Name: Homemade Brownies
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 12½ ounce unsalted butter; 10½ ounce good-quality dark chocolate (chopped); 4 large egg (room temperature); 1 large egg yolk (room temperature); ½ cup light brown sugar; 1⅖ cup granulated sugar; 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 cup all-purpose flour; ½ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder; flaky sea salt (for topping)

Method

13 steps

Add the butter to a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring or swirling occasionally, until the butter foams and the milk solids turn golden brown and smell nutty, being careful not to burn. Remove from heat and let cool for two minutes.
Add the chopped dark chocolate to the browned butter and let sit briefly to begin melting. Stir with a silicone spatula until completely melted and smooth.
In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the eggs, egg yolk, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla on high speed until the mixture is thick, pale, and increased in volume, approximately 3-4 minutes.
Gently fold the warm chocolate and browned butter mixture into the whipped eggs with a silicone spatula until just combined, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Sift in the flour and cocoa powder. Gently fold until just incorporated, being careful not to overmix.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 9 x 9-inch (23 x 23 cm) baking pan with parchment paper.
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Gently tap the pan against the counter to level the batter.
Sprinkle flaky sea salt evenly over the top.
Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the edges are set and the center has a slight wobble. For firmer brownies, bake an additional 5-10 minutes.
Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool in the pan for 30 minutes.
Using the parchment paper, lift the brownies from the pan and transfer to the wire rack to cool completely.
Once cooled, slice into eight portions. For clean cuts, dip a sharp knife into hot water, wipe dry, and cut, cleaning the blade between slices.
Serve slightly warm for optimal texture. Optional: pair with vanilla ice cream and hot fudge sauce.

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Recipe notes

Helpful tips

Don’t rush the browned butter. Cook the butter until the milk solids turn golden brown and smell nutty, but watch it closely toward the end because it can go from browned to burnt quickly.
Whip the eggs and sugar thoroughly. This is one of the key steps to achieving a classic shiny, crackly brownie crust. Let the mixture whip until it becomes noticeably pale, thick, and increased in volume.
Keep the chocolate mixture warm. Fold the warm chocolate and browned butter into the whipped eggs while it’s still fluid. Just make sure it isn’t piping hot, which could begin to cook the eggs.
Fold gently once you add the flour. Overmixing after the flour goes in can develop too much gluten and give the brownies a texture similar to chocolate layer cake . Stop as soon as you no longer see streaks of dry flour or cocoa.
Avoid overbaking. The center should still have a slight wobble when the brownies come out of the oven. They’ll continue to set as they cool.
Let them cool before slicing. They’ll be extremely soft straight from the oven. Cooling allows the chocolate and butter to set so you get clean slices and crisp edges while maintaining a fudgy center.
Use a hot knife for clean cuts. Dip a sharp knife in hot water, wipe it dry, and clean the blade between each cut.

Equipment

Stand Mixer Fitted with a Whisk Attachment
Small Saucepan
Fine Mesh Sieve
Silicone Spatula
Wire Cooling Rack
parchment paper

Storage

Store leftover brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days or in the refrigerator for up to five days. For a warm, fudgy texture, microwave individual brownies for about 10 to 15 seconds before serving.

Additional tips

Keep the browned butter close to burning point but do not let it burn. Fold gently after adding flour to avoid overmixing and developing a cake-like texture.