These ‘man-catcher brownies’ also a woman’s best friend

It was a nice conversation with a cute man at a party. We talked about our families, our jobs, our hobbies. I felt a connection.

Then he uttered these words: “I try not to eat refined sugar anymore.”

And that was that. I excused myself and headed straight for the buffet table, where I filled up on cookies.

It might as well have been a religious difference. I devoutly pray at the altar of sugar, so if a man doesn’t have a sweet tooth he’s pretty much sunk. Baking is my language, my talent, my way of showing love.

Whether I’m dating someone or not, I go on obsessive jags, baking batches and batches of an item until I think I’ve perfected it. I went through all that with brownies years ago.

After much experimenting, I thought I had found the gold-standard recipe on the back of the Baker’s chocolate box: simple, easy, dependable. But every now and then a nagging voice in the back of my head would wonder if it could be improved upon. So I went back to the kitchen.

First I have to define what makes a perfect brownie, starting with what doesn’t. A brownie is not to be iced. Icing is for cakes. A brownie is not a confection. We call that fudge. A brownie has a crusty top hiding a thick, chewy center with a recognizable crumb and intense chocolate flavor.

This glorious food is all-American, perhaps created by accident when a baker forgot a cake’s baking powder. A recipe appeared as long ago as 1896 in the original “Boston Cooking-School Cook Book,” but with molasses and no chocolate, it bears little resemblance to what we expect from a brownie today.

After cross-referencing many of the recipes I’d saved over the years, I developed a brownie that uses powdered cocoa in place of chocolate because it delivers a richer, deeper flavor. I replaced some of the white sugar with brown sugar, lending a moist chewiness. I raised the amount of vanilla extract to a bold 2 tablespoons to mellow the sharp edge of the cocoa. Finally, I always use kosher salt, the perfect foil for the sweetness.

At first I cut each 9-by-13-inch batch into 24 brownies. Now I don’t think that’s generous enough. In fact, sometimes I cut the same size batch into a mere 12 brownies.

It makes people think they are practicing restraint when they take only half a brownie, even though it is still the size of an Altoids box. And that’s the way it should be. Skimp on your salad, not your dessert.

I knew I had found the right balance when my friend Erica Waitman named the champion batch Leigh’s man-catcher brownies and included them in a collection of recipes as a wedding gift for her sister.

Yes, the bride had already caught her man. But it never hurts to have a backup plan.

This recipe is a result of Leigh Lambert’s many experiments to create the perfect brownie: thick, moist and chocolaty.

These are for purists who like nothing but brownie in their brownie, but chocolate chips or chopped walnuts could be added.

12ounces (3 sticks) unsalted butter

2cups cocoa powder, sifted (natural or Dutch process)

6eggs

2cups sugar

2cups packed light brown sugar

2tablespoons vanilla extract

2cups flour

1teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-by-13-inch pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking oil spray.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat and add the cocoa powder, stirring to combine. Let cool slightly.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs together, then add the sugars and vanilla extract, stirring to combine. Add the cooled butter-chocolate mixture, then fold in the flour and salt until just combined; do not overmix. Spread the batter evenly in the pan, making sure the corners are filled.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a crust forms on the surface and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack; cool completely before cutting the brownies.

Makes 24 21/4-by-2-inch brownies. Per brownie: 310 calories, 4g protein, 46g carbohydrates, 14g fat, 83mg cholesterol, 8g saturated fat, 108mg sodium, 2g dietary fiber.