Here is another recipe from The Model Bakery Cookbook. If you have a serious sweet tooth, this is the cookbook you want on your bookshelf. It has everything you need and more to do some serious baking and to impress your family. The recipes are based on the pastries they make at their bakery in California. The pastries are old fashion and comforting. They are the kind of recipes you can trust because they were perfected over time. Having tried out quite a few of their recipes, I can say that a trip to The Model Bakery is going on my bucket list. Why does almost everything on my bucket list involve food?

I have to apologize for the picture. It was late and I was in a rush to taste these chocolate bombs. They were so intensely chocolaty that I have to stress the importance of using good quality chocolate. I think that’s what separates the okay from the I’ll-have-another-out-of-this-world brownie. I am sure I will be making these again soon.

Chocolate Brownies (from The Model Bakery Cookbook by Karen Mitchell and Sarah Mitchell Hansen with Rick Rodgers)

Ingredients
¾ cup plus 1 tbsp. unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
All-purpose flour for the pan
1 cup cake flour (not self-rising)
¾ tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. fine sea salt
8 oz. semisweet chocolate (I used 60% cacao), finely chopped
1 cup granulated sugar
1 ½ tsp. instant espresso dissolved in 3 tbsp. boiling water
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs, beaten, at room temperature
1 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 F. Butter an 8-inch square pan. Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper.

Sift the cake flour, baking powder, and salt together into a medium bowl. Put the chopped chocolate in a heat-proof medium bowl. Heat the butter, sugar, and espresso together in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until butter and sugar are melted. Pour the hot mixture over the chocolate and let stand until the chocolate softens, about 1 minute. Add the vanilla extract and whisk until the chocolate is melted. Gradually beat in the eggs. Add the flour mixture and stir until smooth. Fold in the chocolate chips. Pour into the prepared pan and spread out evenly.

Bake until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cut into nine squares and serve. The brownies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.