This recipe sometimes gets lost in the shuffle, but the Deep Dark Chocolate Brownies (originally from Gourmet & Ruth Cousineua) are really fantastic. I’ve made them often over the years, experimenting with different pan sizes and playing around with technique.

The original version is pretty straightforward since everything is just stirred together in the saucepan. The brownies come out very smooth and fudgy. For lighter textured and more truffle-like dark chocolate brownies, you can use the technique mentioned in the notes of whipping half the sugar with the eggs until thick and ribbon-like.

You can also halve this recipe if you don’t need a full 13×9 inch pan. Since the full version calls for 5 eggs, you just use 2 eggs plus 2 tablespoons of lightly beaten egg, which equals 2 1/2 eggs. Also, for the half batch you’ll want to use an 8 inch square pan. A 9 inch square pan may also be used, but the brownies will be very thin.

The brownies are fairly sweet so I wouldn’t recommend using any chocolate less that 60% cocoa. Dark chocolate brownies also taste way better on the second day — almost to the point where you think you might be eating a whole different brownie.

Recipe

Gourmet Deep Dark Chocolate Brownies

Cookie Madness

Deep Dark Chocolate Brownies

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Total Time 35

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings

Ingredients

2 sticks unsalted butter (230 grams)
8 oz bittersweet chocolate no more than 60% cacao if marked
2 cups sugar (380 grams)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
5 large eggs
1/3 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup all-purpose flour

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 13×9 inch metal pan with foil and spray foil with cooking spray. Alternatively, you may use parchment. These are pretty sticky at first!
Melt butter and chocolate in a 3-qt heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring, until smooth. Add 1 cup of the sugar to the hot chocolate mixture. Remove from heat and let cool to lukewarm.
Whisk in remaining 1 cup sugar and vanilla. Whisk in eggs 1 at a time until mixture is glossy and smooth. Whisk in salt and cocoa powder, then add flour and stir until it disappears (do not overbeat).
Spread in pan and bake until a pick inserted in center comes out with crumbs, 25 to 35 minutes. Cool to room temperature then chill for an hour or more. Lift from pan, place on a cutting board, cut into squares.
Makes 1 13×9 inch pan (yield depends on how big you cut your brownies, but they are rich, so small is fine.

Notes

For brownies with a crackly top, melt the chocolate with half of the sugar as directed, but beat the rest of the sugar along with the eggs for about 6 minutes or until thick and yellow. Whipping the eggs and sugar will give you a more truffle-like texture. However, both versions are great.

Keyword Basic Fudge Brownies

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

(adapted from Gourmet)

Comments

I love hearing from other bakers and appreciate helpful comments. Rude ones will be deleted immediately.

Anna

June 18, 2020 at 7:28 am

Glad to hear that!
Fungus

June 18, 2020 at 7:08 am

These are the best brownies I’ve ever made 😀
Janice

January 07, 2009 at 3:15 pm

Anna,
These brownies are great!
Thanks and Happy New Year!
Kristacular

December 18, 2008 at 12:09 pm

MMMMM!!!! These look like Tiff’s Treats brownies!!!!! Nerd requested these for Christmas! Can’t wait to make them!
Cherie

October 09, 2008 at 8:42 pm

I made these a few weeks ago and LOVE THEM! They are the most perfect brownies I’ve ever tried. And I agree with your cocoa note. I used 60% and wouldn’t want to go any higher.
Christie

October 09, 2008 at 4:19 pm

I already have way too many brownie recipes to try, but I think I’ll need to add these, also! Who doesn’t love a thick, fudgey brownie?
Great photo, too!
Angie

October 09, 2008 at 11:14 am

Those brownies look so good!
Sue

October 09, 2008 at 9:58 am

I’ve always been tempted to try those brownies. Too many brownie recipes, so little time! :-)My husband loves the King Arthur brownies, and my kids love an old recipe that you see versions of everywhere, with marshmallows and chocolate chips. I think the Cook’s Illustrated brownies went over well here too.
FFichiban

October 09, 2008 at 12:54 am

Mmmmm I can taste the gooey rich centres through the photo Yumm^^!
HeartofGlass

October 08, 2008 at 5:59 pm

This is my type of recipe–I am definitely bookmarking it, but I may dare to try it with the really dark stuff.
clumbsycookie

October 08, 2008 at 1:55 pm

They look like pieces of fudge! I was gonna steal the picture too, but Todd beated me to it! 😉
snookydoodle

October 08, 2008 at 1:14 pm

yummy brownies :)))
these look really nice they re perfectly baked neither too fudgy nor too cakey 🙂
Karen

October 08, 2008 at 11:22 am

They look great, I think the combination of cocoa and semisweet or bittersweet chocolate makes the best brownies.
Maria

October 08, 2008 at 11:19 am

I love brownies! These look fantastic!!
Ellen

October 08, 2008 at 11:06 am

Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about! YUMMY Anna, thank you for posting these. Your recipes are excellent, I must say. 🙂
VeggieGirl

October 08, 2008 at 9:55 am

Those brownies certainly do look impressive!! Yum!!
Todd

October 08, 2008 at 9:45 am

What a great looking picture. I’m totally going to steal it and give myself credit for taking it.
runjess

October 08, 2008 at 8:58 am

Wow those look like FUDGE!
Lisa Ernst

October 08, 2008 at 8:50 am

These look so dense and rich that I was surprised to see flour in the recipe! I will have to bookmark this for my next brownie adventure.