Classic Brownies

One of my favorite recipes for a perfect classic brownie comes from none other than Cook's Illustrated.  Tomorrow I am headed off to France to study abroad for a semester, so I decided my last baking endeavor before I leave would be this homey treat. I stumbled across this recipe when Sachi and I first became friends and have loved it ever since. It is truly the perfect brownie, not too cakey or too fudgy; it is just right! Feel free to add your favorite goodies to this recipe, such as peanut butter chips, chocolate chips, nuts, candies…..

Classic Brownies

{ 1 ¼ cups cake flour / ½ teaspoon salt / ¾ teaspoon baking powder /

6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped fine / 

12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces / 2 ¼ cups flour / 

4 large eggs / 1 tablespoon vanilla extract }

       Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 13x9 baking dish with tin foil and spray with non-stick spray.

       Whisk to combine flour, salt, and baking powder in medium bowl; set aside.

        Melt chocolate and butter in large heatproof bowl set over saucepan of almost simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. When chocolate mixture is completely smooth, remove bowl from saucepan and gradually whisk in sugar. Add eggs one at a time, whisking after each addition until thoroughly combined. Whisk in vanilla. Add flour mixture in three additions, folding with rubber spatula until batter is completely smooth and homogenous.

        Transfer batter to prepared pan; using spatula, spread batter into corners of pan and smooth surface. Bake until toothpick inserted into center of brownies comes out with few moist crumbs attached, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool on wire rack to room temperature about 2 hours, then remove brownies from pan by lifting the foil overhang. Cut and serve brownies! (Store leftovers in airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days)