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While many recipes call for creaming the butter and sugar before adding eggs at Nathaniel Reid Bakery in St. Louis, Lee Lee Reid whips eggs and sugar together to aerate them, leading to the ultimate brownie consistency. A brownie will only be as good as the cocoa and chocolate used, so be sure to source the best, like Valrhona. For the cleanest cut, wipe off crumbs and spray your knife with cooking spray in between slices.

Lee Lee's Double Chocolate Chunk Brownies

Cooking spray

all-purpose flour (about 4 1/4 oz.)

Dutch-process cocoa powder (such as Valrhona)

fine sea salt

dark chocolate wafers (such as Valrhona Caraïbe 66% Cacao), divided

granulated sugar

unsalted butter (6 oz.), melted

packed dark brown sugar

large eggs

vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 13-x-9-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper, leaving 2 inches of overhang on all sides. Lightly coat parchment paper with cooking spray. Sift together flour, cocoa, and salt in a small bowl; set aside.

Melt 1 cup chocolate wafers over a double boiler or in the microwave, stirring often, until smooth. Combine granulated sugar, melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla in bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium-high speed until frothy and light caramel in color, about 1 minute.

With mixer running on low speed, slowly pour melted chocolate into egg mixture. Fold in flour mixture until incorporated. Transfer batter to prepared pan, and smooth top. Roughly chop remaining 1/3 cup chocolate wafers, and sprinkle over top of batter. Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Cool brownies in pan on a wire rack at least 2 hours. Using parchment, remove brownies from pan. Cut into 20 rectangles.