Cocoa Brownies

These are my current favorite due to the use of cocoa versus unsweetened chocolate.  I use Peringotti cocoa, which is well worth the effort to find.  Williams-Sonoma carries it, as does Amazon and ChefShop.  I also recommend Ghiradelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet chocolate chips.  The recipe came from King Arthur Flour, and I have not changed anything except for how the brownies are put together.

Note:  In the photo I have only used 3 eggs since I got them at the St. Matthew’s Farmer’s Market, and they are huge.  Four large eggs weigh 8 ounces, but it only took 3 of these to measure 8 ounces.

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter
• 2 ¼ cups (15 ¾ ounces) sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 ¼ cup (3 ¾ ounces) Dutch-process cocoa
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder (KAF says optional, I disagree!)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups (6 ¼ ounces) AP flour (I actually use KAF)
• 2 cups (12 ounces) chocolate chips
  
  
  

Directions:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 9” X 13” pan.
• Whisk the cocoa, flour, salt and baking powder together
• In a microwave-safe bowl (I use a 2 quart Pyrex measuring cup) melt the butter. Alternately, melt the butter in a medium saucepan.
• Add the sugar and the espresso powder, and whisk to combine.
  
  
  
  
• Whisk in the eggs one at a time.
  
• Mix in the cocoa/flour mixture until combined.
  
• Stir in the vanilla and chocolate chips.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes.  To check for doneness, carefully poke the tip of a paring knife into the center of the pan to get a peek at the interior.  You should see moist crumbs, but not uncooked batter.