Best Fudgy Cocoa Brownies

(Make them in one bowl)

Ingredients

·         1/2 cup unsalted butter , melted

·         1 tablespoon cooking oil (olive oil or coconut oil are fine)

·         1 1/8 cup superfine sugar (caster sugar)*

·         2 large eggs

·         2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

·         1/2 cup all purpose (or plain) flour

·         1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

·         1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1.    Preheat oven to 175°C | 350°F.

2.    Lightly grease an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking oil spray. Line with parchment paper (or baking paper); set aside.

3.    Combine melted butter, oil and sugar together in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk well for about a minute. Add the eggs and vanilla; beat until lighter in color (another minute).

4.    Sift in flour, cocoa powder and salt. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until JUST combined (do NOT over beat as doing so well affect the texture of your brownies).

5.    Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing the top out evenly. (OPTIONAL: Top with chocolate chunks or chocolate chips.)

6.    Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the center of the brownies in the pan no longer jiggles and is just set to the touch (the brownies will keep baking in the hot pan out of the oven). If testing with a toothpick, the toothpick should come out dirty (not too dirty/wet) for fudge-textured brownies.

7.    Remove and allow to cool to room temperature before slicing.

OPTIONAL

1.    Crushed walnuts, peanuts, almonds, pecans, etc. Chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, chocolate chunks, dried fruit (cranberries, raisins, etc)

Recipe Notes

*Regular white, granulated, sugar can be used if you can't find caster sugar
TIPS AND TRICKS:
1. Whisk your butter and sugar really well.
2. Beat in your eggs for a good minute. This step is crucial for that crackly top
3. Do NOT over beat your batter once the flour and cocoa powder are added. THAT creates air pockets in the batter which will give you cake-like textured brownies.
4. Do NOT over bake them! I like mine at exactly 21:30 minutes. (my own oven took 30 minutes) You can go a little bit over if you like them set a bit more, but I don't recommend it if you're looking for the fudgiest brownies in this lifetime.
5. I bake my brownies on the top shelf in the oven. I find the middle shelf cooks them a lot faster and dries them out.