Simply Love: Brownie Love

Hello all! I've been in a baking mood lately (well I'm always in a baking mood), and I thought it would be perfect to show y'all how to make some of the best brownies I have ever had in my life. Now I am no pro at baking, but it something I really love to do. This recipe is simple and fast, and the outcome is heavenly. This is the original recipe, but my mom and I changed a thing or two on the recipe to make them even more delicious! With that said, let's begin!

You will need:

6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate*
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick)
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon brewed espresso (optional)**
1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon fine salt
1 cup all-purpose flour

*The original recipe calls for bittersweet chocolate, but found it was not sweet enough for our liking. So we substituted semi-sweet instead.

**I usually just brew up a cup of coffee in the Keurig and then finish drinking the cup with a warm, moist brownie that has just come out of the oven.

Oh, and one more ingredient...your magic apron! :)

First thing you will want to do is preheat your oven to 350 F and arrange a rack in the middle. Then line an 8x8 inch glass baking dish with aluminum foil.

Next, combine the chocolate and butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat and stir frequently. Once it is all melted together, remove the pan from the heat and let it cool to room temperature.

Then combine the eggs, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, espresso (if you are using it), and salt in a large bowl and mix together just until evenly incorporated.

Add the cooled chocolate and mix until uniform in color. Then add the flour and stir until it is all mixed together. (Be careful not to "over-mix" your batter.) Transfer your batter to your lined baking dish and bake for about 25-30 minutes. A great way to tell if the brownies are finished is by sticking a toothpick in the center and if it comes out clean, they are done!