How about we kick off 2016 with a batch of fudgy, gooey, 72% chocolate brownies? 🙂
My little (and now taller-than-me) brother and I made these the other day from the Chocolate Obsession cookbook by Michael Recchiuti and Fran Cage. The recipe originally called for unsweetened chocolate—we had some 72% chocolate on hand so we made adjustments to chocolate, sugar and butter content. A bit of math, thanks to this handy chocolate converter website, ChocolateCrafter.com. Including this sentence, this paragraph mentions “chocolate” seven times! 😀
Full recipe after the jump!
The texture is more fudge-like than cake-like: more fudgy if you eat them right out of the refrigerator; gooey when enjoyed at room temperature.
Michael Recchiuti Fudge Brownies
[Modified from original recipe replacing unsweetened chocolate for 72%]
INGREDIENTS
(16 brownies)
- Vegetable spray for pan
- 8.3 oz. 72% chocolate (we had the Pound Plus Belgian Chocolate bar from Trader Joe’s), coarsely chopped, divided into halves
- 3.2 oz. or 6 tbsps plus 1 tsp unsalted butter
- 3 1/3 oz. or 2/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt (we used sea salt)
- 3 extra large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract, preferably Madagascar Bourbon (this book is one of those legit, chef-y cookbooks :D)
- 6.5 oz. or 13 tbsps granulated cane sugar
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Line the bottom of an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper and liberally coat the paper and the pan sides with flavorless vegetable oil.
- Put 2 1/2 ounces of the chocolate and the butter in a medium stainless-steel bowl and set over a pot of simmering water. Heat, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate and butter melt and are fully combined and the mixture is smooth. Lift the bowl from the pot. Set aside.
- Sift the flour and salt together into a bowl. In another bowl, combine the eggs and vanilla extract and whisk together by hand until blended. Whisk in the sugar.
- Whisk the egg mixture into the chocolate. Add the flour and the remaining 2 1/2 ounces chocolate to the batter and, using a rubber spatula, mix well.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Spread it evenly with a small offset spatula.
- Bake on the middle shelf of the oven until the top gives slightly to the touch and a skewer inserted into the center of the brownie comes out with some batter clinging to it, about 30 minutes. let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold.
- Run a table knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the sides of the brownie, and then slide the brownie, still on the paper, onto a work surface. Using a ruler to guide you and a sharp knife, cut into sixteen 2-inch squares. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 weeks.
Enjoy with coffee or tea.
Fudgy, gooey, 72%-chocolate brownies
