Carol Gancia’s Brownies

Makes 12 INGREDIENTS

1¼ cups butter (2½ sticks)

1⁄2 cup all purpose flour

1⁄2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1⁄3 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

1 3⁄4 tablespoons brown sugar

3⁄4 teaspoon vanilla paste (or vanilla extract) 3⁄4 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate, melted 1 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate

1⁄2 cup nuts of your choice, toasted and chopped Whole, raw nut pieces to garnish

DIRECTIONS

Clear enough room in the freezer to hold a 12-count cupcake mold.

Place butter in a bowl in the microwave for about 30 seconds or in a saucepan on the stove and cook on low until semi-melted. Stir until smooth. The butter should be creamy and opaque.

In a small bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder and salt together. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine eggs, sugars and vanilla, beating to blend. Add flour mixture and butter, alternating between the two and scraping down the sides of the bowl between each addition.

Add the melted chocolate and mix until combined. With a large spoon or rubber spatula, stir in the chopped chocolate and chopped toasted nuts, mixing only until just combined. Cover with plastic wrap. Allow the batter to rest at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours in a cool area. (Do not store it in the fridge.) Preheat convection oven to 325 degrees. Divide batter across 12 cavities of your cupcake mold. Garnish with one or two whole nuts on top. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes. Immediately transfer the pan to the freezer to stop the baking process. Let your brownies cool for 15 minutes in the freezer. Remove from the freezer and unmold. Finish cooling at room temperature.