I have two favourite all-chocolate brownie recipes, one iced (which belongs to my mother-in-law), and one chewy. This is the chewy version. It’s the only thing you’ll ever need to entice a Valentine, wow a potluck, or cheer up a teary-eyed child. Or, store some in a tin beside the bed….
This recipe is my streamlined version of a gorgeous but rather spendy and work-intensive recipe from Cook’s Illustrated. I adore that chocolate chunk brownie. But, frankly, when I’m baking for a group or when I’m in a bit of a rush, a) I don’t want to be twee about the type of cocoa powder I use, b) I don’t want to bother chopping a fancy bar of chocolate into chunks when I can use chips, c) I don’t want to separate eggs, and d) whenever possible, I only want to use one measuring spoon or cup per ingredient. Hence, my own sweet rush.
Chewy Chocolate Chip Brownies
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup boiling water
- 2 oz unsweetened chocolate either melted in slow bursts on medium power in the microwave or chopped into small bits
- 4 tbs unsalted butter melted
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
- 1 tbs vanilla
- 2 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 3/4 cups flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 with the rack in the lowest position.
- Line a 9×13 pan crosswise with two long layers of tin foil, ensuring one set of long edges hanging out over the 9-in sides so that you can easily remove the brownie from the pan.
- Spray foil-lined pan with baking spray.
- Bring water to a boil.
- Either melt the 2 oz of unsweetened chocolate in slow pulses on medium heat in the microwave or chop it into small bits.
- Melt the butter.
- Decant the 1/2 cup boiling water into a large mixing bowl.
- Whisk the cocoa powder in the boiling water until smooth.
- Add the melted unsweetened chocolate [or chopped unsweetened chocolate] and whisk until incorporated and smooth.
- Add the melted butter and oil and whisk well. The mixture will still appear a bit separated.
- Add the eggs and whisk again.
- Whisk in the sugar and vanilla.
- Using a spatula, add the flour and salt.
- Add the chips and fold gently.
- Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until knife comes out relatively clean – don’t be fooled by the melting chips! [Mine usually go for 30.]
- Move the brownie in its pan to a wire rack and cool the brownie in the pan for at least one hour. Two hours would be ideal, but, who are we kidding?
- Carefully, using the foil overhang edges, lift the brownie from the pan in its foil and cool completely. At this stage, I like to enlist a partner to hold a cutting board or a platter at the height of the brownie tray so that I can transfer the brownie to a flat surface with as little fuss as possible. Of course, the brownie may crack a bit.
- Slice brownie into squares.
Leave a Reply