Ah, the brownie. So simple, yet so versatile. A brownie can be eaten with a scoop of ice cream, drizzled with caramel sauce, frosted with a white chocolate ganache, or cut into pie wedges and topped with whipped cream. Brownies are one of America’s most loved desserts!

Everyone has their favorite brownie.

Fudgy or cakey. Chewy or delicate. Flour or flourless. Light as a feather or denser than a neutron star.

The names and variations go on and on.

Chai Latte … Cherry Cheesecake … Chocolate Stout … Classic Fudge-Walnut … Cream Cheese-Swirled … Dark Chocolate Cherry … Decadent Fudge … Irish Cream … Mocha-Toffee … Peanut Butter … Salted Caramel … Spicy Caramel … Tahini Swirl … Toffee Blond.

A recipe for decadent chocolate brownies is a must-have for any kitchen. If you’re not an expert, don’t worry. It’s pretty simple to bake the perfect brownie at home. Start with quality ingredients. Using high-quality chocolate and cocoa as a base for your batter gives the best results. All of the ingredients should be at room temperature to ensure they mix evenly and create a soft texture. Once you’ve got the basics down, flavor it up—get a little adventurous and try adding dark rum, cherry liquor, or dried fruit for something unique!

Read on for a recipe for fudgy, walnut brownies that’s a simple delight. A recipe that will have mouths watering, as one of the characters in Niklas Three’s new thriller Last Flower: A Leslie Parker Novel raved about.

Excerpt from “Last Flower: A Suspense Thriller Novel” by Niklas Three. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Leslie stared at the reporter—looking through him.

“What? Do I have brownie face?” Gary said.

Leslie bit her lip to prevent another smirk. “Okay, okay, maybe you’re right and I do need help, but first tell me something.”

“What?”

“Something important.”

“Your brownies are straight up the best I’ve ever had. I put ’em up there with things I’d scavenge for after a zombie invasion. Next to white cheddar popcorn, deep-fried Twinkies, and thin-sliced Paleo carbs.”

Okay, let’s get started. When mixing the ingredients, tread carefully. You don’t want to over-mix because this incorporates too much air and will result in your brownies rising too much in the oven and then collapsing. This will mean the brownies won’t have that lovely texture that makes them so scrumptious. No need to worry if you still have a few small lumpy bits when mixing; they will disappear during baking.

The key to ensuring a proper rise and crackly top is not to bake the brownies for too long. So, keep an eye on your timer and take them out while they’re still a tad soft (remember they’ll firm up when cooled). If you prefer firmer brownies, then bake for a couple more minutes. Once the brownies are out of the oven, let them cool before cutting into squares.

Ingredients (for an 8″ x 8″ x 2″ square pan)

• 6 ounces of chopped chocolate (chop a mix of dark chocolate and semisweet baking bars)
• 1 tablespoon of Dutch cocoa powder
• 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted diced butter (1 1/2 sticks room temperature)
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter the inside of the 8″ x 8″ x 2” baking pan to prevent the brownies from sticking (see tips below for more info).
• Sift the flour and cocoa powder in a medium mixing bowl
• Melt the chopped chocolate and butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir until silky smooth and remove from heat. Transfer to a large bowl.
• Cool before adding to the next step’s egg mixture. Optionally place the butter and chocolate in a large glass bowl and microwave on low.
• Beat the eggs in a separate bowl with an electric mixer or spoon until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs to the butter/chocolate mixture, whisking until well incorporated.
• Add the vanilla extract and stir
• In a separate bowl mix the salt, sugar, flour, cocoa powder, and walnuts.
• Add the butter/chocolate mixture and stir until combined.
• Pour batter into an 8-inch square baking pan that has been rubbed with added butter or sprayed with PAM.
• Spread the batter in the prepared pan with a spoon or spatula until surface is smooth.
• Place the pan in the middle rack of your oven.
• Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F. or until set on top but still slightly undercooked in the center.
• The top may crack during baking; that’s okay. Let cool completely before cutting into bars or squares with a serrated knife.
• Enjoy!

Baking Tips

• Sift the flour before measuring.
• If you want a both chewy and fudgy texture with a bit of rise to it, add 1/8 tsp of baking powder.
• Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until they are completely combined.
• If possible, use quality chocolate baking bars and powder from Ghirardelli. For the dark chocolate ingredient, a bar of 70% cacao is a popular choice.
• Try adding 1/8 tsps. of espresso powder for an extra punch.
• Let the chocolate batter cool sufficiently before adding the egg mixture. If the batter is too hot it might cook the eggs and the brownies will not rise or set up correctly when baked.
• Some bakers line a well-buttered pan with foil and then lavishly butter the foil, leaving the foil to overhang the sides of the pan, and lift out when cool for easy cutting. Others grease a pan, not with butter (which can burn) but with a coating of PAM. Other cooks opt to line the pan with parchment paper to prevent the moist brownies from sticking.
• Brownies are best when they are gooey and fudgy, so take care not to overbake. When the brownies are perfectly done, the edges of the batter will just begin to pull away from the pan.
• For truly fudgy treats, be sure to cook the brownies until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. If you wait until the pick is clean, the brownies will be overcooked.
• If you can smell them baking, they are almost done!

There’s nothing better than fudgy, chewy, dense brownies with a thin crust on top. Achieving all this can be tricky. The result of using too little fat or flour or leaving the brownies in the oven for too long will be anything from a springy cake to a dry lump. The above recipe, though, yields decadent, full-throttle chocolate with the meaty-walnut success that will keep you coming back for more.

Ultimately, it’s not the equipment you use to bake that determines the outcome of your baked goods. The quality of the ingredients, your attention to details, a scientific method, and a little bit of practice are what separate a good brownie from a bad one. The perfect brownie comes down to taste, texture, and personal preference, so there’s no real “right” or “wrong” recipe. You can bake fudgier or chewier brownies, but either way, be sure to taste-test along the way to perfect your own recipe.

There’s nothing more satisfying than an ooey-gooey chocolate brownie when you know you didn’t miss a step in the process. Feel free to experiment. Use your imagination to add other ingredients to make these brownies pack a serious, more decadent, next-level taste sensation. But use a light hand—striving to complement the chocolate and not overpower it!

P.S. In a rush? Need an awesome quick dessert? Ghirardelli box mix brownies with chocolate chips should be in your cupboard. To add “extra goodness,” doctor the Ghirardelli mix with whatever is on hand—from cranberries to coconut to peanut butter cups, it all works.