Classic Brownies

A near perfect brownie recipe from America’s Test Kitchens. I shared this recipe with some gals at work (Intel) and now they always beg me to bake brownies and bring them in. I did once and they didn’t last long.

1 ¼ C cake flour
½ t. salt
¾ t baking powder
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped fine
12 T unsalted butter, cut into large chunks
2 ¼ C sugar
4 eggs
1 T vanilla

Preheat oven to 325°. Line 9” x 13” pan with flat foil (cut to fit) and spray with non-stick cooking spray.

Whisk to combine flour, salt and baking powder in medium bowl. Set aside. Melt chocolate and butter in top of double boiler. Remove from heat and gradually whisk in sugar. Add eggs one at a time, whisking after each addition until thoroughly combined. Whisk in vanilla. Add flour mixture in three additions, folding with rubber spatula until batter is smooth. Transfer batter to prepared pan and smooth surface, pushing into corners. Bake 30-35 minutes until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out with few moist crumbs attached. Cool on wire rack about 2 hours.

Coconut Pecan Topping:
¾ C chopped pecans, toasted and cooled
2 large egg yolks
½ C sugar
1/8 t salt
4 T softened unsalted butter
½ C heavy cream
½ t vanilla
1 C flaked coconut

Whisk egg yolks, sugar and salt in small nonreactive saucepan until combined. Whisk in butter, then gradually whisk in cream and vanilla. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until mixture is fluffy, begins to thicken and registered 180°, 8-12 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in pecans and sweetened, flaked coconut. Spread topping evenly onto cooled brownies, cover with foil and refrigerate until set, about 2 hours. Lift the brownies out of pan using foil edges, cut into squares, and lift back in pan. Store them in the pan tightly covered in refrigerator.