THE ULTIMATE BITTERSWEET BROWNIE12 Best Foods Cookbook by Dana Jacobi
Makes 16 brownies
I call these the ultimate brownie because they contain double the amount of chocolate used in the classic recipe, and all of it is deep, dark bittersweet. The result is a rich brownie with a shiny crust and fudge center.
Letting any dish made with chocolate rest overnight improves its flavor because the volatile compounds in the chocolate have time to meld and settle down.
8 ounces bittersweet (70%) or dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1. Set a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat an 8" square light-colored metal baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler or the microwave. Cool the mixture to room temperature.
3. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs with a hand mixer on medium until they are pale and doubled in volume, 2 minutes. Increase the speed to high. Gradually beat in the sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, blending it in before the next addition. This should take 1 minute. Mix in the salt and vanilla. Continue beating until the batter has the consistency of soft whipped cream and leaves a trail that sits briefly on the surface when the beater is raised, 7 minutes. Decrease the speed to medium-low and mix in the cooled chocolate.
4. Sprinkle the flour over the batter. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold it in just until blended. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
5. Bake 35 minutes, or until the brownies are crusty on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out almost clean. Cool the brownies on a wire rack for 5 hours. Using a thin, sharp knife, cut the brownies into 16 squares.
Per brownie: 128 calories, 11 g fat, 6 g saturated fat, 2 g protein, 9 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber
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