Best Ever Fudgy Cocoa Brownies

Place oven rack in lower third of oven, and preheat to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 inch pan. In a large sauce pan, combine cocoa powder, sugar, salt, and butter. Heat over medium-low heat until butter is melted and mixture is combined and quite warm, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. The mixture will start out very dry, you have to be patient with this part! You do not want this mixture to boil or bubble at all, you just want to heat it through. It will be like wet sand once the butter melts and it's all mixed together well. It should be very warm but not hot - you should be able to test it by touching the mixture with your fingers. It should be noticeably warm to the touch, warm enough you wouldn't want to touch it for more than a few seconds but not hot to the point you can't touch it. Remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture cool slightly for about 5 minutes. Stir in the vanilla till incorporated. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each addition. Adding the eggs will initially thin the cocoa mixture, and as you continue to add the eggs and stir them in it will become a thick, glossy batter. Gently stir in the flour just until incorporated. Beat the batter 40-50 strokes. I know, your arms are tired right now but it's almost over so hang in there! Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Allow brownies to cool in pan. Use a plastic knife to cut into individual servings. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature. These are awesome served still warm from the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top, a drizzle of hot fudge sauce, and a little dollop of whipped cream an an indulgent treat for special occasions!