I have always like chocolate, however, I'm not sure when I started loving brownies...I don't remember having them as a child, teenager or young adult...but truly fancy them now...diets be damned if I get cravings for brownies...I'm also fussy about the brownies I like (I can already hear the "no, really" comments)...I prefer the chewy, gooey kind, especially with nuts, either pecans or walnuts...not a big fan of the cake type brownies; if I want chocolate cake, I'll bake a cake...before I started making brownies from scratch, I used a boxed mix - it's quick and easier - but I really like making them from scratch; melting the chocolate, mixing the ingredients, licking the bowl.
The recipe I use Is from Baking Illustrated by Cook's Illustrated...unfortunately, their recipe is only available from their website if you subscribe to the magazine...however, I was able to find the Baking Illustrated recipe here.
For baking, I always for the ingredient amounts; however, some techniques I will improvise...such as melting the butter and dark chocolate; I did not melt them in a heat proof bowl over water as the recipe says, I melted them in a nonstick pot, watching carefully that the mixture did not burn...I also did not melt both the semisweet and dark chocolate, I saved the semisweet for the batter so it will melt while baking...I wish I had some nuts to put into the batter, but I'm hoping for a molten chocolate experience with these brownies.
I usually bake the mixture for 25 minutes, then using a toothpick, I test to see if the brownies are how I want them...not cake brownies, just molten goodness...this usually will take about another 2 to 3 minutes longer....I love how the brownies smell and it's filling the kitchen air with chocolate.
See the brownie crumbs on the end of the cake tester, this is what I'm looking for...gave Mother the first piece of, as she said, "warm brownie, hmm, hmm, hmm."
