A quick appearance to say: these are the best brownies I’ve ever had.

We all have different opinions on the topic, I know, but such are the power of these specimens that they shattered all my notions of what a brownie should be—and I’d been firmly in the cake-y camp, you know?—and replaced them with these burnished beauties.

In Nigel’s words, they’re as “dense and fudgy as Glastonbury Festival mud.” I like that. Why can’t we all try to be that way?

NIGEL SLATER’S BROWNIES

Makes one 9″ square pan
From The Kitchen Diaries

I’m a firm believer in weight measurements these days, and as a consequence, all the volume measurements below are approximate. In other words, I recommend getting a digital scale! It’s tremendously helpful. Also, this recipe is from the UK version of The Kitchen Diaries, hence the metric measurements. But don’t you prefer metric measurements anyway? They’re so reliable.

Ingredients:

• 60 grams (a scant 1/2 cup) all-purpose flour
• 60 grams (1/2 cup) cocoa powder
• 1/2 t baking powder
• 200 grams (1-2/3 cups, roughly chopped) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
• 300 grams (1-1/2 cups) granulated sugar
• 250 grams (2 4-oz. sticks plus 2 T) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3 large eggs, plus 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten

Directions:

Line a 9″ square pan with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder in a small bowl. Melt the chocolate and set it aside.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until soft, creamy, and a bit airy. Add the lightly beaten eggs a little at a time, incorporating them fully between each pour. Mix in the melted chocolate. Finally, fold in the flour mixture gently but firmly.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, smooth out the top, and bake for about 30-35 minutes. The brownie will be a bit jiggly when it comes out of the oven, but the top should have puffed slightly, and a toothpick stuck through the middle should come out sticky but without raw batter attached.

Cool for an hour, during which the brownie will solidify more fully. Cut into squares and enjoy!