Fudgy Crackle-Top Brownies Recipe

This recipe is a hybrid between my friend Stella Parks’ Glossy Fudge Brownies recipe from Serious Eats (you can get her incredible book, Bravetart, here) and my friend Deb Perelman's My Favorite Brownies recipe from her blog, Smitten Kitchen.

Fudgy Crackle-Top Brownies

Every recipe I publish here is personally tested, tasted, and approved.

What I like about this recipe:

• Beating the eggs and sugar together until the sugar is fully dissolved helps create a crackly top on the brownies.

• A combination of chocolate and cocoa powder deliver deep chocolate flavor.

• Letting the brownies rest after coming out of the oven allows them to collapse and turn nice and dense.

YIELD: Makes 30-40 two-biter brownies

ACTIVE TIME: 20 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 1 1/2 hours

Ingredients:

Nonstick cooking spray 

3 eggs

300 grams (about 1 1/2 cups) granulated white sugar

Big pinch of salt

10ml (2 teaspoons) vanilla extract

110g (4 ounces) 100% (unsweetened) chocolate

225g (8 ounces; 2 sticks) unsalted butter

100g (3/4 cup) all-purpose flour

50g  (1/2 cup) 100% cocoa powder

Directions:

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat your oven to 325°F (°C)Cut a sheet of parchment paper so that it fits the width of an 8-inch square baking pan and overhangs the edges. Spray the pan with nonstick cooking spray then line with the parchment, pressing it into the corners of the pan so that it lines it with no gaps. Spray the parchment with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Combine the eggs, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat at medium-low speed until the mixture is pale yellow and ribbon-y, about five minutes.

3. Meanwhile, combine the chocolate and butter in a medium bowl. Place the bowl over a saucepan of barely-simmering water and stir with a spatula until the mixture is mostly melted. Remove from heat and continue stirring until completely melted.

4. When the egg mixture is ready, add the chocolate and mix on low speed until homogenous, about 1 minute. Add flour and cocoa powder and mix until combined, about 1 minute.

5. Scrape the mixture into the prepared baking pan. Transfer to oven and bake until a toothpick or knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

6. Let brownies cool at least 30 minutes before removing from pan and cutting into squares. Finished brownies can be stored in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 5 days.`