Brownies from Bon Appetit

These are billed on the cover of the February 2011 Bon Appetit as “Best-ever brownies. Warning: you will eat the entire tray.” They really are very good and only a little more complicated than my standard brownie recipe. Due to temporary confusion, I actually made them with 1 c white sugar and 1/2 c light brown sugar, instead of the 1 1/4 c white called for here. They came out fine.

Ingredients

10 tbsp (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, in 1-inch pieces
1 1/4 c sugar
3/4 c natural unsweetened cocoa powder (not dutch)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp water
1/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs, chilled
1/2 c + 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup walnut pieces

Directions

Position rack in bottom third of oven. Preheat to 325. Line 8×8 metal pan with foil, leaving an overhang and coating with butter or nonstick spray. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking until butter stops foaming and browned bits form at bottom of pan, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; immediately add sugar, cocoa, water, vanilla, and salt. Stir to blend and let cool 5 minutes (mixture will still be hot). Add eggs 1 at a time, beating vigorously to blend. When mixture looks thick and shiny, add flour and stir until blended. Beat vigorously 60 strokes. Stir in nuts. Transfer to pan. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out almost clean, about 25 minutes (mine took 29). Cool in pan on rack. Lift brownies from pan using foil overhang. Cut and serve.