I kid you not. A magickal space between fudge and cake exists and it is in these brownies…when you are feeling sad or needy or have a deep chocolatey sweet tooth urging you to find the happy place, or even if you are in a lovely appreciative-of-all-the-worlds-gifts kind of mood – this will exalt you to a higher plane.
One of these, with a glass of deep red wine cures most ills. Hoard these from your children, relatives, and neighbors.
Best Brownies Ever
10 Tbsp butter (1 1/4 sticks) (plus a little for preparing the pan)
1 + 2 Tbsp sugar
3/4 + 2 Tbsp cup cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 Lg cold eggs
1/2 cup flour (can substitute GF flour here, but use a premix, not just rice or tapioca, etc)
2/3 cup nuts (optional, hazelnut or pecan work esp well)
Position a rack in the lower 3rd of the oven. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter an 8″ square baking pan.
Melt butter in saucepan. When melted, take off heat and stir in sugar until sugar is dissolved. Use spatula and transfer to mixing bowl. Stir in cocoa and salt.
With a wooden spoon (yes, do it, just like I say) stir in vanilla. Add eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one. When the batter looks thick, shiny, and well-blended add the flour and cinnamon and stir until just barely blended (so you cannot see it any longer), then beat vigorously for 40 strokes with the wooden spoon (yes, count, I swear it’s the secret – don’t mess with the secret).
Stir in the nuts, if using.
Spread evenly in pan. Bake until toothpick comes out clean, 20-25 min.
Cut right away but let cool in the pan, on a rack. Enjoy!
Rock Bottom Homestead 