How Now Brownies

Six ingredients. That’s all that stands between you and a pan of deeply fudgy brownies. A full 12-ounce bag of chocolate chips melted with ¾ cup of butter creates a batter so rich and chocolatey it barely needs anything else.

Whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose gives these a slightly nuttier flavor and a denser, chewier texture that complements the fudgy chocolate. At only ¾ cup of flour to a whole bag of chocolate, the ratio is heavily weighted toward fudge territory.

Beating the eggs and sugar by hand for 2 to 3 minutes is the only technique that matters here. That sustained beating dissolves the sugar and incorporates air that gives the top of the brownies a thin, crackly crust while the inside stays dense and glossy.

Kitchen Tips

• Let the melted chocolate-butter mixture cool slightly before adding to the eggs. Hot chocolate will scramble the eggs and ruin the batter.
• Don’t overbake. Pull them at 20 minutes for gooey, fudgy centers. At 25 minutes you’ll have a firmer, more cake-like brownie.
• Cool completely in the pan before cutting. Warm fudgy brownies smear and tear. Cold brownies cut into clean squares.
• Use a sharp knife dipped in hot water for the cleanest cuts through the dense chocolate.

Variations

• Add a cup of chopped walnuts or pecans to the batter before pouring.
• Swirl in a few tablespoons of peanut butter before baking for a chocolate-PB brownie.
• Use dark chocolate chips (70% cacao) for a more bittersweet, less sweet brownie.