Brown Butter Brownies with a Fudgy Middle

Brown Butter Brownies with a Fudgy Middle keeps the shopping list focused on unsalted butter, chopped chocolate, and kosher salt. It serves 16 sqaures.

Count on 20 minutes of prep, 20 minutes of cooking, about 35 minutes from the first measurement to the plate.

Ingredients Method

What goes in the bowl

• ¾ cup unsalted butter
• ½ cup chopped chocolate
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 eggs — cold
• ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• ½ cup cocoa powder
• ½ cup all-purpose flour

How the cooking goes

1. Heat the butter in a saucepan over a moderate flame, cutting it into small cubes to speed the process. Stir with a flexible spatula as it melts, foams, and transitions from opaque to translucent. Pull it off the heat when the milk solids at the bottom are deep gold and the butter smells nutty.
2. Tip the brown butter immediately over the chopped chocolate and kosher salt in a heat-safe bowl, scraping every brown bit from the bottom of the pan. Let the butter sit over the chocolate for a few minutes, then whisk until the texture looks smooth and fully combined. Keep it to one side to cool to roughly body temperature.
3. Warm the oven to 350°F conventional or 325°F convection. Line a 9×9 baking pan with two pieces of parchment criss-crossed so they come up all four sides.
4. Blend the eggs, vanilla, sugar, and brown sugar in a electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Mix on medium to combine, then increase to high and whip until the mixture reaches ribbon stage, falling in thick, pale ribbons that hold their shape briefly on the surface.
5. Confirm the chocolate butter mixture is at body temperature, then slowly pour it down the side of the mixing bowl with the mixer running on medium. Keep the stream away from the whisk to prevent splashing.
6. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold several times with a flexible spatula to ensure the chocolate and egg mixture are fully combined, reaching the bottom of the bowl where the whisk may have missed.
7. Sieve in the cocoa powder and flour, then fold until just incorporated with no dry streaks remaining.
8. Tip the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly with an offset spatula. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the crackle top has spread fully to the center and the middle is puffed rather than sunken. Cool completely before cutting.

After it comes off the heat

Let the pan settle before you slice, so the crumb stays together. Cover leftovers once they are cool.

If you want another plate from Brownies and bars, open Blueberry Cheesecake Bars (No Bake) Baked Until the Center Springs Back and Blondies for the Dessert Plate.