For chocolate craving souls: Woman of the Year's brownies
Nope. Not that woman of the year - this woman of the year:
Simply because I am about to share with you Katharine Hepburn's brownie recipe.
Very easy and so perfect, that two days ago I doubled the quantities - as I almost always do. I found this recipe on the New York Times' fabled cooking website about ten years ago and never looked for another brownie avatar. Ever.
For an 8x8 baking pan, you will need: 1/2 cup (70 gr) cocoa - preferably either Van Houten or Ghirardelli, unsweetened; 1 stick (115 gr) butter - Irish, if at all possible, because this simple recipe deserves the best sourced ingredients to truly shine; 2 eggs; 1 cup (200 grams) sugar; 1/4 cup (30 grams) flour; 1 cup (130 grams) roughly chopped walnuts; 1 tsp vanilla extract; pinch of salt.
Notes: I always substitute the vanilla extract with a hefty swig of alcohol - whisky, brandy/cognac, Bailey's (a bit too sweet, though) and for the best results, Kahlúa. While not entirely kid friendly, it deepens the chocolatey flavor profile, allowing for a finer, moister texture and the spirits evaporate during the baking process, anyways. Likewise, walnuts can be replaced with chopped almonds, pecans or even pistachios, if you feel adventurous. However, all the rest remains strictly the same.
Preheat the oven to 325 Fahrenheit (160 Celsius).
In a small saucepan, melt the butter (low heat), progressively incorporating the cocoa powder. Stir until smooth, remove from heat and allow to cool for a couple of minutes, but not more. Transfer to a large plastic or ceramic bowl (no metal, it fouls the taste). Whisk in the eggs, one at a time. Stir in the vanilla extract/alcohol.
In a separate bowl, stir in the sugar, the flour, the nuts, the salt. Add the cocoa mix and stir until just combined. Do not overmix!
Pour into greased 8x8 pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes max. The brownies should remain gooey, but not jiggly in the center . Let cool. Cut into bars.
You are welcome.
PS: Yes, SC always gave me Tracy/Hepburn vibes, too.
