Have a Heart - Basic Brownies, February, 2023.

There is nothing that says love more than chocolate.

Heart-shaped brownies are the perfect answer to serve on Valentine’s Day.

Here is my basic brownie recipe. After baking, use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to make the perfect Valentine shape.

To decorate or not? Your decision.

• Ingredients
• 12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter 
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (at least 60% cacao) chopped into small, even-sized pieces
• 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• ½ cup and 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

• Directions
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Grease a 9” square baking pan with butter or cooking spray. Dust with flour and tap out the excess..
• Warm the chocolate and butter in a small saucepan over low heat.
• Stir frequently.
• Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir until the mixture smooth.
• Set aside and let cool for a few minutes.
• In a large bowl, mix the sugar, eggs and vanilla with an electric mixer.
• Add the cooled chocolate mixture and mix until well blended.
• Measure the flour, salt. Sift directly into the chocolate mixture.
• Mix gently until blended and no trace of the dry ingredients remains.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes.
• Remove pan from oven and cool for at least one hour.
• Get as many hearts from the pan as possible.
• Serve as is or decorate.
• Number of hearts depends on how big your cookie cutter is.