Sinfully rich brownies for true chocolate lovers

Brownies are controversial territory to chart. While some like them cakey and light in flavour, more of a snack than a rich dessert, others like them moist and chewy. But the biggest chocoholics like them to be purely decadent as a dense fudge and deliciously dark.

So in order to create the ultimate brownies that would be a chocolate lover’s dream, you will need three forms of chocolate: unsweetened chocolate for intensity, cocoa powder for complexity and bittersweet or semisweet chocolate for moisture and well-rounded flavour.

Melting butter along with the chocolate is the key to a fudgy texture and a generous three eggs contribute to richness and structure. In addition to providing a clean sweetness, granulated sugar gives the baked brownies a delicate, shiny, crackly top crust.

Fudgy brownies

Ingredients:

150g bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

50g unsweetened chocolate, chopped

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/4 cups white sugar

3 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup all-purpose flour

Step 1

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degree F. Make foil sling for 8-inch square baking pan by folding 2 long sheets of aluminium foil so each is 8 inches wide. Lay sheets of foil in pan perpendicular to each other, with extra foil hanging over edges of pan. Push foil into corners and up sides of pan, smoothing foil flush to pan. Grease foil.

Step 2

Microwave bittersweet and unsweetened chocolates in bowl at 50 per cent power for 2 minutes. Stir in butter and continue to microwave, stirring often, until melted. Whisk in cocoa and let mixture cool slightly.

Step 3

Whisk sugar, eggs, vanilla, and salt in large bowl until combined. Whisk chocolate mixture into sugar mixture until smooth. Using rubber spatula, stir in flour until no dry streaks remain. Transfer batter to prepared pan and smooth top.

Step 4

Bake until toothpick inserted in centre comes out with few moist crumbs attached, 35-40 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking.

Step 5

Let brownies cool completely in pan on wire rack, about 2 hours. Using foil overhang, remove brownies from pan. Uncut brownies can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Cut into small squares before serving.

Step 6

For a little extra magnificence, whisk in 1 1/2 tablespoons instant espresso powder or instant coffee powder along with cocoa and convert the fudgy triple-chocolate brownies into fudgy triple-chocolate espresso brownies.