NYTimes Brownies

I love all things I can make with chocolate. I only use the very best quality chocolate that I can buy and it makes such a difference. Same rule goes for fresh baking powder and baking soda, pure vanilla extract, organic free range eggs, etc.

When Mark Bittman posted a new brownie recipe to his Bitten Blog in the New York Times last May, I saved it away and decided today was the day to put it to good use. What appealed to me in the first place about this recipe specifically was that it didn't call for any nuts. I guess if you like them, you could probably add some, but I think brownies are way better fudgy and not tampered with!

Not only are these brownies delicious, they were so easy to make. I double the recipe and used a bigger pan. It calls for unsweetened chocolate, but I used bittersweet and it was fine; I just used a little less sugar.

Ingredients:

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate

8 tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for pan

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup flour

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract, optional

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine chocolate and butter in a small saucepan over very low heat, stirring occasionally. When chocolate is just about melted, remove from heat, and continue to stir until mixture is smooth. Meanwhile, butter and line an 8-inch square pan.

Transfer mixture to a bowl, and stir in sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add flour and vanilla if you are using it, and stir to incorporate. Stop stirring when no traces of flour remain.

Pour into pan, and bake 20 to 30 minutes, or until set and barely firm in the middle. Cool on a rack before cutting.