Cocoa Brownies With Walnuts And Brown Butter Recipes

COCOA BROWNIES WITH BROWNED BUTTER AND WALNUTS

Steps:

• Position rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 325°F Line 8x8x2-inch metal baking pan with foil, pressing foil firmly against pan sides and leaving 2-inch overhang. Coat foil with nonstick spray.
• Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking until butter stops foaming and browned bits form at bottom of pan, stirring often, about 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat; immediately add sugar, cocoa, 2 teaspoons water, vanilla, and 1/4 teaspoon (generous) salt.
• Stir to blend. Let cool 5 minutes (mixture will still be hot).
• Add eggs to hot mixture 1 at a time, beating vigorously to blend after each addition.
• When mixture looks thick and shiny, add flour and stir until blended.
• Beat vigorously 60 strokes.
• Stir in nuts. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
• Bake brownies until toothpick inserted into center comes out almost clean (with a few moist crumbs attached), about 25 minutes.
• Cool in pan on rack. Using foil overhang, lift brownies from pan.
• Cut into 4 strips. Cut each strip crosswise into 4 brownies.

COCOA BROWNIES WITH WALNUTS AND BROWN BUTTER

Steps:

• Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Line the bottom and all 4 sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with foil and coat with nonstick vegetable spray (or use nonstick foil). Melt the butter in a medium saucepan and continue to cook, whisking gently, until it is golden brown and the milk particles suspended in it are reddish brown. Remove the pan from the heat and stop the cooking by immediately adding the sugar, cocoa powder, salt, water, and vanilla. Stir to blend. Let cool for 5 minutes; the mixture will still be fairly hot. Add the eggs one at a time, beating vigorously with a wooden spoon or a silicone spatula after adding each one. When the mixture looks thick, shiny, and well blended, add all of the flour and stir until you no longer see streaks of flour, then beat vigorously for 50 to 60 strokes with the wooden spoon or the spatula. Stir in the nuts. Spread the batter in the lined pan, swirling the surface if you like. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center emerges almost clean (the brownies will still be soft and gooey even if the toothpick looks clean). Cool in the pan on a rack. Lift the edges of the foil liner and transfer the brownies to a cutting board. Slide a metal spatula under the brownies to detach them from the foil (or invert the brownies and peel off the foil, then turn the brownies right side up again). Cut into 16 or 25 squares. The brownies keep stored airtight, for 2 to 3 days.