Ultimate Fudgy Chocolate Brownies

1.Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F). Line a 9x9 inch metal baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides to act as handles for easy removal later. Lightly grease the exposed sides of the pan.

2.In a medium, heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (or carefully in a microwave in 30-second intervals), melt the cubed bittersweet chocolate and the butter together until smooth. Remove from heat and whisk until fully combined.

3.Whisk both the granulated sugar and brown sugar into the melted chocolate mixture until thoroughly incorporated. The mixture should look glossy.

4.Whisk in the eggs one at a time, ensuring each egg is fully mixed in before adding the next. Stir in the vanilla extract.

5.In a separate small bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, flour, salt, and instant espresso powder (if using).

6.Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients using a rubber spatula until just combined. Do not overmix; a few streaks of flour are acceptable.

7.Fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips/chunks and any optional nuts. The batter will be very thick.

8.Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan. If desired, sprinkle the top lightly with flaky sea salt.

9.Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. The edges should look set, and a toothpick inserted near the center should come out with moist, fudgy crumbs attached, but not wet batter. Overbaking leads to cakey brownies.

10.Let the brownies cool completely in the pan on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before lifting them out using the parchment paper overhang and cutting them into squares. Cooling fully is crucial for achieving the ultimate fudgy texture.