Brownies!

I usually make brownies from a Ghirardelli box mix and they always turn out perfectly -- fudgy, almost as if they were underbaked, with an intense chocolate flavor, with chocolate chips sprinkled throughout. I always had trouble with "from scratch" recipes not being able to rise to that same standard. I've had so much good luck with other recipes in my Cook's Illustrated Baking Book that I decided to give their brownie recipe a try. They have several recipes, and I decided to start with their "Classic Brownie." They did not disappoint! I did make a couple of modifications that I want to adjust next time. Below is the recipe written to show how I intend to make it the next time.

1 1/4 cups (5 oz) cake flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
6 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
12 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into ~6 pieces
2 1/4 cups (15 3/4 oz) white sugar
4 large eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract
3/4 tsp espresso powder (optional, my addition)
1/4 cup chocolate chips (optional, my addition)
1/4 cup toasted walnuts, chopped coarse (optional, in the book this is optional at 1 cup)

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line the baking pan with a parchment paper sling.
2. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl and set aside.
3. Melt chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl in the microwave: heat it at 50% for 2 minutes, stir the chocolate, add the butter, and heat in additional 30 second increments (stirring between each) until completely melted.
4. Gradually whisk in sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, whisking after each addition. Whisk in vanilla and espresso powder if using. Add flour mixture in 3 additions, folding with a rubber spatula until batter is smooth and homogeneous (if using chocolate chips and nuts, fold in with the last bit of flour).
5. Transfer batter to prepared pan; spread batter into corners of pan and smooth surface. Bake until toothpick inserted in center of brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs attached (not batter, and not too dry/clean), about 30-35 minutes. Cool brownies on wire rack to room temp, about 2 hours, before cutting and serving.