After some extensive research into the perfect brownie, I have come up with a recipe that is so decadent and rich it might be the ultimate chocolate brownie. But first, a little throwback. Although brownies are famous and enjoyed worldwide, they originated in the United States during the 19th century. The first brownie was formulated by a pastry chef working at the Palmer House Hotel at Berther Palmer's request.
Brownies are simple and straight forward needing only a few ingredients: chocolate, butter, eggs, cocoa powder, flour, and sugar. The quantity is what determines how fudgy or cakey your brownie will be. The use of good quality and fresh ingredients will make all the difference to your brownie. For chocolate lovers, this brownie would be what I imagine your chocolate dreams are.
Ingredients
12 Ounce or 340 grams bittersweet chocolate - Chopped and halved.
160 grams unsalted butter
1 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 cup soft brown sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder (Dutch Processed)
1 tablespoon instant coffee cooled
3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoon flour
Pinch of salt
Topping:
Dark Chocolate chunks
Flaked sea salt
Preheat your oven to 170 degrees Celcius. Thoroughly grease and line a 7x5 inch baking tray or a square brownie tray if you have one.
Prepare a double boiler and melt half the chopped chocolate chunks.
Add 160 grams of softened butter to the melted chocolate and mix to combine.
Sift in the cocoa powder and whisk continuously to incorporate and remove lumps. Take the bowl off the heat and wipe the bottom with a tea towel to remove any condensation.
Allow this mix to cool slightly, then add your granulated and soft brown sugar. Once your mixture is cooled slightly, add your egg one at a time, whisking the mixture till each egg is thoroughly combined, including the one egg yolk.
Add your cooled coffee.
Add one teaspoon of flour to the remaining half chocolate chunks and mix. Use the flour you already have measured out as the chocolate chunks will go into the brownie batter.
Sift and fold the flour into the wet ingredients. Fold in the flour-coated chocolate chunks and mix just until combined.
Spread evenly onto your lined baking tray. Top with extra chocolate chunks and flaked sea salt.
Bake for 35 - 37 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out sticky with a few crumbs but not wet. Check every 5 minutes after the 30-minute mark as oven temperatures vary.
Once cooked, cool slightly in the tray before transferring the brownie to a wire rack to cool completely. For an even dense brownie, chill brownie in your fridge for a few hours.
Note:
Use room temperature eggs
I used 50 percent dark chocolate in this recipe. My favorite brand is Whittakers Chocolate, local to New Zealand. Any good quality dark chocolate you enjoy eating will work well in this recipe.
The combination of the two sugars has two purposes. The granulated white sugar adds a crunchy texture around the edges and gives the brownie its authentic wrinkled paper look. The brown sugar adds moisture and makes the inside of the brownie fudgy. I like my brownie to be both crunchy around the edges and fudgy in the middle.
Adding your cocoa powder to the melted butter and chocolate mix allows the cocoa to infuse better into the batter, resulting in a rich chocolatey cocoa taste and smell.
Like all things with chocolate, this mixture hardens as it cools, so get all your ingredients measured and ready to mix the batter as it is easier to incorporate. After all, this is a brownie mix, not cake batter, so it will require some extra elbow work as you add the flour.
A rich, indulgent recipe, so a little goes a long way. Great for sharing.
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