These rich treats have very little flour, making them extremely fudgy and delicious.
I like to use two different types of chocolate, semi-sweet and bittersweet when making the brownies, but you can use all one type of chocolate if you have a preference.
A tablespoon of espresso powder really takes the chocolate flavor over the top. If you don’t have espresso powder, you can use regular instant coffee granules.
The addition of some chocolate morsels, folded into the batter just before spreading it into the baking dish, keeps the brownies extra moist.
Preparation of the baking dish is an important step that should not be skipped. You’ll want to line it with parchment paper that extends above the sides of the baking dish on two sides. This will provide you with handles so that you can remove the brownies from the pan and slice them on a cutting board. A spray of baking spray or nonstick cooking spray keeps everything from sticking as well.
I like to wrap leftover individual brownies in plastic wrap and store them in the freezer. They can thaw on the counter or in the microwave.
For a special treat, warm a brownie in the microwave and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
DARK CHOCOLATE BROWNIES
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into cubes
2 2/3 cups chocolate morsels, preferably a combination of semisweet and dark chocolate, plus ½ cup for stirring into the batter
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
4 eggs, at room temperature
½ cup all-purpose flour, sifted
1 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
1 tablespoon espresso powder or instant coffee powder
Softened butter and cocoa powder for dusting pan
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cut or fold a piece of parchment so that it measures 9-by-12 inches and place in the bottom of a 9-inch square baking dish. Butter the parchment and exposed edges of the baking dish and dust with cocoa powder. You can also spray the parchment and sides of the pan with baking spray.
Melt the chocolate and butter over a double boiler or in the microwave, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
Stir the sugar and vanilla into the chocolate and then beat in the eggs, one at a time, using an electric hand mixer.
Add the flour, salt and espresso or coffee powder and beat for 3 minutes, until thick. Fold in the remaining ½ cup of chocolate morsels and spread the mixture in the prepared baking dish. Bake for 40-50 minutes, until puffed and the center is cooked.
Remove from the oven and set on a rack to cool for 10 minutes. Use a knife to loosen the brownies from the sides of the pan and then use the parchment paper that extends over the other sides to lift out the brownies. Cool completely on the rack.
Makes about 9 large or 1 dozen small brownies.