Chocolate Nut Brownies

Chocolate Nut Brownies
From The Illustrated Quick Cook: Easy Entertaining, After-Work Recipes, Cheap Eats

Printable Recipe

Hands on time: 25 minutes
Bake time: 12-15 minutes ( I like mine chewy in the middle, so I go for 11 minutes)

Makes 2 dozen squares

Ingredients:
10oz/300 g semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (actually I just cut the squares in 4)
1 ½ sticks (12 tbsp) unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
¼ cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 cup coarsely chopped nuts (hazelnuts, pecans, walnuts …whichever you prefer)

Directions:

1. Preheat to 400°F/200°C. Line the bottom of a 13”x9”x2” baking dish with parchment paper.


2. Melt the chocolate & butter: place a large bowl (I prefer metal, which is a great heat conductor and speeds up the melting process without burning the chocolate) set over a pot of simmering water. Note: DO NOT LET THE BOTTOM OF THE BOWL SIT IN THE WATER. Melt the chocolate and butter, stirring frequently until there are no lumps. Remove the bowl from the pot and allow to cool (about 20 minutes)

3. In a medium bowl, sift together flour and cocoa powder, and set aside.

4. Mix the sugar into the cooled chocolate mixture until all combined and then add the eggs, one at a time. Each egg should be incorporated fully before adding the next one.

5. Stir in the sifted flour cocoa mix until there is no visible flour remains. Fold in the nuts and scrape into the prepared pan, gently spreading the batter into the corners and smooth the top. This batter is very thick.

6. Bake in the center of the oven for 12-15 minutes depending on how chewy or dry you like your brownies. In my world, they are still somewhat gooey in the center.

7. Cool the brownies on a wire rack completely before cutting them into squares.