Best Cocoa Brownies Adapted from Alice Medrichs Bittersweet Makes 16 larger or 25 smaller brownies (the size you

see pictured yielded 25) 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks, 5 ounces or 141 grams) unsalted butter 1 1/4 cups (9 7/8 ounces, 280 grams) sugar 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (2 7/8 ounces, 82 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-process) 1/4 teaspoon salt (or a heaping 1/4 teaspoon flaky salt, as I used) 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 2 large eggs, cold 1/2 cup (66 grams, 2 3/8 ounces) all-purpose flour 2/3 cup walnut or pecan pieces (optional) Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325F. Line the bottom and sides of an 88-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides. Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium heatproof bowl and set the bowl in a wide skillet of barely simmering water. Stir from time to time until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth and hot enough that you want to remove your finger fairly quickly after dipping it in to test. Remove the bowl from the skillet and set aside briefly until the mixture is only warm, not hot. It looks fairly gritty at this point, but dont fret it smooths out once the eggs and flour are added. [Note, many people who have tried this recipe have found that this step works just fine in the microwave. Couldn't test this because we don't have one, but it sounds like it would work.] Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one. When the batter looks thick, shiny, and well blended, add the flour and stir until you cannot see it any longer, then beat vigorously for 40 strokes with the wooden spoon or a rubber spatula. Stir in the nuts, if using. Spread evenly in the lined pan. Bake until a toothpick plunged into the center emerges slightly moist with batter, 20 to 25 minutes is Medrichs suggestion but it took me at least 10 minutes longer to get them set. Let cool completely on a rack. (I go further and throw mine in the fridge or freezer for a while; its the only way I can get them to cut with clean lines.) Lift up the ends of the parchment or foil liner, and transfer the brownies to a cutting board. Cut into 16 or 25 squares.

Everyday Chocolate Cake Adapted from Magnolia Bakery At Home My changes were to streamline the recipe (and shirk some recipe-writing conventions) to make this a one bowl cake, because anything called everyday really oughta be in one bowl. I added weights (because then your bowl becomes your measuring cups and look how few dishes you have to do!). And I completely messed up on a key ingredient, cocoa. [Updated 8/5/10] Although I was thrilled with the result when I used Dutch cocoa and 1 teaspoon baking soda (in the original published recipe, 8/4/10), the cake rose and sank slightly in the baking process, a sign that the leavener was off. I retested this the next day with different levels of leavener and two different types of cocoa, in hopes to keep the cake aloft. Ive updated the recipe below with the suggestion of Dutch cocoa, a reduced amount baking soda and the addition of baking powder. I found that the version with Dutch cocoa was darker with a more appealing chocolate flavor. But fear not: If you only have a natural or non-Dutched cocoa, you can still use it, but youll want to use 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and no baking powder. Heres a photo of both versions side-by-side. Both were gleefully received. Happy baking! 1/2 cup (1 stick or 4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened 1 cup (6 7/8 ounces) firmly packed light brown sugar 1/2 cup (4 ounces) granulated sugar 1 large egg, at room temperature 1 cup buttermilk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 1/2 cups (6 3/4 ounces) all-purpose flour 3/4 cup (2 5/8 ounces) Dutch cocoa powder (see above for a natural cocoa adjustment) 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt Preheat the oven to 325F. Butter and lightly flour a 95x3-inch loaf pan, or spray it with a butter-flour spray. In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugars and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and beat well, then the buttermilk and vanilla. Dont worry if the batter looks a little uneven. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt together right into your wet ingredients. Stir together with a spoon until well-blended but do not overmix. Scrape down the batter in the bowl, making sure the ingredients are well blended. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool in pan on a rack for about 10 to 15 minutes, at which point you can cool it the rest of the way out of the pan. Serve with whipped cream and fresh berries, if youre feeling fancy.

Crispy, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies Adapted from AllRecipes.com These cookies have a lower chip-to-dough ratio than our earlier favorites and a thicker, softer thing going on than the consummate cookies, to help you differentiate them. But when Im looking for a classic cookie, kind of like the old school Toll House recipe but better, even, this is what I go for. As always with cookies, you can scoop, flash freeze and then freeze the cookies until youre ready to bake them, or to bake a few off at a time. You can bake them straight from the freezer, adding a few minutes to your baking time, of course, or let them thaw out on a tray for a while. 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted 1 cup packed brown sugar 1/2 cup white sugar 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1 egg 1 egg yolk 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips 1. Preheat the oven to 325F (165C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper. 2. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. 3. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. 4. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time (for giant cookies) or a tablespoon at a time (for smaller cookies) onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart. 5. Bake larger cookies for 15 to 17 minutes, or 10 to 12 minutes for smaller ones (check your cookies before theyre done; depending on your scoop size, your baking time will vary) in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Crispy Salted Oatmeal White Chocolate Cookies Adapted from Cooks Illustrated The original recipe didnt have white chocolate in it, but it really works wonderfully in here. Even if youre a dark chocolate fan. Watch out, use the good stuff and this may even convert you. 1 cup all-purpose flour 3/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon table salt 14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly softened 1 cup sugar 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar 1 large egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats 6 ounces good-quality white chocolate bar, chopped (not white chocolate chips; theyre almost always artificial. I am adamant about this.) 1/2 teapoon flaky sea salt (like Maldon or fleur de sel) (for sprinkling on top) 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or Silpat. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and table salt in a medium bowl. 2. Beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Scrape down bowl with rubber spatula, then add egg and vanilla and beat until incorporated. Scrape down bowl again. Add flour mixture gradually and mix until just incorporated and smooth. Gradually add oats and white chocolate and mix until well incorporated. 3. Divide dough into 24 equal portions, each about 2 tablespoons. Roll between palms into balls, then place on lined baking sheets about 2 1/2 inches apart. Using fingertips, gently press down each ball to about 3/4-inch thickness. 4. Sprinkle a flake or two of sea salt on each cookie 5. Bake until cookies are deep golden brown, about 13 to 16 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack to cool.

Silky Chocolate Pudding Adapted from John Scharffenberger, via Wednesday Chef Serves 6 1/4 cup cornstarch 1/2 cup sugar 1/8 teaspoon salt 3 cups whole milk 6 ounces 62% semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used good quality semisweet chocolate chips; use 70% bittersweet if you want more of a dark chocolate kick) 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1. Combine the cornstarch, sugar and salt in the top of a double boiler. Slowly whisk in the milk, scraping the bottom and sides with a heatproof spatula to incorporate the dry ingredients. Place over gently simmering water and stir occasionally, scraping the bottom and sides. Use a whisk as necessary should lumps begin to form. After 15 to 20 minutes, when the mixture begins to thicken and coats the back of the spoon, add the chocolate. Continue stirring for about 2 to 4 minutes, or until the pudding is smooth and thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. 2. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer (or skip this step if youre a slacker like me who is absolutely certain that there is nary a lump her puddin) into a serving bowl or into a large measuring cup with a spout and pour into individual serving dishes. 3. If you like pudding skin, pull plastic wrap over the top of the serving dish(es) before refrigerating. If you dislike pudding skin, place plastic wrap on top of the pudding and smooth it gently against the surface before refrigerating. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days (ahem, good luck with that).