Super but not Supernatural: Zingerman's Bakehouse Black Magic Brownies

When I had recently promised some baked goods for a colleague's chocolate-themed retirement party but found myself pressed for time, I decided to make brownies. I tried the recipe for the "iconic" Bakehouse Brownies from Zingerman's Bakehouse.

I had to make one substitution; I don't stock pastry flour so I used White-Lily all-purpose flour instead because it has a low protein content close to that of pastry flour. The recipe is straightforward. You beat eggs, sugar, salt, and vanilla for five minutes; add a mixture of melted unsweetened chocolate and butter; and stir in flour and baking powder. You spread the batter into a pan and bake. (These plain brownies are "black magic" brownies. There is also a "magic" variation with walnuts and a "Buenos Aires" variation with a layer of dulce de leche in the middle.)

This is a very good brownie with classic brownie flavor and a moderately fudgy texture. I don't have any particular criticisms of this recipe, but I can't say that the brownies were particularly memorable -- so I'll stop short of calling them magical. I personally like nuts in brownies and am pretty sure I would prefer the "magic" variation with walnuts. But I would absolutely recommend this recipe to anyone who wants an unadorned but delicious brownie with great flavor and texture.

Recipe: "Bakehouse Brownies" from Zingerman's Bakehouse by Amy Emberling and Frank Carollo.

Previous Post: "Brownie Tasteoff, Round 1: Classic Brownies," July 6, 2011.