Fudge Brownies, Sweet and Salty

I told you I'd be right back. Good god (notice lower case 'g', so Sr. Aquinata will not haunt me with a 'spelldown' tonight in my dreams), where in the holy heck have I been for NINE months? Written a best selling cookbook? Nope. Discovered a cure for whatever ails you? No, with my sincere concerns for whatever ails you. Traveled the world? With the exception of Switzerland, France, and Ireland, been keeping the home fires burning.

I've just been enjoying life --- Mr. RestaurantQuality, our fabulous children and spouses/fiances, those wonderful Little Sweethearts.

Today, FD#1 asked for the recipe for the entitled brownies and she also asked 'where has the blog gone?' That inspired me.

It's Friday. Mr. RQ has made the perfectly proportioned, well-iced old fashioned and I am ready to BLOG..........................

Fudge Brownies, Sweet and Salty

Musical Accompaniment: Hallelujah, Vitamin String Quartet

Adapted from Recipe Girl

3/4 Cup unsalted butter (12 T.), right out of the frig

2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1/4 Cup, plus 2 T. unsweetened cocoa powder

2 Cups white sugar

3 large eggs, room temp

1 1/2 t. vanilla extract

1 Cup all purpose flour

1/2 t.flaky sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

9" square pan, lined with non-stick foil

In large saucepan, mel butter with chocolate over low heat, stiffing occasionally. When melted and smooth, remove from heat.

Whisk in cocoa, then sugar, then eggs, then vanilla, then flour. Make sure each is incorporated before adding the next ingredient.

Pour batter into prepared pan.

Sprinkle sea salt over top of batter.

Bake for about 35 minutes, until edges are set, but center is a bit soft. A toothpick inserted into center should come out coated with a touch of the batter.

Let cool, on rack, for about an hour. Lift the foil out of pan and then into frig for about an hour.

Remove from foil.

Cut and swoon.

My Notes:

With apologies: I did not think to take photos when I made these out of this world brownies.

I used Ghiardelli bar chocolate. Easily obtained at a supermarket.

I used Hershey's unsweetened natural cocoa. Easily obtained.

The sea salt: I do not have a seashore from which to harvest sea salt, although the thought of it makes me ask Mr. RQ for another old fashioned. I did not buy anything fancy. I bought McCormick's grinder sea salt, easily obtained from a supermarket, because it is now beyond trendy to use sea salt. I did NOT measure. I just ground away, covering the batter with sea salt, but NOT densely. Any sea salt will do. If you wish to be beyond trendy, then trendy you shall be beyond.