Perfection Thy Name Is Brownie

I have been on a quest to create the perfect brownie forever now.  Each batch has presented its own challenges: too dense, too cakey, an anemic chocolate flavor, an overwhelming chocolate punch.  Until today.  These.  Are.  Perfect.  After you try them, you may have to resist the urge to name your first born after me!

Ingredients:

1 ¼ cup (143 g) unbleached cake flour

½   teaspoon salt

¾   teaspoon baking powder

12   tablespoons (171 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into tablespoons

¾   cup (113 g)  bittersweet chocolate (preferably Valrhona Manjari 64%) or chocolate chips (preferably Ghirardelli Bittersweet 60%)

1/2  cup (57 g) dutch processed cocoa (preferably Droste)

1      teaspoon instant espresso powder

2      cups (398 g) granulated sugar

4      large eggs, at room temperature (preferably organic free-range)

2      teaspoons vanilla extract (preferably Nielsen-Massey)

How to Use Them:

Preheat you to 325 degrees.

Spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper, unbleached is preferred if available,  making certain that there is at least a one inch overlap over the handle areas so that it will be easier to lift the brownies out of the pan once they are baked and cooled.

Sift the cake flour, salt and baking powder together and set aside.

Place the butter, bittersweet chocolate, espresso powder, and cocoa in a heat safe bowl over a bain-marie, a pot of shallow, gently simmering water.  Do not allow any of the simmering water to touch the bottom of the bowl.

Stir frequently with a spatula until completely smooth and all of the ingredients are incorporated.

Once the mixture is smooth, remove from the heat and whisk in the sugar, one half cup at a time.  Once all of the sugar is incorporated, whisk in the eggs, one at a time.   Next, whisk in the vanilla.

Sift in the flour mixture in three stages, folding it in after each addition until just incorporated.  Do not over mix.

Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan and bake for approximately 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out almost dry with a few crumbs attached.

Cool on wire rack for 2 hours and then remove the brownies by lifting up the parchment paper. Cut, serve and savor the decadent deliciousness.