Ingredients
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
Pinch salt
Orange sanding sugar, or mixture of half confectioners' sugar to half ground ginger, for sprinkling
Nonstick vegetable-oil spray
Preparation
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray bottom of a glass or metal 9-by-13-inch pan with cooking spray. Line bottom with parchment paper, and set aside. In the top of a double boiler, melt the chocolate and butter over simmering water, stirring occasionally.
In an electric mixer, beat the sugar and eggs on medium-low speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the melted-butter mixture. Beat on low speed until combined. Beat in the vanilla, then the flour and salt.
Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a cake tester comes out mostly clean (may have traces of brownie if still moist); do not overbake. Let stand on a rack until cool enough to unmold, 20 to 30 minutes. Unmold onto clean piece of parchment paper, flipping over so brownies cool with top side down and parchment-lined side facing up. Carefully peel off parchment paper as soon as possible, while the brownies are still slightly warm, so the surface is smooth for stenciling; let cool completely. Use square and round cookie cutters to cut out shapes. Place stencil on brownie, and carefully sprinkle sanding sugar or confectioners’ sugar over stencil; remove stencil. Transfer to serving platter. Repeat until all brownies are used. Save scraps for Brownie Bits.
