It’s Valentine’s Day! Which is practically synonymous with chocolate and love. And I can’t think of a better way to highlight both than to make a batch of homemade brownies. As Nigella says in her book, “It’s not as if I were short of a brownie recipe or two.” I understand that the brownie (chocolatey, gooey, warm…) is highly subjective to personal taste. But I’m going to come right out and say it: This is the best from scratch brownie I’ve ever had.
Makes 16
1 1/4 sticks (10 Tbsp) unsalted Butter
1 3/4 cups (packed) light Brown Sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened Cocoa powder, sifted
1 cup all-purpose Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Salt
4 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla extract
Confectioner’s sugar, to dust (optional)
1 x aluminum foil-lined baking pan approx 13x9x2 (I used parchment paper)
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Melt the butter over a gentle heat in a medium-sized saucepan.
When it’s melted, add the sugar, stirring with a wooden spoon (still over a low heat) to help it blend with the melted butter.
Whisk together the cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, and salt, and then stir into the pan; when mixed (this will be a very dry mixture, and not wholly blended at this stage), remove from the heat.
In a bowl or pitcher, whisk the eggs with the vanilla extract and then mix into the brownie mixture in the pan.
Quickly pour and scrape mixture into a foil-lined baking pan or disposable foil pan, spreading the mixture with a spatula, and cook in the preheated oven for approx. 20-25 minutes. It will look set, dark and dry on top, but when you feel the surface, you will sense it is still wibbly underneath and a cake tester will come out gungy. This is desirable.
Transfer the pan to a rack to cool a little before cutting into 16 pieces and dusting with confectioner’s sugar. I love these gorgeously warm. But then again, I love them cold, too. Actually, when cold they are properly speaking more brownie-like; gooily tender within and chewy on top.
I agree with Nigella completely about the texture… mine were perfectly done in 20 minutes. If you’d like, use a heart-shaped cookie cutter before dusting with powdered sugar and serving. Have a great day full of love (and chocolate)!