makes 16 – 2-inch pieces
Music Pairing: Afternoon Delight by Starland Vocal Band
It’s taken me years, but finally, at a moment when I wasn’t even really trying, I created a homemade brownie recipe that tastes as chewy and milk chocolatey as the ones that come from a boxed mix. As with my bittersweet brownies, you need to exercise patience and let these cool to get to the right chewy consistency. It will be worth it, I promise, although Alex’s idea of topping them with ice cream to speed up the cooling process is very tempting.
6 ounces (168 grams) milk chocolate chips (I use these)
1/3 cup (50 grams) whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup (25 grams) good quality dark cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) kosher salt
1 stick (112 grams) butter, cut into pieces
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
2 large eggs (100 grams)
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (175 grams) granulated natural cane sugar
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Cut a piece of parchment paper large enough to cover the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan. Grease one side of the parchment, and fit it (ungreased side down) into the pan.
Add the chocolate to a medium, microwave-safe bowl with the butter. Cook on high power in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between each cycle, until the chocolate and butter are melted. Be careful not to burn the chocolate. The timing depends on the wattage of your microwave. Add the vanilla extract, and stir to combine; set aside to cool slightly.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, and salt; set aside.
Add the eggs and sugar to a clean, large bowl. Whisk until they become thick and pale yellow, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the melted chocolate mixture. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour mixture.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it evenly to the sides. You can give the pan a tap on the counter to help it settle, too. Bake for 30 minutes until the center is set and the edges gently pull slightly away from the sides of the pan. Let cool completely before cutting.