Classic Brownies.

Classic Brownie

I had my last meeting with my fellow "tour guides in training" this past week. As they all know, one of my fun facts on my tours is that I'm an "avid baker."A few have been asking me to bake for them, and frankly I never pass up an excuse to bake on a Tuesday night...or any night that is.

It's been a brownie-filled week! I always strive to make something different each time I bake, but frankly I had no clue what particular sweet that my fellow friends would enjoy.


Brownies are a win-win situation. I have yet to meet a single person who doesn't really care for brownies. This being said, I still searched for a recipe that was slightly altered and different from a "regular," brownie recipe. I came across Smitten Kitchen's take on the "classic" brownie. The eye-popping ingredient in these brownies is Cake Flour!

I made a cake for one of my roommates earlier this year, and had some cake flour remaining (amazingly, the perfect amount for this recipe ). I figured I'd try it, also the fact Smitten Kitchen claims it's her favorite brownie recipe pushed me over the edge.

I believe there were around 25-30 small 2 inch brownies. I brought them all to our last meeting, and between the seven of us they were gone. They all loved them. I too enjoyed them, and you will too if you like slightly cakey, compact, chocolate infused bars!

Classic Brownies

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Yield: 25-30 2 inch brownies

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup cake flour

1/2 teaspoon slat

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped fine

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 1/4 cups granulated sugar

4 large eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Steps:

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 325 degrees F.

2. Prepare 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Fit the pan with foil. Make sure it covers the entirety of the pan, and conforms to pan's shape, let foil hang over the edges. Spray foil-lined pan with nonstick cooking spray.

3. Whisk to combine flour, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl; set aside.

4. Melt chocolate and butter in a large heatproof bowl set over saucepan of almost-simmering water, stirring occasionally, until smooth. OR Microwave Style: Microwave, heat butter and chocolate in large microwave-safe bowl on high for 45 seconds, then stir and heat for 30 seconds more . Continue to stir and melt at 15 second intervals.

5. When chocolate mixture is completely smooth, remove bowl from saucepan and gradually whisk in sugar. 

6. Add eggs one at a time, whisking after each addition.

7. Whisk in vanilla.

8. Add flour mixture in three additions, folding with rubber spatula until batter is completely smooth and homogenous.

9. Transfer batter to prepared pan; using spatula, spread batter into corners of pan and smooth surface.

10. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Make sure to check for doneness by inserting a toothpick or wooden skewer into center of brownies. When stick comes out clean, take out of the oven.

11. Take out of the oven and cool on wire rack for about 2 hours. Cut and serve!

12. Stores in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

What I Did Differently:

1. I used 1 stick of unsalted butter, and 1/2 stick of regular butter.

2. I used semisweet chocolate chips (there is no room in the budget to go buy nice chocolate!).

3. Smitten Kitchen gives you the option to use nuts, I did not do this part.

4. I microwaved my chocolate and butter together, much easier and faster.

5. I checked for doneness and even baked this for 35 minutes, and I would argue that they were still a tad under baked for my preference. However, no one seemed to object!

*My brownies are not as beautiful as Smitten Kitchen's, but a recommendation if you are going for appearance and that perfect "cut," is to refrigerate the brownies prior to slicing them!