Fudgy From-Scratch Chocolate Brownies

Steps

1. 1.

   1.

   Heat the Oven and Line the Pan** Heat the oven to 175°C / 350°F. Line a 20 cm (8-inch) square pan with parchment, leaving an overhang on two sides. Lightly butter any exposed metal.

2. 2.

   Melt the Chocolate and Butter

   Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water, making sure the bowl does not touch the water. Add the butter and chopped chocolate and stir until smooth and glossy. You can also melt them in short microwave bursts, stirring between each. Take the bowl off the heat and let it stand 2 minutes so it is warm, not hot.

3. 3.

   Whisk in the Sugars

   Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar to the warm chocolate. Whisk for a full minute, until the mixture looks thick and slightly grainy — the sugar will not fully dissolve, and that is all right. The warmth is what helps later with the shiny top.

4. 4.

   Beat in the Eggs

   Whisk in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla. After the last egg, whisk firmly for 45 to 60 seconds, until the batter turns smoother, a shade glossier, and a little lighter in color. This step is what gives you that paper-thin crust.

5. 5.

   Fold in the Dry Ingredients

   Sift or whisk the flour, cocoa, salt, and espresso powder if using. Add them to the bowl and fold with a spatula just until no dry patches remain. Fold in the chocolate chunks if you want pockets of melted chocolate. Stop as soon as it comes together — extra mixing makes them cakey.

6. 6.

   Bake

   Scrape the batter into the pan and spread it into the corners. Bake 26 to 30 minutes, until the top is set and shiny, the edges have pulled a little from the pan, and a toothpick in the center comes out with moist, fudgy crumbs, not wet batter and not clean. If it comes out clean, they have gone too far.

7. 7.

   Cool Completely, Then Cut

   Cool the pan on a rack until it is just warm, about 30 minutes, then lift the slab out by the parchment and cool until fully cold — at least another 30 to 45 minutes, or chill it briefly if you want tidy squares. Cut into 16 pieces with a sharp knife, wiping the blade between cuts. The wait is the last ingredient.