The Only Fudge Brownie Recipe You'll EVER Need!!!

Okay, so one of my favorite indulgences in life is chocolate.  I've been pretty honest about that with you on here over the past 3.5 years.  So it wouldn't be a stretch to tell you that one of my absolute favorite things to closet binge (No, I don't actually hide in a closet...but no one on the planet has any idea how many brownies I can actually put away in one day.  It is astounding...) is fudge brownies, would it??  Didn't think so...

I'm not going to bother with a history of brownies or when I had my first taste of a brownie, I'mna get right to the recipe because lol...let's face it, I'm hungry and there is chocolate involved.  Also, these are TOTALLY the easiest brownies you'll ever make!  You'll wonder why you've ever bothered with box mixes.  Let's get started, no time to waste!

Fudgiest Fudge Brownies
2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
2 1/2 c. organic cane sugar
1 1/2 c. + 4 T. cocoa powder (I use Callebaut...it is THE best!)
1/2 tsp. sea salt
2 tsp. vanilla paste or extract
4 large free range brown eggs (yeah, brown makes a difference!)
1 c. all purpose flour (I always use King Arthur)
1 1/3 c. walnuts or pecans, optional (I didn't add them)

Preheat your oven to 325 F

Grease well and line 9 x 13 cake pan with parchment paper and set it aside.

In a large glass bowl gently whisk together sugar and cocoa powder.  Cut butter into 1 T. pats and toss them in the bowl with the cocoa and the sugar.  At this point you can either pop it in the microwave for 1 minute, check it and let it go for 1 more minute and then stir OR you can go to the bother of putting water in a large pot and allowing the butter to melt in a double boiler method.  (But, I have a 3.5 month old, an 18 month old, and a 4.5 year old...I'm goin for the microwave every time with this particular recipe.)

Make sure you mix the ingredients together well, scraping down the bowl if necessary to make sure all of the cocoa powder makes it into the butter and sugar properly.  Add in the vanilla paste/extract and salt; stir well.  Now start adding your eggs...tedious as it is going to be, add your eggs one at a time stirring the mixture well after each addition. 

(Now...you can keep stirring if you feel like you have the upper arm strength to do so, but this batter gets awful thick very quickly.  I never make it through the addition of the flour without having to whip out my Cuisinart electric hand mixer.    I've never been able to mix this in my stand mixer without having to stop it and scrape down the sides eleventy billion times to make sure the bottom and sides of the bowl to make sure there isn't any rogue batter not getting flour mixed into it....  Just use an electric hand mixer folks...)

Your batter should be beautifully glossy at this point.  All that is left to do is add the flour.  Mix the flour in well; you may have to scrape down the edges once or twice.  When you have the flour completely incorporated turn the batter out into the greased cake pan and spread around so it is evenly distributed in the pan.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, checking at 35 minutes with a toothpick.  If they aren't done, check again at 40 minutes.  Take them out when the toothpick inserts and comes out clean.  Put on a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before eat them.

At this point you have options.  One of my favorite things to do to brownies is turn them into German Chocolate Brownies.  I accomplish this by simply adding my Coconut Pecan Frosting to the top of my pan of brownies.

Biggity Bam!....awesomeness.  I can't eat more than one at a time, but with organic cane sugar....you don't need to.  When you eat REAL sugar, your body gets its fix quickly.  Also fabulous on these would be a peanut butter frosting.

  
Errr meeee gerrrrrsh, there are so many wonderful ways to enjoy these, but for me...on most days...I like my brownies NAKED.  Brownies in the buff....  Hope you love them as much as we do in this house!!