Name: Dark Chocolate Brownies
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients: 1 cup sugar; 1/2 cup packed brown sugar; 2/3 cup butter, cubed; 1/4 cup water; 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder; 2-3/4 cups dark chocolate chips, divided; 4 large eggs, room temperature; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 tablespoon dark baking cocoa; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon salt; Flaky sea salt, optional

These dark chocolate brownies have just a bit of espresso powder for an even richer depth of flavor.

Ingredients

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2/3 cup butter, cubed

1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon instant espresso powder

2-3/4 cups dark chocolate chips, divided

4 large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon dark baking cocoa

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Flaky sea salt, optional

Instructions

1 Prep the baking pan

2 Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, letting the ends extend up the sides of the pan.

3 Melt the chocolate

4 In a large heavy saucepan, combine the sugars, butter, water and instant espresso. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove the mixture from the heat. Add 1-3/4 cups chocolate chips and stir until they are melted. Cool slightly.

5 Whisk the eggs

6 In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until they're foamy, about three minutes. Add the vanilla extract. Gradually whisk in the chocolate mixture. Editor's Tip: You don't need to temper the eggs as long as the chocolate mixture has cooled.

7 Add the dry ingredients

8 In another bowl, whisk the flour, dark baking cocoa, baking soda and salt. Stir the dry ingredients mixture into the chocolate mixture. Fold in the remaining chocolate chips. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. If desired, sprinkle the top of the batter with flaky sea salt. Editor's Tip: One of the biggest brownie mistakes is overmixing the batter. Mix until the wet and dry ingredients are just combined.

9 Bake the brownies on a lower oven rack for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs (do not overbake them). Cool the brownies completely in the pan on a wire rack. Lifting with the parchment paper, remove the cooled brownies from the pan and cut them into squares.