The unofficial start to summer begins this Memorial Day weekend! And in attempt to beat the summer crowds that vacation in Door County, Wisconsin (aka the Cape Cod of the Midwest), my friend Karen and I took a three day midweek trip up there. We stopped for lunch at the rustic Irish farmhouse Whistling Straights restaurant in Sheboygan, hiked in Peninsula State Park, did plenty of sightseeing, were guilty of doing some damage shopping and antiquing, put together a puzzle, made the obligatory stop for Swedish pancakes at Al Johnson's in Sister Bay, dipped our feet in Lake Michigan, and wandered the cherry orchards taking photos of the trees in full bloom (definitely a sight to behold). Not even the heavy rains on the first day or an overcast sky on the second could spoil anything about this too much fun trip. While there was never a dull moment, we both returned feeling relaxed and refreshed. Making this short getaway an even more perfect adventure.
Before I left, I made a batch of these omg, to die for, drop-the-mic, dare I say 'best ever' Fudgiest Brownies. Until I tasted these brownies, I was convinced the Sluttiest Brownies and the Decadent Chocolate Brownies were the two best ever brownies in the universe. But there is a new 'brownie' in town, one so incredibly scrumptious and out of this world fudgy, that my brownie allegiance has now shifted. And maybe six months or years down the road another brownie will rock my world. But then again maybe not as it would take something rather extraordinary to make me abandon my newly pledged loyalty to the Fudgiest Brownies.
As you begin planning your summer gatherings and barbecues, I am here to try and convince you that a batch or two of these Fudgy Brownies will firmly establish you as being the best ever, most legendary host/hostess. Especially amongst your friends who have a deep fondness for chocolate.
Considering there is only one and a half cups of dark or semi-sweet chocolate (chip) and some instant espresso (to ramp up the chocolate flavor), you might find it hard to believe these brownies could have such an intense chocolate flavor. But we can thank the butter, sugar, vanilla, relatively small amount of flour, Kosher salt, and half dozen large eggs for creating the most ethereally textured, incredibly scrumptious brownies. For the absolute best results I recommend you weigh out your ingredients and use a good quality dark or semisweet chocolate. Because there are only nine 'won't break the bank' ingredients in these Fudgy Brownies, quality matters.
The entire brownie batter is made in the same heavy bottomed pan used to melt the butter, chocolate and sugar. Key to not scrambling the eggs is to allow the melted butter/chocolate/sugar mixture to rest off the heat for at least 15 minutes. Eggs are whisked in one at a time, followed by the vanilla.
The all-purpose flour, Kosher salt, and instant espresso are the last three ingredients to get mixed in. As far as brownie batters go, this one is on the thicker side.
Here are a few more keys to success when making these Fudgy Brownies. First, the pan must be 9" x 9" and metal. The pan size helps to create a thick, luscious brownie. Do not be tempted to make them in a larger pan. Second, the pan must be lined with parchment paper. You will not get sixteen beautiful, perfect brownies out of the pan if you pour the batter into an unlined pan. The brownies bake in a preheated 300 degree (F) oven for 55-65 minutes. When done, the brownies will have a slight jiggle in the center of the pan. Unless your oven runs hot, I would recommend testing for doneness at the 55 minute mark. If you underbake the brownies they will be too fudgy to cut. If you overbake, they will be dry. Having said that, err on the side of cooking slightly longer (unless your oven runs hot, then your brownies might be done at 55 minutes. Note: If your brownies don't jiggle the least bit in the center, you have overbaked them.
The baked brownies cool for 60 minutes before they are covered and finish chilling in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours. The firmer the brownies, the easier they are to cut. My personal preference is to serve these brownies slightly chilled. Note: If, by chance, you have any leftover brownies, wrap well and store in the refrigerator. They will be good for several days.
I lightly sprinkled the brownies with flaky sea salt before they went to the oven and again after they had cooled.
If this is to be your 'living your best life' summer, then it definitely needs to include these sinfully rich, decadent Fudgy Brownies. When baking brownies, nothing comes close to ones homemade from scratch. And I mean nothing. Not all the doctoring up in the world will create a truly great, epic brownie. And these Fudgy Brownies are truly epic. Put a platter of these brownies out at a gathering and they are destined to disappear. So make certain you hide one to savor after everyone leaves.
Recipe
Fudgiest Brownies
Makes 16 decadent, very fudgy brownies
Ingredients
17 Tablespoons (240g) unsalted butter (e.g., 2 sticks plus 1 Tablespoon)
1 1/2 cups (240g) semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips or chopped chocolate (at least 53% cacao)
2 1/2 cups (500g) granulated sugar
6 large eggs
1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon good quality vanilla
2/3 cup (100g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon instant espresso
Flaky sea salt for finishing (highly recommend Maldon Flaky Sea Salt)
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees (F). Line a 9" x 9" metal baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a heavy bottomed medium sized saucepan, melt the butter and chocolate. When melted add in the sugar. Stir until blended (mixture will look grainy). Remove from heat and let rest for 15 minutes.
3. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time until well blended.
4. Whisk in vanilla.
5. Whisk in the flour, Kosher salt, and instant espresso until blended.
6. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking pan.
7. Place baking pan on a metal baking sheet. Insert in the preheated oven on the center rack. Bake for 55-65 minutes, rotating the tray midway through the baking process.
8. When done, the brownies will be slightly puffed on the edges but still a bit wobbly in the center (you want it to be this way). Check for doneness at the 55 minute mark as all ovens vary.
9. Remove brownies from the oven, place on a cooling rack and let rest for 60 minutes.
10. Cover the brownies with aluminum foil and chill for at least 3 hours.
11. If needed, sprinkle on more flaky sea salt. Cut into 16 squares and serve chilled or slightly chilled.
12. Store covered in the refrigerator. Keep any leftovers covered and stored in the refrigerator.
Notes: (1) Inspired by Gaby Dalkin's Best Ever Brownie Recipe. (2) Use only a metal baking pan to make these brownies. (3) Nestle makes great dark chocolate chips (53% cacao).
Cherry Blossoms, Door County, Wisconsin (May 2022)
