lisa's deep dark fudgy pecan brownies

How To Make lisa's deep dark fudgy pecan brownies

• Step 1
  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
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  Step 2
  Line 9x13 pan with parchment paper. I use a thick-walled baking pan and, if giving away, I cut the brownies and transfer them to a disposable aluminum pan. Not sure if baking in a throwaway pan would affect the quality of the brownies but maybe not.
• Step 3
  If you don't buy pre-chopped pecans, you can chop your own as part of the prep time. I'd rather buy pecan halves and chop them exactly the size I prefer.
• Step 4
  I like to remove the chalazae (little squiggly white things attached to the yolks) before beating eggs. My mother-in-law always told me if you don't remove them, they can leave chewy spots in your baked goods.
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  Step 5
  I like to remove the chalazae (little squiggly white things attached to the yolks) before beating eggs. My mother-in-law always told me if you don't remove them, they can leave chewy spots in your baked goods.
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  Step 6
  Using a wooden spoon, stir together the sugars, eggs, flavorings, salt, and fats. I use a 10-cup mixing bowl and it's perfect for this.
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  Step 7
  Stir in flour, cocoa, and espresso powder. Once incorporated, stir in chocolate chips and pecans until evenly combined.
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  Step 8
  Spoon into parchment-lined pan and bake about 35-38 minutes depending on your oven. The batter is thick, so you may want to steady your parchment with one hand to keep it from shifting as you spread the batter. Don't overbake! Do toothpick test in multiple places in case you hit a chocolate chip. It should come out a little fudgy, but not wet; and yet your best result is not a completely clean toothpick. If you did overshoot, get them out of the oven ASAP. I recommend you start checking at about 33 minutes and if you need to add baking time, check every couple minutes. There's a sweet spot where they're not over-baked, yet the center pieces still hold their shape after cooled and cut. Your oven will probably be different from mine. I have a double oven and bake them in the top one which is smaller with most of the heat on the bottom. Many factors can vary the timing--convection versus conventional, type of baking dish, even how finely you chop the nuts in a particular batch (chopped too fine, they become more "flour" which can dry out your batter a little).
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  Step 9
  Pop the pan immediately into the freezer for about a half hour to lock in a little moisture and speed up the cooling process. (Not absolutely necessary but I like to do it).
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  Step 10
  Do NOT cut brownies until completely cool (unless, say, you're serving the whole pan warm with ice cream); just because when you cut them hot, you begin losing moisture through the steam escaping! Store in an airtight container. They'll be a little chewier if stored in fridge, but you can take them out and let them come to room temp before eating if you prefer. They can also be frozen if you have the discipline to exercise portion control!
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