Best Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients

• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 cold large eggs
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup pecan pieces

Directions

1. Set your oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C), and position a rack in the lower third of the oven.
2. Fit foil or parchment into the bottom of an 8-inch square baking pan, leaving extra hanging over 2 opposite sides so you can lift the brownies out later. Put the butter, cocoa, sugar, and salt into a medium-sized metal bowl. Add water to a large skillet until it comes halfway up, then bring it to a very gentle simmer. Nestle the bowl with the butter and cocoa mixture into the skillet.
3. Keep stirring the butter and cocoa mixture until the butter is fully melted and everything looks smooth and feels hot when you touch it.
4. Take the bowl out of the skillet and let the mixture settle down a little, so it goes from hot to warm. Stir in the almond extract. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, mixing with some muscle after each one.
5. When the batter looks glossy, thick, and fully combined, add the flour. Use a wooden spoon to beat it for 40 strokes.
6. Fold in the pecans.
7. Scrape the batter into the lined pan, then spread the top into an even layer.
8. Bake at 325 degrees F (160 degrees C) for 20 to 25 minutes, until a bamboo skewer or toothpick poked into the middle comes out with a little damp brownie batter still clinging to it. Let the brownies cool all the way on a rack.
9. Once they are cool, use the foil or parchment edges to lift the brownies from the pan. Transfer them to a cutting board and slice into 16 to 25 squares or rectangles.