Classic Chocolate Brownies

I may have gone completely insane this weekend.  That's right.  Totally, utterly, and completely mad.  Do you want to know what I did this weekend.  I took, no joke, over 300 pictures of brownies this weekend.  That's right OVER 300 pictures of just one plate of brownies.  I believe this was the first weekend I spent more time with my camera in my hand than whisk and a bowl.

Taking pictures is tough business.  There are too many buttons, too many settings, and too much to remember!  Not to mention lighting.  Lighting may very well be the end of me.  Seriously, how can lighting be so difficult?!  Natural light? Reflected light? Softened light?  There are too many combinations.  So after hours of changing my location, light source, and camera settings I was up to 300 pictures!  Was it all worth it?  Well, you tell me... I think the pictures are better than before and hopefully you will too!

I know what you're thinking... how long did this clearly crazy girl spend with her camera in hand?  About 5  hours.  Seriously, 5 hours.  That is why in the first picture about you can see one of the brownies is missing a bite.  It was a long time to not eat them, don't judge... they smelled great!  Honestly, who can resist brownies after looking at them for 5 straight hours?!  Okay, okay so I ate probably 6 of them before I even started.  You caught me.  Eating is so much better than picture taking! :)

Other than picture taking this weekend was devoted to brownie research.  It is tough to find just the right recipe that balances chewy with fudgy and fluffy with dense.  I knew I wanted both chocolate and cocoa powder.  The chocolate because who doesn't want that?!  And the cocoa powder because my parents recently went on a trip to Switzerland and brought me back some fantastic cocoa powder.  I would have preferred to been taken on the trip with them - but I suppose I will have to settle for pictures and sweets.  Life could be worse.  After lots of recipe research I decided on a combining three of the top recipes (one for fudge brownies, one for chewy brownies, and one for brownie cake) to arrive at these delicious treats!  Hope you like them :)

Ingredients

yields 16 small or 9 greedy-sized brownies

6 T. bittersweet chocolate

6 T. unsalted butter
1/4 cup dutch-processed (or alkalized unsweetened) cocoa powder 

3 large eggs, room temperature

1 cup sugar

1/2 t. salt

2 t. vanilla extract

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 cup walnuts, pecans, or both (optional)
1/4 cup powdered sugar (optional)

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line a square 9-inch baking pan with foil and spray foil thoroughly with non-stick cooking spray.

2) Cut butter into tablespoon size pieces and combine with the chocolate chips in a heat proof bowl.  Melt the chocolate and the butter together over a pan of barely simmering water.  Alternatively you can do this in the microwave on a medium setting for about 15 seconds, stir, then another 15 seconds.  Repeated until completely melted.

3) Allow to cool slightly and mix in the eggs, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and salt.  **Note if your eggs are not room temperature they can cause the chocolate to seize.  If they are still cold then beat them quickly with the sugar to bring them up in temperature.

4) Add in the flour and baking powder and stir to combine.  Fold in the nuts.

5) Pour the mixture into the 9-inch (or 8-inch) square baking pan and bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs.

6) Allow to cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar and bust out your camera... 5 hours later it will be brownie time! Or just eat them now, who cares about pictures... you can always make them again! ;)

Anyone have any good food photography tips?  Let me know! I am always looking for more input.