Passing through the likes of Julia Child and Martha Stewart to Nigella Lawson and Nadiya Hussain, I have spent countless hours sifting through their tried and tested recipes, unique creations and inventive concoctions. It is true what they say–cooking is therapeutic, and eating is simple pleasure. And who are we to deny ourselves such simple forms of joy?

Recently I have had the pleasure of frequently entertaining friends, and truth be told, they’ve actually become my loyal laboratory test subjects. From creating a simple queso sauce to a lavish quadruple chocolate cake, they have been there through thick and thin. Today, I share one of their favorites. A particular recipe my husband seems to choose over everything else I make. 

I had been toying with these for nearly 10 years until I had finally perfected it. 10. Long. Years. But the second everyone took their first bite, I knew I had triumphed. I had beaten the brownie Gods who made it their mission to take their stance against me.

What was it about these brownies? Everyone can make brownies, right? Easy peasy. So let’s dig into the details.

Did it have the flaky, buttery top crust? Yes.
Did it have the moist but dense mouthful of chocolate? Yes.
Did it have the touch of molten chocolate in every bite? Yes.
Did it want to make you die and go to heaven? Yes. Figuratively, of course.

Just look at that buttery, flaky crust.

I have amped up these brownies quite a bit now. This is my go-to recipe; whether I have unexpected company, whether it’s a sudden office potluck, or whether I’m feeling a little blue and need some cheering up. They haven’t failed me yet, and I seriously doubt they will fail you. 

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Cook time: Does it matter? The result is just so rewarding.
Portion size: Makes 16 servings. Or 1. No one is judging.

Ingredients

⅔ cup flour (all-purpose)
⅓ cup cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-processed)
A pinch of salt
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
¾ stick of butter
½ cup dark chocolate (chips or chopped)
1 cup sugar
1 cup dark chocolate chips

What to do

1. Preheat the oven to 350’F with a rack in the centre.
2. Place a double boiler over a pot of simmering water. Melt the butter and chopped chocolate until smooth.
3. Line and grease an 8×8 inch square baking pan.
4. In a mixing bowl, cream the sugar with the melted butter and chocolate. 
5. Add the eggs and the vanilla extract one at a time.
6. Sift in the flour, cocoa powder and salt.
7. Fold the dry mix into the wet, very delicately, until combined. DO NOT OVERMIX.
8. Fold in the dark chocolate chips. The batter will be thick. 
9. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 21-22 minutes. Timing is crucial.
10. Take the pan out. You can do a toothpick test but rest assured, the brownies will be molten so you will retrieve a sticky chocolatey toothpick.
11. Let cool before taking it out of the pan and cutting or diving in.

And Voila! It actually is easy peasy.