Brownies (the best you've probably ever had)

A very good friend of mine passed this recipe along to me many years ago. They are easy to make and a great dessert to bring over to someone house. They will be very impressed and be more inclined to invite you over again. Unfortunately, you will then be expected to make these brownies - it could become a vicious circle.

Do you have that kind of time to constantly make brownies for people?
Are they really that good of a friend?
You know what, bring a boxed cake instead and keep this recipe just between us.

Ingredients

· Flour, for dusting the buttered pan
· 4 large eggs
· 3/4 cups cocoa, sifted
· 2 cups sugar
· 12 tablespoons of butter
· 1 tablespoons real vanilla extract
· 1 pinch of kosher salt
· 1 cups flour
· 1 pint of vanilla ice cream
· small pitcher of Sapphire Martinis, very dry, straight up, Olives (lemon twist, if you must but why drink a martini then.)
· CD (preferably, Cohen Live – Leonard Cohen Concert)

Tools

· 1 pint of vanilla ice cream
· Wire whisk
· Large bowl (copper bowl, if you have a great friend who gave you one.)
· Chilled martini glass
· 2 cup Pyrex measuring cup


Directions

Wake up and decide that today is the day that you are going to make real brownies and not the crap from the package. A few hours before you are going to actually make the brownie, remove the 4 eggs from the refrigerator.

Start the CD and take your chilled glass out of the freezer. Pour your martini. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9x13-inch glass baking dish. Melt together the butter in the microwave then and cocoa powder, stir and allow to cool. Sip your martini and listen to Leonard Cohen and think about how great it is to have a drink, listen to Leonard Cohen and make brownies.



Beat 4 eggs until fluffy. Beat in the sugar and vanilla until well mixed (you can no longer hear the grains of sugar against the side of the bowl.) Think about whether or not Leonard Cohen has every made brownies for himself. Remember that Leonard is a Buddhist monk and have another sip of your martini (notice the beads of sweat on the side of your glass.) Add the vanilla and beat until fluffy (realize that Leonard has never used the word fluffy in a song and take another sip.)

Carefully fold the cocoa mixture into the egg mixture. Fold until just incorporated. Realize how this is just like a Zen koan and have another sip (If you’re listening to the Cohen CD, you should be listening to the ‘Joan of Arc’ cut. Realize how horrible death by fire is and probably pour yourself another cocktail.)



Add the flour all at once, add the pinch of kosher salt and fold in carefully, just until it is combined (you’ll probably still see some very small streaks.) Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until tester just comes out clean. Halfway through the baking, turn the pan around 180 degrees (contemplate that – have another sip.) Debate with yourself whether or not you think Leonard’s or Jeff Buckley’s version of Hallelujah is better.

Take the brownies out of the oven and allow to cool. Once the tray cools, slice into 16 pieces, even pieces are nice but it’s your choice. Find your drink and serve the brownies with a scoop of the vanilla ice cream.



Demand Euphoria!