Classic unsweetened chocolate brownies

My sister has a lot of friends, and that really makes me happy – I would never wish on her the lonely teenage years I had; some of her friends know I have a food blog and a couple of them read me from time to time.

A while ago I gave my sister and one of her friends a lift somewhere – the girl entered the car, my sister introduced us and then she very bluntly said: “I would love to have a brownie right now”. :D

When they got back from vacation I baked these brownies and told my sister to send some especially to Nicole – I love straight people who don’t beat around the bush. :D

Classic unsweetened chocolate brownies
from the amazing chocolate bible Bittersweet: Recipes and Tales from a Life in Chocolate

112g (4oz) unsweetened chocolate, chopped*
½ cup (113g/1 stick) unsalted butter
1 ¼ cups (250g) caster (superfine) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cold large eggs
½ cup (70g) all purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F. Line the bottom and sides of a lightly buttered 20cm (8in) square baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang on two opposite sites; butter the foil as well.
Place the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water and stir frequently until chocolate is melted. Remove bowl from the heat and stir in the sugar, vanilla and salt. Add the eggs, one at a time, stirring well after each addition. Stir in the flour and beat with a rubber spatula until batter is smooth and glossy, 1-2 minutes. Transfer the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface.
Bake for about 20 minutes – the surface will look dry but a skewer inserted in the center will come out quite gooey.
Fill a roasting pan or large baking pan with ice cubes and add about 2cm (¾in) water. When the brownies are ready, remove the pan from the oven and immediately set it in the ice bath – be careful not to splash water on the brownies.
Cool completely, then carefully remove from the pan using the foil handles. Cut into squares.

* if using 70% cocoa chocolate: 180g (6½oz) chocolate, 7 tablespoons (98g) unsalted butter and 1 cup (200g) caster (superfine) sugar; omit the water bath

Makes 16