The Absolute Best Brownies

We are having such a fun time in Chicago. It's great to catch up with Mark and Stephanie and Monroe is the sweetest little girl, we just love her. Today we went to a petting zoo and Monroe loved the animals. Later Stephanie was taking a nap and when she woke up she said she had a dream that I was baking brownies. These brownies by David Lebovitz came to mind and I knew they would hit the spot. My friend Lindsey always bakes these and they a my favorite brownies. They are fudgy, rich, and have toasted pecans, they are everything a brownie should be. So good!

The Absolute Best Brownie by David Lebovitz

6 Tablespoons butter (cut into pieces)
8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet baking chocolate (I used Ghiradelli 60% cocoa baking chips, quality chocolate is important, don't skimp on it - a tip I learned from Lindsey.)
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup pecans toasted and chopped

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium saucepan melt butter and chocolate until it becomes a smooth mixture (don't over cook it).

Remove from heat and add sugar and vanilla and stir until combined. Beat eggs and add to the mixture. Add flour and stir vigorously for one minute. Time it. The mixture will go from being granulated to very smooth and pulling away from the bowl.  In the meanwhile toast the pecans for a few minutes then add to the mixture.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the center is just set. Don't let the brownies overcook!

Then enjoy the wonderful gooey, rich, chocolate-ness you have just created! Top it with some ice-cream and hot fudge for an extra special treat.

P.S. - Here are some pictures of our fun in Chicago so far!

Reading a book

Playing with the big blue bird. 

"Flying"

This is Monroe's surprised face :)