Gooey Fudgy Brownies

Ingredients

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line 9x13” pan with foil or parchment paper with overhangs for easy removal.
2. Put cocoa powder, chopped chocolate, and espresso powder in a heat-proof bowl.
3. Make brown butter: Melt butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium-low heat. Once foaming and spitting, stir and scrape bottom with a spatula every 10-15 seconds. Grainy white milk solids will begin to appear on the bottom. Continue for 5-10 minutes (go by senses, not time). When foam clears and spitting noises go silent, watch closely: The milk solids will toast in seconds. As soon as the solids turn brown and smell nutty, remove pan from heat so it doesn’t burn.
4. Immediately pour hot brown butter into prepared bowl, to bloom cocoa and melt chocolate. Stir until smooth. Set aside to cool.
5. With a stand or hand mixer, whip sugars, vanilla, and eggs on medium-high until thick, smooth, fluffy, and lightened in color. For very moist, rich brownies, stop after 4-5 minutes. For slightly more height and fluff, whip 8-10 minutes until very thick and pale. (I did the lower end of the spectrum, 4-5 minutes—I’d recommend starting there.)
6. Reduce speed to low. Slowly pour chocolate-butter mixture into egg foam mixture until incorporated.
7. Using a spatula, fold in flour and salt until just incorporated. Fold in additional chocolate if using. Batter will be very thick.
8. Scoop and spread batter evenly into prepared pan.
9. Bake 25 minutes until surface is glossy and just set (not jiggly in center). Do not overbake. They will finish cooking as they cool.
10. Let cool at least 30 minutes before removing from pan to slice.