Mastering Brownies From Scratch: How-To

• Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). This ensures that your brownies start baking at the right temperature for the ideal texture.
• Grease your 9x13 inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy brownie removal later.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, kosher salt, coarse salt (if using), and baking powder. Set this mixture aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped unsweetened chocolate and unsalted butter. Use a microwave or a double boiler to melt them together until smooth. Stir occasionally to avoid burning. Allow the mixture to cool slightly.
• Once the chocolate mixture has cooled, whisk in the granulated sugar until well combined. Next, add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Finally, stir in the vanilla extract.
• Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients using a rubber spatula. Be careful not to overmix; stop as soon as you see no more flour streaks.
• If you're using pecans or walnuts, gently fold them into the brownie batter now.
• Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan, spreading it evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
• Allow the brownies to cool in the pan on a cooling rack for at least 15 minutes. Use the parchment paper overhang to lift them out and place them on the rack to cool completely before cutting into squares.