Brownies: It’s the Technique, Not the Recipe
For last night’s Project Runway 3 finale, my friends had a potluck dinner, and I brought brownies. I love the brownie recipe I use. It turns out every time. It’s easy (even easier when I melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave) and it’s quick. It’s from Alice Medrich’s book Cookies and Brownies, which I bought based on a recommendation in Cook’s Illustrated. Buy Medrich’s book, or, if you’re feeling cautious, borrow it from the library and audition it for your home cookbook collection.
New Classic Brownies from Alice Medrich’s Cookies and Brownies
8 Tbl. unsalted butter cut into 8 pieces
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, coursely chopped
1 1/4 c. sugar (can use light brown, white, or a mixture of the two)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
2 lg. eggs
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
Use an 8 in. square metal pan, lined across the bottom and sides with 2 strips of aluminum foil, spray with non-stick oil.
Preheat oven to 400F. Position rack in lower third of oven.
Melt the butter and chocolate gently: in double boiler, in glass bowl over low-simmering water in small saucepan, or in microwave at 50% power. Stir frequently until mixture is melted and smooth.
Remove from heat. Stir in sugar, vanilla, and salt. Check to be sure mixture is not hot, then add the eggs, one at a time, stirring until each is incorporated before adding the next. Stir flour into chocolate mixture, and beat with a wooden spoon until the batter is smooth, glossy and comes away from side of bowl, about 1 minute. Bake for 20 minutes, or until brownies begin to pull away from side of pan. Surface will be dry but inside will be gooey, so don’t bother with a toothpick test.
While brownies bake, prepare an ice bath: Fill a roasting pan or large baking pan with ice cubes and water about 3/4 inch deep.
When brownies are ready, remove pan from oven and set it immediately in ice bath, taking care not to splash water on brownies. Cool brownies in ice bath. (Medrich calls this the Steve ritual, and this step is critical in producing brownies that have a firm crust but creamy, fudgy center. You may use this method with other 8″ brownie recipes: bake for 20 min at 400F, put in ice bath.)