some butter on it.
(In case you don’t remember the easiest way to line the pan, turn the pan upside-down and place the foil on top gently folding around the edges and sides. Turn pan right side up and now you have a “mold” so to speak that you can easily push into the pan to prevent the foil from tearing.)
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan and cook until it melts, and then turns golden brown. Then quickly remote pan from heat and add the sugar, cocoa powder, salt and vanilla extract. This will stop the butter from burning. Mix well and let cool for 5 minutes or so.
Add the eggs, one at a time and beat very well after each addition. Add the flour and mix well again. Once the flour is incorporated, beat the mixture with a wooden spoon – about 50 times. Yup. Hard, fast and vigorously — you want the mixture to get good and shiny.
Fold in the nuts and if you are using chocolate chips, add as well.
Pour into the foil lined pan and bake until done. A toothpick should come out just clean. Alice says 20-25 m – but check before and after. I just learned that my oven is off by 25 degrees – and yours might be too, so bake them until you think done, not the timer.
Let cool. Then remove brownies by carrying them with the foil onto a cutting board and slice. You can also invert them and gently peel off the foil first as it will be sticky.
Enjoy –
