I’m inordinately fussy about my brownies. I like them moist with a deep chocolate flavor, studded with walnuts, and frosted to help keep them from drying out. I don’t like either cake brownies or fudge brownies, but rather something in between those two .

It took me several years of experimenting before I came up with a recipe that satisfied this picky-picky attitude. The secrets were discovered in several stages. Most important is the use of both cocoa and melted chocolate—something I’ve learned enhances most chocolate desserts. Copious amounts of butter add to the richness and the moistness. Slightly undercooking gives me the texture and freshness I require.

I highly recommend using high-quality chocolate, such as Lindt Excellence 70%, and cocoa, such as Droste, Valrhona, or Hershey Special Dark. If you don’t like frosting or nuts, feel free to leave them out.

These are so easy to make that it seems almost criminal to buy bakery versions, which are generally inferior.

Click here to print or download the recipe.