Christmas Cooking Down 5 Days to Christmas Classic Brownies

Two of my favorite things starting with the letter B: Bob, shown here on his first Christmas in 2007 when he was 9 months old (the same age Weasley is now)





and brownies.

This classic simple recipe from bon appetit makes the best and fudgiest brownies out there.

 Cocoa Brownies 

• Nonstick vegetable oil spray
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup Scharffen Berger natural unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

• Preheat oven to 325°. Line an 8x8x2 inches glass baking dish with foil, pressing firmly into pan and leaving a 2 inches overhang. Coat foil with nonstick spray; set baking dish aside.
• Melt butter in a small sauce-pan over medium heat. Let cool slightly. Whisk sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium bowl to combine. Pour butter in a steady stream into dry ingredients, whisking constantly to blend. Whisk in vanilla. Add eggs one at a time, beating vigorously to blend after each addition. Add flour and stir until just combined (do not overmix). Scrape batter into prepared pan; smooth top.
• Bake until top begins to crack and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 25-30 minutes.
• Transfer pan to a wire rack; let cool completely in pan. Using foil overhang, lift brownie out of pan; transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 16 squares.