Brownies (Cocoa and Walnuts)

These cocoa brownies have the softest center and chewiest candy like top "crust" of all because all of the fat in the recipe (except for a small amount of cocoa butter in the cocoa) is butter, and all of the sugar is granulated sugar rather than the finely milled sugar used in chocolate. Use the best cocoa you know for these fabulous brownies.

10 Tbsp. (1¼ sticks) unsalted butter (140 g)
1¼ cups sugar (250 g)
¾ cup + 2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder (80 g)
¼ tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, cold
½ cup all-purpose flour, unbleached, unsifted and leveled (2.5 oz/65 g)
⅔ cup walnuts or pecans, chopped, optional (65 g)

Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C/140°C fan, Gas Mark 3). Position a rack in the lower third of the oven. Line the bottom and sides of an 8" square baking pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides.

Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa and salt in a medium heatproof bowl and set the bowl in a wide skillet of barely simmering water. Stir from time to time until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth and hot enough that you want to remove your finger fairly quickly after dipping it in to test. Remove the bowl from the skillet and set aside briefly until the mixture is only warm, not hot.

Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one. When the batter looks thick, shiny and well blended, add the flour and stir until you cannot see it any longer, then beat vigorously for 40 strokes with the wooden spoon or a rubber spatula. Stir in the nuts, if using. Spread evenly in the lined pan.

Bake until a toothpick plunged into the center emerges slightly moist with batter, 20-25 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack.

Lift up the ends of the parchment or foil liner and transfer the brownies to a cutting board. Cut into squares.

Makes 16 large or 25 small brownies.