Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C. Line a square 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
In a stainless steel pan, brown the butter over medium heat for 10-12 minutes. While it cooks, the butter will foam, pop, and crackle. This is normal! Stand by and stir it occasionally. When the bottom of the pan has brown bits of butter solid and it starts to smell nutty, scrape all of it into a separate bowl.
1 cup unsalted butter
Add the chocolate chips to the bowl of browned butter and stir to melt completely. Set aside.
1 ½ cups dark chocolate chips
In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until it looks fluffy and pale in color.
3 large eggs,1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
With the mixer running on low, add the vanilla and stream the melted butter and chocolate into the batter. Mix until just combined.
½ tablespoon vanilla extract
Gently fold in the flour, cocoa powder, espresso, and salt with a rubber spatula until just combined.
1 cup all-purpose flour,3 tablespoon dark cocoa powder,2 tablespoon espresso grounds,½ teaspoon salt
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out covered in moist crumbs.
Let the pan cool completely on a wire rack then cut into 16 squares and enjoy!
Notes
Step-by-step process photos are provided above, in the body of this post.
recipe notes
Use the right pan to brown the butter. I recommend a light-colored or stainless steel pan for browning the butter. It makes it much easier to see when it has browned and ensures it doesn't burn!
Don't skip the espresso! The espresso not only gives these brownies their intense coffee flavor but balances the richness and brings out more of the chocolate flavor.
Use a kitchen scale. Baking with a scale is much more accurate than cup measurements and is highly recommended.
Don't overbake. It's okay if the brownies still have a slight jiggly center when you pull them out. They will continue to bake in the hot pan. Overbak
