Easy Brownies

1. Preheat Oven

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. This ensures it's ready to go once your brownie mixture is prepared.

2. Melt Chocolate and Butter

Take a small saucepan and combine the unsweetened chocolate and butter. Place the saucepan on the stove over very low heat. Stir occasionally, letting the chocolate and butter melt together until the mixture is smooth.

3. Prepare Baking Pan

Grease an 8-inch-square baking pan with a bit of extra butter. If you'd like, you can also line the pan with waxed or parchment paper and grease that as well for easier brownie removal later.

4. Combine Chocolate Mixture and Sugar

Once your chocolate and butter mixture is melted and smooth, transfer it to a bowl and stir in the sugar. Mix until the sugar is fully incorporated.

5. Add Eggs

Beat in the eggs one at a time. This helps to create a smooth and cohesive batter.

6. Add Flour and Salt

Now, add the flour. If you used unsalted butter, toss in a pinch of salt at this stage. Mix just until the flour is fully combined and no traces remain.

7. Add Vanilla Extract

If you like, you can also stir in the vanilla extract for an added hint of flavor.

8. Pour and Bake

Pour the brownie mixture into your prepared pan, spreading it out evenly. Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 20 to 30 minutes. You'll know the brownies are done when they are set and barely firm in the middle.

9. Cool and Cut

Once baked, let the brownies cool on a rack before cutting them into squares. This cooling step helps them firm up and makes cutting much easier. Enjoy your homemade brownies!