i'd rather be baking

It’s not very often I feel like a grown-up lady. My hair’s a little frizzy; that’s awkward. I went to my first hot yoga class last weekend; I felt kind of awesome, but not so much like a lady. I was more like a sweaty, noodle-y mess. I spend more time watching tv than reading books and I like to sit cross-legged. These are not the most ladylike qualities. But these are grown-up lady brownies. They make me feel like I know what’s up and I’m not a kid any more.

I’ve always been a fan of the one-bowl brownie — as simple as a boxed mix with much better results. These are basically the simplest brownies ever, dressed up with some salt. It’s fancy! I mean…not really. But it definitely tastes fancy.

If you’re not sure about salt and chocolate together, get on this bandwagon! The salt adds a wonderful, complex flavor to the brownies without being too overwhelming. This is my new favorite brownie recipe, and I don’t say that lightly. Give it a try! You don’t even need expensive sea salt — I used kosher salt, which I bought in a big box at the grocery store sometime last year. No big deal.

Salted Fudge Brownies
Jane Deere via Tasty Kitchen

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt (or kosher salt)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9-inch square metal cake pan with foil, draping the foil over the edges. Lightly butter the foil.

In a large saucepan, melt the butter with the unsweetened chocolate over very low heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat. Whisking them in one at a time until thoroughly incorporated, add the cocoa, sugar, eggs, vanilla and flour. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Sprinkle the salt evenly over the batter. Using a butter knife, swirl the salt into the batter.

Bake the brownies in the center of the oven for about 35 minutes, until the edges are set but the center is still a bit soft and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out almost clean. Let the brownies cool at room temperature in the pan for 1 hour, then refrigerate until firm. Lift the brownies from the pan and peel off the foil. Cut the brownies into 16 squares. Serve at room temperature (or chilled!).