Preheat
the oven to 350F. Oil the bottom and sides of an 8" square baking
pan and dust it lightly with cocoa powder. Tap the pan on the
countertop firmly on all sides to distribute the cocoa evenly.
Alternatively, mist the pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Place the
flaxseeds in a dry blender and grind them into a powder. Add the
water and blend until a gummy mixture is achieved, about 30 seconds.
Set aside.
Melt the
chocolate in a heavy 2 quart saucepan over low heat. Remove from the
heat and stir in the oil and then the sugar with a wooden spoon. Mix
vigorously until well blended. Stir in the vanilla extract and mix
again. Pour in the reserved flaxseed mixture and beat well. Add the
flour and stir until the batter is thoroughly blended and smooth.
Stir in the walnuts, if using.
Pour the
batter into the prepared pan (scrape it out with a rubber spatula to
get every last bit). If necessary, ease the batter into the corners
and edges of the pan so that it is evenly distributed. Bake for
20-25 minutes for fudgey brownies, or 30 minutes for cake like
brownies. Do not over bake ! Cool before serving (if you can wait
that long)! Store leftovers tightly covered at room temperature or
in the refrigerator.
