Almond Fudge Brownies

• unsalted butter — 0.50 cup (melted and cooled slightly)
• granulated sugar — 1 cup
• eggs — 2 whole (at room temperature)
• vanilla extract — 1 tsp
• almond extract — 0.50 tsp
• all-purpose flour — 0.50 cup (sifted)
• unsweetened cocoa powder — 0.33 cup (sifted)
• Salt — 0.25 tsp
• baking powder — 0.25 tsp
• chopped almonds — 0.50 cup (roughly chopped; toast beforehand for deeper flavor)
• sliced almonds — 0.25 cup (scattered over top of batter before baking)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8x8 inch (20x20 cm) baking pan with butter or cooking spray, then line with parchment paper leaving an overhang on two sides for easy removal.(5 min)
2. In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the butter completely. Remove from heat and let cool for 3–5 minutes so it does not scramble the eggs when added.(5 min)
3. Pour the melted butter into a large mixing bowl. Add the granulated sugar and whisk vigorously for 1–2 minutes until the mixture is well combined and slightly lighter in color.(2 min)
4. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract and almond extract. The batter should look smooth and glossy.(2 min)
5. Sift in the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder directly over the wet ingredients. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, fold gently until just combined — stop as soon as no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix.(2 min)
6. Fold in the chopped almonds, distributing them evenly throughout the thick, fudgy batter.(1 min)
7. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Scatter the sliced almonds evenly over the top and press down very lightly so they adhere.(2 min)
8. Bake in the preheated oven for 25–30 minutes. The brownies are done when the edges are set and pulling away from the sides, the top has a thin crackly crust, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist, fudgy crumbs (not raw batter). Do not overbake — err on the side of underdone for maximum fudginess.(30 min)
9. Remove from oven and place the pan on a wire rack. Allow to cool completely in the pan — at least 30 minutes — before lifting out using the parchment overhang and cutting into 16 squares.(30 min)