PALM BEACH BROWNIES

Steps:

• Adjust rack one-third up from the bottom of the oven and preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a 9x13x2-inch pan as follows: Invert the pan, cover it with a long piece of aluminum foil and with your hands press down on the foil around the sides and the corners to shape it like the pan. Remove the foil. Turn the pan right side up and place the foil in the pan. Very carefully (without tearing it) press the foil into place in the pan. Now butter the foil with soft or melted butter. Melt the chocolate and butter together in the top of a large double boiler over hot water on moderate heat, or in a heavy saucepan over very low heat, or in the microwave on medium-low heat. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool to room temperature. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the eggs with the vanilla extract, almond extract, salt, dry instant espresso or coffee, and sugar at high speed for 10 minutes. On low speed add the cooled chocolate mixture and beat only until mixed. Then add the flour and again beat only until mixed. Remove from the mixer and stir in the nuts, if using. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 35 minutes, reversing the pan front to back as necessary during the baking to insure even baking. Cover loosely with foil for about the last half of the baking time to prevent overbrowning. At the end of 35 minutes the cake will have a thick, crisp crust on the top, but if you insert a toothpick into the middle, it will come out wet and covered with chocolate. Nevertheless, it is done. Remove the cake from the oven and let it stand at room temperature until cool. Then invert. Cover with a cookie sheet and invert again, leaving the brownies right side up. It is best to refrigerate the brownies overnight before cutting (at room temperature if it is too sticky to cut).