I'm perpetually on the hunt for the best basic recipes: the best vanilla cupcakes, best macaroni + cheese, etc. and for a while I was on the hunt for the best (to me) brownies. I've been using and refining this recipe for about 3 years now, and I think it's the one for me - and maybe it'll suit your fancy, too!
As far as sweet stuff goes, I fear I have very simple taste. Chocolate chip cookies? Best cookies. Milk Chocolate? Best chocolate. This is the confectionery world I inhabit - the same one as when I was seven. And because of this, I make a lot of brownies...at least a batch every other week.
These are so reliable, so fast, and so good, and they fit my brownie-criteria to a T. I know that people look for different things in their brownie, but these are my top concerns:
-Chewiness
-Soft-ish insides
-Crisp (but not hard) little crust on top and sides
The little crust is, to me, extremely important and kind of elusive - but these have got it (food science-wise, I'm pretty sure it comes from a high ratio of sugar-to-flour).
So, here's how to make 'em!
You need: 1 medium sized pot, parchment, and an 8" sq. baking dish
Ingredients: 1 stick butter (8 tbsp)
1/2 c Brown Sugar
1 c White Sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 c flour
1/2 c cocoa
Pinch salt
Tbsp Vanilla
1. Preheat Oven to 390
2. Melt butter in pot over stove
3. Remove butter from heat, let cool about a minute, then add sugars (just use the pot as your bowl...it saves you more dishes). Mix well.
4. Add eggs, flour, cocoa, salt, and generous tablespoon-splash of vanilla, and mix well.
5. Line baking dish (I use a glass one) with parchment, pour in batter, and pop in oven.
6. Bake 20-25 minutes, I test with a knife in the center and remove when only a few little crumbs cling to the knife.
7. Cool one hour or overnight.
They have this almost caramel-y quality that is just so good. Okay, I'll stop talking about them. I think I need to eat a peach or a carrot or something...I'm getting a sugar-crash from writing all of this.
See you soon & Happy Tuesday!
