Brownies

I collect brownie recipes. It's not just because I love brownies - which, of course, I do! But I'm also fascinated by how many different ways there are to make them. I have to admit that I once made an Excel SpreadSheet of recipes to compare the different ratios of chocolate to butter to sugar, etc.

When I was in high school I used to run home, make a batch of brownies, and be back at school in under an hour. You can imagine that I had that little recipe memorized. The only chocolate it required was 2 squares of unsweetened chocolate. The recipe below is NOT that type of brownie.

This recipe is when you want to make the richest, most amazing ones ever! Check out the amount of butter. Paula Deen would approve of this recipe!

REALLY RICH BROWNIES

3 sticks unsalted butter

12 oz. fine-quality bittersweet (NOT semi-sweet, NOT unsweetened) chocolate

6 large eggs

1 1/4 cups flour

1 cup PLUS 2 T. unsweetened fine-quality cocoa powder (NOT Dutch process, not Nestles, not cocoa mix)

3 cups sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

*Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 13 X 9 X 2 baking pan, knocking out excess flour.

*Break eggs into a small bowl and blend well. Set aside.

*Mix flour, cocoa powder, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.

*Melt butter with chocolate in large saucepan over low heat - stirring until smooth.

*Remove butter and chocolate from heat. Add eggs slowly, while whisking quickly.

*Add dry ingredients.

*Pour batter into pan and bake in middle of oven until top is firm and a tester inserted into center comes out clean. (40 - 45 minutes)

*Cool completely. Cover and refrigerate briefly to make cutting easier.