Alice Medrich is the sh*t

I am invariably disappointed by brownies from the store, be they artisanal or made from a box (the sole exception being the gluten-free King Arthur brownie mix).  As you know, I already have a favorite brownie recipe, which is more akin to brownie-flavored fudge than anything else.  However, the activation energy required to make those brownies, while admittedly lower than what’s required to make, say, a layer cake, is high enough from the chore of chopping chocolate.  Then you have to let the brownies cool for hours, and there you have it – desire to make brownies plummets.

Here to step into that breach is this recipe, which has a very low activation energy because it will require one bowl, a spoon, and things that are all in your pantry – they just need to be measured out.  Alice Medrich – whose chocolate wafers have also found a home in my heart – is a wizard with all things chocolate, and she does not disappoint here.  These brownies are reminiscent of an upscale version of a box brownie (likely also because they contain no chocolate).  They’re more dark than sweet, so you may want to add a few tablespoons more sugar if you prefer your brownies sweet, or add a frosting or glaze on top.  They’re intense and fudgy, without making you feel like you’re eating an entire week’s calories.  Best of all, they manage to have a slightly crunchy top to add a bit of textural contrast (make sure you stir in the eggs with verve – that’s where the crunch comes from!).  Cut these into small squares and eat with a glass of milk on hand.

Alice Medrich’s cocoa brownies

10T butter
1 1/4c sugar
3/4c cocoa
1/4t salt
2 eggs, straight from the fridge
1t dark rum
1/2c flour

1. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides.

2. Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium heatproof bowl and set the bowl in a wide skillet of barely simmering water. (Alternatively, melt it on the lowest power setting in the microwave.) Stir from time to time until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth and hot enough that you want to remove your finger fairly quickly after dipping it in to test. Remove the bowl from the skillet and set aside briefly until the mixture is only warm, not hot. The mixture will be crumbly, especially as it cools.

3. Stir in the rum with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one. When the batter looks thick, shiny, and well blended, add the flour and stir until you cannot see it any longer, then beat vigorously for 40 strokes with the wooden spoon or a rubber spatula. Spread evenly in the lined pan.

4. Bake until a toothpick plunged into the center emerges slightly moist with batter, 20 to 25 minutes (it was closer to 30 minutes for me). Let cool completely on a rack. Lift up the ends of the parchment or foil liner, and transfer the brownies to a cutting board. Cut into 16 or 25 squares.

[makes 16-25 brownies, depending on how big you cut them]