Welcome! Brownies, anyone?

After several years of being an avid home cook and devoted reader of food blogs, I've decided to take the plunge and start my own! Sweet Pepper will be my place to share recipes, ideas, and stories related to my interests in food. First, I thought I'd share something simple but deeply satisfying - my go-to recipe for fudgy, crackly-topped brownies. I strongly prefer my brownies to be dense and rich, not cake-like, and this recipe fits the bill perfectly! I'm also a bit of a purist and prefer my brownies without nuts, but feel free to add 1/2 cup of toasted walnuts and pecans, if you'd like!

 

FUDGY BROWNIES, adapted from The Essence of Chocolate by John Scharffenberger and Robert Steinberg

6 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into cubes, with a little extra to grease the pan

8 oz 70% bittersweet chocolate (note: I've played around with using milk chocolate for my MC-loving friends, reducing the sugar by 2 tbsp, with good results)

3/4 cup + 2 tbsp granulated sugar 

1/4 tsp salt (note: a tiny sprinkling of fleur de sel atop the brownies is also lovely!)

2 large eggs

1/3 cup AP flour

• Position rack in lower third of the oven, preheat to 325 degrees
• Cut a piece of parchment paper so it hangs over the sides of an 8x8x2 pan. Lightly butter the parchment and the sides of the pan
• Melt chocolate and butter together over a double boiler, then remove from heat
• With rubber spatula or wooden spoon, beat in sugar and salt, then add eggs one at a time. Add flour and continue to mix by hand until the batter is glossy, and pulls away from the sides of the bowl (note: beating by hand in this step is key to achieving the fudgy texture and crackly top - key brownie components, in my opinion!)
  
• Pour batter into the buttered and lined pan, bake for 30-35 min until tester comes out moist but clean.
• Remove brownies by parchment "handles," then allow to cool before cutting into squares and consuming happily!

Comments

[Big boys Oven]

those brownie lookks truly good! just perfect!