Chewy Triple Chocolate Brownies (Weekend Brownies)

I dub these weekend brownies. Or Friday brownies. Same diff. These are not your every day brownies though. They're way too awesome for that. They're a treat. A delight. A special thing. Deserving of their own tiny plate. Of being individually wrapped.

These brownies are soft and chewy and moist. (The only way brownies should be, I say.) They have a thin, crisp, shiny top crust. They're damn near perfect.

Not to mention they're chocolate thrice! Incredible.

Over the past couple of years, it feels like I've been on a never-ending search for these brownies. I've had hard edges, dry crumbs, grainy texture, unpleasantly thick and dense. I've tried adding marshmallows, pretzels, cream cheese, peanut butter, all to no avail. These were trying times indeed.

Then these brownies happened. Life changing. I really feel that I deserved these brownies. I really feel that you, too, deserve these brownies. You want them. I know it. And they want you. Just let it happen.

[I should say: if you like your brownies cakey, you bes' stop readin'. This recipe is not for you.]

Chewy Triple Chocolate Brownies
adapted from Cook's Illustrated
makes 48, 2-inch brownie squares

2/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa
1 1/4 cup boiling water [I have replaced the water with brewed coffee (AeroPressed Intelligentsia El Machete, Panama to be exact) with amazingly delicious results. However, I wouldn't recommend this unless you really like coffee.]
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
113 g (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
4 egg yolks
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
5 cups granulated sugar
17.5 oz. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
12 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped into 1/2-inch chunks [I used Askinosie 70% Honduras Dark Chocolate.]

Position oven rack at the lowest possible point in the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line two 9×13-inch metal baking pans with parchment paper, allowing the paper to hang over the edges enough to lift the brownies out. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk cocoa and boiling water until smooth. Immediately add unsweetened chocolate and whisk until melted. Whisk in butter and oil until combined. Whisk in eggs, yolks, and vanilla until incorporated. Whisk in sugar and salt until smooth. Add flour and mix with a rubber spatula using a folding and lifting motion until almost combined (there should still be a bit of unincorporated flour). Fold in the bittersweet chocolate chunks until evenly distributed. Do not overmix.

Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans and bake 30-40 minutes. If your oven tends to heat unevenly (mine does) , rotate and switch the pans after 20 minutes. You'll want to start checking them for doneness at about the 30-minute mark (a bit before if your oven runs hot). A toothpick inserted slightly off the center should not come out completely clean and should have some moist chocolately goodness on the tip. If you are unsure whether or not they are done, they probably are. Do not overcook!

Transfer pans to wire racks and cool 1 hour. Lift brownies from pan by the parchment and place on wire racks and continue cooling another hour. (I know you'll be tempted to eat these right out of the oven, but trust me, letting them cool is worth the wait if you want the best texture and taste.) Once cool, cut into 2-inch squares. Use a bench scraper to get the brownies off the parchment. If you try to peel the brownies away from the parchment, you will likely lose the bottom of your brownies. That would be sad.

Brownies will keep stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 4 days.