Our current favourite brownie recipe, adapted from Mrs Fields Best Ever Cookie Book.
* 6oz (180g) dark chocolate (we used a 63.5% cocoa from New Guinea, but have also used 53.5% Callebaut, as well as 70% Lindt)
* 2 sticks (250g or 1 cup) salted butter
* 4 large eggs
* 2 cups granulated (white) sugar
* 1 tbsp (3 tsp) vanilla extract
* 1/2 cup all-purpose (plain) flour
* 6oz (180g) semi-sweet chocolate chips (about 1 cup - we used half Nestle's dark choc bits and half Callebaut 811 callets)
1. Preheat oven to 300F (150C). Line an 8 x 8 inch pan with parchment paper.
2. Melt butter and dark chocolate together, either in a saucepan over low heat, or in the microwave in a pyrex bowl. Don't burn or boil it ! Remove from heat when almost completely melted and stir until smooth.
3. Beat eggs in large bowl for about 5 minutes on medium. Add sugar and blend on low until completely mixed.
4. Add vanilla and melted chocolate/butter mix, blend on low to combine thoroughly. Add flour and mix through.
5. Pour into pan, smooth top, then sprinkle evenly with chocolate chips. Bake on centre rack for 45 to 55 minutes. The batter should be set and a toothpick inserted into centre should come out clean. (That's what the original instructions say, but my toothpicks always come out with a smear of chocolate on them. You just want to make sure it's not coming out with big clumps of uncooked mix). Do not overbake.
6. Cool in pan to room temp. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Cut and serve chilled.
Notes :
* original recipe calls for unsweetened baking chocolate instead of dark chocolate for melting. We can't get that here ! It works well with dark to very dark chocolate as a substitute.
* the secret to this recipe is in the quality of the chocolate. The taste of the base (melted) chocolate really comes through. For the choc chips sprinkled on top, we used a mix of Nestle choc bits and more gourmet Callebaut callets - the Nestle bits hold their shape better on cooking, and give a bit more texture to the finished product, whereas the Callebaut just taste wonderful.
These are pretty decadent, I've been giving them away madly in an attempt not to eat them all myself...