1 October 2024
This recipe has been a work-in-progress for a few years. Dear Husband has been the Master Chef behind this masterpiece. He created each version of the recipe, and he composed each and every, including — the final version. I selected the use of pecans for this autumn treat.
Brownies by Ron
1 stick butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder (Droste is preferred)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs (cold)
3/4 cup flour
1 pkg instant coffee
2/3 cup chopped walnut or pecans
7-inch square baking pan
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line bottom and sides of baking dish with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on 2 opposite sides.
Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa, salt, and coffee in a medium heat-proof bowl. Set the bowl in a wide skillet of simmering water [a form of double-boiler]. Stir from time to time until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth.
Remove the bowl from the water and set aside briefly until the mixture is warm, but not hot.
Stir in the vanilla. Add the eggs, one at a time, stirring vigorously after each egg is added. When the batter looks thick, shiny and well-blended, add the flour and chopped nuts. Stir until combined and beat for 40 more strokes.
Spread the batter evenly in the parchment-lined baking dish. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on a rack.
Once the brownies are cooled, lift the ends of the parchment paper and transfer the brownies to a cutting board. Cut into squares.
Let fully cool before eating.
A scoop of vanilla ice cream is a perfect addition for the first big brownie bite. A cup of coffee for the next serving is even better!
Please note: Any unsweetened natural or Dutch-processed cocoa powder (such as Droste) is optimal for this recipe. Natural cocoa produces brownies with more flavor complexity and with lots of tart, fruity notes. Some find the taste more exciting, at least those who haven’t zapped their taste buds through nefarious means.
Dutch-process cocoa also results in a darker brownie with a flavor that’s more mellow, akin to old-fashioned chocolate pudding. The olfactory experience is reminiscent of childhood, as Marcel Proust expounded in millions and millions and millions of words in his tome, À la recherche du temps perdu, In Search of Lost Time.
I don’t think that time is ever lost, so whatever souvenirs and mental discoveries occur whilst eating these brownies pertain to the present mode of living, one that makes the past come alive!