The Best Brownies

12 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup cocoa
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 Tablespoon vanilla
1 cup flour
½ teaspoon table salt
2 cups bittersweet chocolate chunks

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spray an 8" square metal or stoneware pan with Pam. Set aside. (Glass pans are not ideal here. Glass will cause the brownies to bake slower and don't conduct heat evenly.)

Melt the butter in a medium microwave-safe mixing bowl for about 1 minute, until completely warm but not boiling). Whisk in the cocoa immediately until the cocoa has completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Melting the cocoa makes sure that the full flavor is brought out.

With a wooden spoon, stir in the sugar until evenly combined, then completely stir in the eggs and vanilla. Set a small sieve over the top of the mixing bowl and add the flour and salt to the sieve and sift in. Completely stir in the flour until there are no white bits left. Stir in chocolate chunks. Use a rubber or silicone spatula and spread the batter evenly (it will be very thick) into the prepared pan.

Bake 32-37 minutes. Brownies are done when they have pulled away from the sides and, more importantly, when they feel slightly firm and crusty when pressed gently in the center. A toothpick in the center will still have crumbs, but a toothpick inserted one inch from the edge should come out clean. And the best sign of all that they're done: you can smell them throughout the house. The smell of baked food is at its peak just as it is finally done, and two minutes before it's overcooked. Remove to a cooling rack to cool, and cool completely before cutting. For the cleanest edges, chill the brownies completely in the refrigerator or for a short while in the freezer before cutting.


*Note: this recipe can easily be doubled and baked in a 9"x13" pan. The baking time will probably increase a bit, so note the instructions on how to tell when they're done. Can also quadruple the recipe, with no chocolate chunks, and bake in a half sheet pan (17.5" x 12.5"). Bake at 325ºF for 55 minutes.