Brownies are controversial territory to chart: Some like them cakey and light in flavor — more of a snack than a rich dessert; some like them moist and chewy; and others, the biggest chocoholics, like them to be purely decadent — almost as dense as fudge and deliciously dark.
We wanted to make sinfully rich brownies that would be a chocolate lover’s dream, so we started by using three forms of chocolate: unsweetened chocolate for intensity, cocoa powder for complexity, and bittersweet or semisweet chocolate for moisture and well-rounded flavor.
Melting butter along with the chocolate was the key to a fudgy texture, and a generous three eggs contributed richness and structure. In addition to providing a clean sweetness, granulated sugar gave the baked brownies a delicate, shiny, crackly top crust.
We found it best to cut these brownies into small bites rather than big bake-sale squares — a little goes a long way. Tasters preferred the more complex flavor of bittersweet chocolate over semisweet chocolate, but either type works well here, as does 5 ounces of bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips in place of the bar chocolate.
FUDGY BROWNIES
Servings: 36
Start to finish: 1 hour
5 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (5 ounces) all-purpose flour
Nutrition information per serving: 98 calories; 49 calories from fat; 5 g fat (3 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 25 mg cholesterol; 38 mg sodium; 12 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 8 g sugar; 2 g protein.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 36 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.