Fudgy Brownies from A Good Bake

I made the fudgy brownies recipe from A Good Bake by Melissa Weller and Carolynn Carreno. It is always a good idea to see how a baker's brownies are, and these were . I liked the way the recipes are laid out, very clear, and many of the more complex baked goods come with full-color photographs of the major steps. This will be one to add to my collection because next year when I focus my reading on Non-Western Europe, I will have to make khachapuri and babka, at least. 

I am putting the recipe in more of a standard format, but the cookbook is laid out in a more precise fashion, with preparation notes, making notes, technical notes, and more. I felt very clear on what would be required.

Fudgy Brownies

4 oz unsweetened chocolate
8 tbsp unsalted butter, cubed
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Arrange the oven racks so one is in the center position. Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Spray the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Cut a piece of parchment paper 8 inches wide and 15 to 16 inches long. Lay the paper in the pan so it travels up and over two of the sides. Spray the paper with cooking spray.

Pour 1-2 inches of water into the bottom of a small saucepan and choose a bowl that fits over the saucepan to make a double boiler. Make sure the water is not touching the bottom of the bowl; if it is, pour some water out. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer.

Roughly chop the chocolate. Put the butter and chocolate into the bowl of the double boiler and melt them, using a heat-proof rubber spatula to stir and scrape down the sides of the bowl so the chocolate doesn't burn.

Remove the bowl from the double boiler and wipe the bottom of the bowl so no water drips. Add the sugar and vanilla and whisk them in. Add the eggs one at a time and whisk until the batter is shiny and smooth, 1-2 minutes. Add the salt and flour and stir with a rubber spatula until no flour is visible.

Using a rubber spatula, transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Use the spatula to smooth out the top of the batter. 

Place the brownies on the center rack of the oven and bake for 20 minutes, rotating the pan from front to back halfway through the baking. Remove the brownies from the oven and cool on a cooling rack. the tops will appear dry, but the insides will should remain fudgy if you poke the center with a toothpick or cake tester. Holding the sides of the parchment paper, lift the brownies out of the pan and place them on a cutting board. Using a large knife, cut the brownies into 16 equal pieces.

Store the brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.

Here are the recipes I really have my eyes on from A Good Bake: 

-Chewy Gingersnaps
-Khachapuri with Cheese, Baked Egg, and Nigella Seeds
-Kale and Cheese Khachapuri with Zhoug
-Cinnamon Babka with Brown Butter Cinnamon Glaze
-Chocolate Babka
-Cranberry Cream Cheese Babka
-Cardamom Cinnamon Rolls with Buttermilk Glaze
-Strawberry Jam and Hazelnut Rugelach