Recipe: Classic Chocolate Brownie

You can't go past a great chocolate brownie for a simple desert that everyone loves! Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream - delicious!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (225g) unsalted butter
• 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup (90g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Optional: 1 cup (175g) chocolate chips or chopped nuts

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13 inch (23x33cm) baking pan or line it with parchment paper.
2. In a saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Once melted, remove it from the heat and stir in the sugar until well combined.
3. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, into the butter-sugar mixture. Stir in the vanilla extract.
4. In a separate bowl, sift together the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, and salt.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
6. If desired, fold in the chocolate chips or nuts into the batter.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan, spreading it evenly.
8. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter). Be cautious not to overbake, as brownies can become dry if cooked too long.
9. Once done, remove the pan from the oven and allow the brownies to cool completely in the pan before cutting into squares.