Best Brownies

A little more chocolate never hurt anyone

1/3 cup cocoa

1 cup boiling or hot water

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

½ cup plus 2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 ½ cups sugar

1 ¾ cups all purpose flour

½ tsp table salt

1 tbsp vanilla extract

½ tsp almond extract

4 tbsp unsalted butter

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate chunks

Equipment: large mixing bowl, whisk, 9”x13” pan

Preheat oven to 350°

1.  Prep your pan: Make a foil “sling” by placing a sheet of foil down in the pan leaving an inch of overhang then lay another piece of foil perpendicular to the first with an inch of overhang.  Grease the foil and be sure to grease up the sides of the pan.

2.  Whisk cocoa and water in large bowl until smooth

3.  Lightly beat eggs and oil together in a small bowl and set aside

4.  Melt butter and unsweetened chocolate together in the microwave in 45 second increments.  Be careful not to burn the chocolate

5.  Add melted chocolate/butter mixture to the cocoa water mixture and whisk until smooth.

6.  Add eggs, oil and vanilla to the large bowl and whisk until all ingredients are incorporated.  Add the sugar and mix to combine.

7.  Fold in salt and flour until no white streaks remain then mix in the chips

8.  Bake 30-35 minutes or until moist crumbs cling to a toothpick inserted into the middle of the brownie pan.   

9.  After cooling for 5 minutes or so, lift the sling from the pan onto the cooling rack.  Let cool completely before cutting.

Possible Additions:

1 cup chopped walnuts, hazelnuts, etc.

1/2 cup shredded coconut

3/4 cup chopped dried cherries or cranberries

Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated