The Best Part

The Best Part:  My friend Bryna has the 1/2 tsp. and I am poised with the bottle of Madagascar bourbon vanilla. I start to pour into the 1/2 tsp. and then we realize where the destination bowl is, across the kitchen on the stovetop. That vanilla may end up on the floor or spattered in the dirty sink if we continue in this manner. Without a word we sidle, dance-like and very quickly across the dark blue and white tile floor to the bowl of chocolate brownie batter, pouring one 1/2 tsp. of vanilla down into the deep, dark cocoa terrain.  "We're adults, we know how this works."She says, glimmer of mischief peaking out. Our eyes meet and I say, "Hmm. Maybe a little more?" And I pour about another 1/2 tsp. of Madagascar bourbon vanilla into her 1/2 tsp. still hovering over the waiting brownie batter. It flows from the edge of Bryna's spoon down into the bowl. The mixture integrates the extra vanilla thirstily. I reckon the brownies are the better for it. 

Best Cocoa Brownies
Adapted slightly from this recipe of Alice Medrich

These have a crackled, candy-coating like top and a deep cocoa-dark, chewy interior. Error on the side of taking them out of the oven earlier than you think they are done. They will cook a little more from the heat of the pan. Also, you may just want to go ahead and double the recipe. Freeze half the batch. In my house they quickly became disappearing brownies.

10 Tbsp. (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups evaporated cane juice
3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch process)
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 cold large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose four

Preheat the oven to 325°F.  Butter an 8-inch square baking dish.

Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa and salt in a medium heatproof bowl. Set the bowl in a saucepan of just simmering water. Stir until butter is melted and the mixture is smooth and hot enough that you don't want to leave your finger in it, when you dip it in to test it.

Remove the bowl from the saucepan and set aside until the mixture is only warm. Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs, one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one. When the batter looks thick and shiny, add the flour and stir until it is totally vanished.

Beat the whole mixture forcefully for about forty more strokes to ensure a smooth final brownie. Spread the batter evenly in the buttered pan. Bake until a toothpick stuck in the center comes out slightly moist with batter, 20 - 25 minutes. Let brownies cool completely on the stovetop before slicing into squares and serving.

PS: We didn't try it this time, but placing buttered parchment paper in the buttered pan would probably yield a prettier final product. Plus the brownies would be easier to get out of the pan, and the coveted edge pieces may be more intact. (Hmm...see this.) I will use parchment paper next time I make these, which will be soon.