Classic Brownies with Salted Cashews

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My husband loves brownies so I made him a batch of Dorie Greenspan's Classic Brownies as an early Valentine's Day treat.  

Brownies aren't brownies around here without nuts.  Lots of nuts.  I usually add pecans but shook things up a bit and added Mike's favorite, cashews.  

These truly are a classic brownie.  More fudgey than cakey and just how we like them.  Intensely chocolate with bittersweet and unsweetened chocolate this is one of the best basic brownie mixes I have made.  The salted cashews added crunch as well as saltiness.  Perfect for your Valentine!

Classic Brownies with Salted Cashews
slightly adapted from Baking From My Home to Yours, Dorie Greenspan

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 5 pieces
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup salted cashews

Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.  Line an 8-inch square pan with foil.

Set a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water.  Put the butter in the bowl, top with the chopped chocolates and stir occasionally until the ingredients are just melted.  Remove the bowl from the pan.

With a whisk, stir in the sugar.  Don't be concerned if the mixture turns grainy.  One by one, whisk in the eggs.  Add the vanilla and give the ingredients a vigorous whisk before gently stirring in the salt and flour.  Stir only until incorporated.  Switch to a rubber spatula and stir in cashews.  

Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth top with a spatula.

Bake the brownies for 30 to 33 minutes, or until the top is dull and a thin knife is inserted in the center comes out clean.  Transfer the pan to a rack and cool the brownies to room temperature.