CDKitchen.com

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 4 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup chopped nuts, optional (walnuts or pecans)
• 1 1/3 cup cake flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Move oven rack to center and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9×13“ metal baking pan with parchment paper.
2. In microwave oven, on medium-high power, melt butter and chocolate in 2-quart microwave-safe bowl, about 3 minutes. Stir until smooth. Mix in granulated sugar, then beat in eggs, one at a time, with wire whisk.
3. Mix in vanilla and almond. Stir in nuts, if using them. Combine cake flour, baking powder, and salt and fold into chocolate. Spread batter in 9×13” pan lined with baking parchment and bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees F for about 33-35 minutes. Do not overbake; toothpick may have fudgy crumbs on it, but not wet batter.
4. Cool pan on wire rack for 15 minutes before removing (if you wish) brownies from pan.

• Please, keep the moaning down; it annoys the neighbors. I use the baking parchment so the whole can be removed from the pan for easy transport to a lucky recipient. May want to support the bottom with cardboard if you do that.
• First Place, Plain Brownies, 1997 and 2002 Minnesota State Fairs. Adapted from recipe in Cook's Illustrated magazine, March/April 1994. Please note that I do use real chocolate, unsalted butter, and cake flour. If you do not, don't complain to me about it.