Diet? What Diet?

As some of you no doubt know, I have been dieting since the beginning of June. It was time, I had decided, and the encouraging words from the doctor and Molly convinced me. Since then, I've successfully lost 25 pounds and can't wait to lose another 25! While dieting is mostly about eating right and exercising, it's also about moderation and flexibility. That's where these delicious brownies come in, because there's nothing diet about them...

Brownies are one of those desserts that people should argue over. Everyone has a preference when it comes to these chocolaty treats. Should they be crispy? Cakey? Fudgy? I prefer mine, like chocolate chip cookies, a bit underdone, fudgy, gooey, but crisp to the first bite. It's almost like breaking through that sugar shell in crème brûlée to discover the sweet and velvety cream below. But I digress.

These brownies are everything I would want in this dessert, and the recipe is second only to Laura Baker's secret brownie recipe (which is worth getting and slaving over). I underbake these even more than the recipe calls for. For the standard batch, 32 minutes will do. For a double batch in a 13x9 pan, try 35 in a well heated oven. You'll never forget these. I served them last night to Molly and her family with vanilla bean ice cream - unbelievable!

Fudgy Brownies
by Cindy Mitchell, from Fine Cooking

5 oz. (10 tbs.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
5 oz. bittersweet chocolate
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
Pinch salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
2/3 cup all-purpose flour


Position an oven rack on the middle rung. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square pan, line the pan bottom with parchment paper, and then butter the parchment.

In a double boiler over simmering water, melt the butter and both chocolates. Remove the pan from the heat and cool slightly. Whisk in the sugar and then the vanilla and salt. The mixture will be somewhat grainy, which is fine. Whisk in the eggs and egg yolk, one at a time and stirring each until blended. Add the flour, beating until thickened, smooth, and combined. Pour into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with moist crumbs, about 32 minutes.

Set the pan on a rack until cool enough to handle. Run a paring knife around the inside edge of the pan to loosen and then invert the pan onto a flat surface and peel off the parchment. Flip the baked brownie back onto the rack to cool completely. Cut into squares with a sharp knife and enjoy!