“These brownies are not too fudgy, not too stick to your enamels chewy, not too cakey, but are moist, chocolaty, with just the right texture (pour moi)….and divine”
December is a ridiculously busy month with year-end chaos at work, decluttering my home in preparation for a new year, studying with my 8 year old for tests, deciding, shopping, gift wrapping (bah humbug), get-togethers. It’s also the month I give myself a free pass to indulge….which guarantees that “eat less, join the gym, abandon testing recipes” will once again appear in first place on my list of resolutions.
I unearthed a few brownie recipes and did some delicious experimenting…I used unsweetened cocoa powder(Trader Joe’s), because that’s what I had on hand. Recipes with ½ cup of flour yielded a recipe that was too fudgy and chewy. I then increased the flour, which resulted in a cake-like brownie. So I removed the baking powder… I used one egg, then two, whisked it a lot, whisked it a little, tried with brown sugar, white sugar, a combination of brown and white. I ate and ate some more. Until I was so wired from the excess sugar consumption, I was forced to meditate to stabilize my heart rate..….. Ommmmm…..It was fun. While it lasted.
Cocoa Brownies
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder** (chocaholics please use 3/4 cup)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup chopped chocolate and pecans or walnuts, optional
I wrapped it on the outside first, so it will easily fit into pan…
If you have an aversion to foil, use unbleached parchment paper. [UPDATE: I now use parchment paper and don’t need to grease it]…
Add the flour and cocoa mixture and fold in until smooth. Fold in nuts–if using.
****Bake @ 350°F for 30-35 minutes until edges become stiff but center is still soft and moist (but not uncooked) to the touch. Toothpick inserted in the middle should not be clean but have little crumbs. [30 minutes was adequate in my oven]
****Wrap leftovers in plastic and store in the refrigerator.
Other recipes you will love:
Sawine – Sweet Vermicelli Dessert
Roat- Crispy Ghee Biscuit
Cocoa Brownies
Equipment
- baking pan
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter 8 tablespoons, 1 stick (preferably organic sweet cream or other good quality butter)
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder** chocaholics please use 3/4 cup
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 1/4 cup chopped chocolate and pecans or walnuts optional
- salt pinch
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.**
- Line an 8x8 inch baking pan with foil, leaving a two inch over hang on both sides.
- Mix flour and cocoa powder in a small bowl. Set aside.
- To the melted butter, add sugar, salt and vanilla. Mix briefly.
- Add eggs and mix vigorously until just combined, about 15-20 times total.
- Add the flour and cocoa mixture and fold in until smooth. Fold in nuts and chopped chocolate-if using.
- Pour the batter into the baking dish and spread evenly, smoothing top, pushing batter to the edges.
- ****Bake @ 350°F for 30-35 minutes until edges become stiff but center is still soft and moist (but not uncooked) to the touch. Toothpick inserted in the middle should not be clean but have little crumbs. [30 minutes was adequate in my oven]
- Lift out of pan using foil overhang and place on a wire rack to cool. Cut into 16 (or 9) pieces.
Notes
Nutrition
Looks yummy!!! Can't to try….