Fudgiest Brownies (EVER).

This is for those of us that love chocolate too much--not just a little more than most, or sometimes when we've had a hard day, but truly deeply and passionately adore it. If that's not you, then just go ahead and back away from the brownie tray and let others have at it. Perhaps *you* can have a Tootsie Roll, or a Hershey's kiss...

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped (I use chocolate chips--and it's 4 cups of chocolate.)

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

6 large eggs

2 cups granulated white sugar

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Butter (or spray with a nonstick cooking spray) a 9 x 13 inch pan. Then line the pan with parchment paper.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a large heatproof bowl/double boiler placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Remove from heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl whisk (can use a hand mixer) together the eggs and sugar. Fold in the melted chocolate mixture and vanilla extract.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt and then fold into the chocolate and sugar mixture until well combined.

Pour into the prepared pan and bake for about 40 - 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. Serve at room temperature or chilled. Store leftovers in the refrigerator. These freeze very well. (I freeze them to keep from eating continually...they are still quite good. As for the serving recommend, I usually like mine scalding hot straight from the oven, because I'm impatient. Of course, they are delicious however you eat them--even slightly frozen.)


As is usually the case with truly remarkable recipes that I adore, this comes from joyofbaking.com.

p.s. She put this recipe back up because I sent an e-mail of alarm and chagrin that it was no longer there for the rest of world to enjoy. She calls them "fudgy", but I can't resist the superlative.