Tender, deeply chocolatey brownies made with freshly milled soft white wheat flour, boasting a crackly top and rich, fudgy crumb with warm vanilla notes.
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper or butter it well.
In a medium saucepan over low heat, add sugar, chocolate chips, and butter. Melt gently, whisking until smooth and shiny; let cool slightly.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and cocoa powder.
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or mixing bowl with hand mixer), add the eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla; beat until frothy.
With the mixer on low, slowly stream the warm chocolate-butter mixture into the eggs, mixing just until combined.
Fold in the dry ingredients until just incorporated; fold in mix-ins if using.
Optional: Let the batter rest for 10 minutes to hydrate the whole grains.
Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake 25–35 minutes, until the top is shiny and the center is set with no wobble.
Cool in the pan until firm for clean slices; brownies will set further as they cool.