Best Homemade Brownie Recipe
Posted on February 6th, 2013 by Becky || 22 comments
Yes, it’s citrus season but it’s also chocolate season. Am I right? I have two tasty chocolate recipes coming up for you starting out with these jewels, Homemade Brownies. When it comes to brownies, I’ll be honest, there are no bad brownies but I do believe there are better brownies and after this recipe I think there most definitely is a best brownie. I found this recipe from Ruth Reichl on Guilt Taste. As she describes, ‘when you replace ordinary ingredients with spectacular ones, you end up with something that is rich, deeply chocolate and lingers in your memory like a wonderful dream.’
For as long as I can remember I have loved brownies. Maybe it was all the Texas chocolate sheet cake (basically a brownie) or just the gatherings of girl friends over the years that almost always included a plate full of dense chocolate brownies. I can remember making them on my own for the first time with a girl friend and overloading the box mix with all kinds of chocolate candy (much like Parent Trap). And I can remember making them for a group of cheerleaders in college, where the plate remained untouched (a unfathomable happening).
After trying many recipes over the years, I think I’ve finally met my match. These brownies are taller with a deep fudge-like interior and a crackling meringue-like top that crunches when you take a bite! I know I’ll be making them for years to come, maybe my kids will be making it for their kids (…it’s that good). This may even turn into your house brownie recipe as well!
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup (5 ounces) unsalted high-fat butter (like European or European-style butters)
- 5 ounces unsweetened excellent chocolate
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 teaspoons best-quality vanilla extract
- 4 farm fresh organic eggs
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup all-purpose white flour, sifted
Instructions
- To prepare the pan, butter a 9x9 square pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Butter the bottom again and lightly dust the pan with chocolate or cocoa powder.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Melt the chocolate and the butter in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
- Beat the eggs and salt in a stand mixer. Add the sugar and beat on high for about 10 minutes, until the mixture has turned quite white. Add the chocolate mixture to the eggs, beating on low until just mixed.
- Gently stir in the flour until it just disappears.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan, place in the middle of the oven and immediately turn the temperature down to 350 degrees. Bake for 40 minutes; the brownies will be quite fudgy and a toothpick should come out not quite clean. Cool on a rack.
- Invert the pan, remove the parchment paper and invert again onto a cutting surface. Cut into squares.
i have an extra soft spot in my heart for super fudgy brownies with the crackly, light colored top. these look spectacular!
You know I love my brownies, can’t wait to try these! Maybe you should come over and bake brownies with me so I won’t eat the entire pan by myself:)
Sounds like a good plan! And we still need to chat about mail chimp.
I feel like I can just taste these already – I love it when they’re crispy-ish on the outside and perfectly gooey inside!
Um- those look perfect! I love the crackling on the top (and the top photo with the dense center had me sold). I also love how few ingredients they have in them! Can’t wait to try these!
Erin, if you try them, you’ll have to let me know what you think!!
Okay, you sold me! Will be trying these soon.
Yes! You achieved that lovely crackly top! Love that!
Sounds like a recipe I’d love.
When is it not chocolate season?
I couldn’t agree more!
These DO look like they are the best brownie ever. I’m always tinkering with new recipes. Can’t wait to try! And I agree- it’s always chocolate season!
You’re so right…great things come from great ingredients. I love the cracked top on these.
It really looks so so yummy!
I just made these had to cook an extra 10 mins there’s still pure liquid in the middle. So sad don’t know what went wrong. I put them back in the oven for another 20 mins.
Shay, are you at a different altitude?? I’ve made this recipe many times and haven’t had that problem. After 20 more minutes were they okay? They’ll also set a bit more after you take them out of the oven and let them cool. Also, make sure you’re baking them in a 9×9 inch square pan. Thanks so much for following up after you made the recipe. Hope you’ll try them a second time.
Ugh it was 8×8 and almost made the same mistake on the second batch but caught your comment. I used an 8×11. There %100 better very yummy I added 2tsp of habanera sugar gave them a nice kick. Thank you for sharing and getting back to me.
Do you think these would work well if I baked them in cupcake liners instead? They look absolutely amazing!
I bet so! But don’t bake them as long if you do. Let me know how they turn out.
Goodness, I’ve had brownies on my mind for a couple of weeks and between watching Mary Fran of Frannycakes.com demo her brownies on Saturday and seeing these today, I think I’m toast. Brownies are happening. The perfect homemade Valentine’s gift. Miss you and can’t wait to meet baby. Love to the hubs too.
XO
So great to hear from you Sabrina! You must make these. Thanks me later
Baby is growing and dancing around in my belly every day!!
I love that you list high-fat butter. That’s got to be good. This already looks like a keeper. I love your “BEST” recipes series.