Ready, Set, Weekend with Simply Beautiful Eating

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Well, I finally did it. I went out and bought myself a kitchen scale. I guess I should have had a scale by now, but I just didn’t think I would need one. I mean, normally I measure things with my eyes (like my mama taught me to do) but in baking, you need to be a bit more precise with measurements.

Soooooo, the majority of these brownie ingredients were fully measured by weight. I’m really not sure if it made a heckuva lot of difference but I do know this……they were dang good.

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My hubby Steve absolutely LOVES the combination of dark chocolate and coffee so I laced these with both and according to him (and his gym buddies) these were pretty much a coffee lovers dream.

What I mean by “gym buddies” is this. There a couple of guys who Steve works out with and happen to be our very good friends. When I do make something that isn’t earmarked for my girls at the office, the “gym buddies” will automatically become the official taste testers of my baked goods. No one seems to complain about receiving my post production sweets so I will just keep them coming.

A few little tips will guide you towards their heavenly result. You’re going to thank me for this. I just know it.

  1. For this recipe you’re going to melt the butter and sugar in double boiler or a heat proof bowl over simmering water. Why? It’s a key process to ensure that perfect, crackled brownie crust. This is the one of those times that you WANT your crust to crackle so it’s all good.

  2. Using the right chocolate. Now here’s where you might get tempted to go to the market and grab a “no name brand” cheapy cheap bar of whatever is on sale. No, just no. Here’s what you do. Buy good quality chocolate, at least 70% cocoa solids and feel free to incorporate different flavours into the brownies. for this recipe I used one bar of 72% dark chocolate and one bar of 70% dark chocolate with sea salt because frankly, it’s what I had in my pantry.

  3. Going dutch. And that doesn’t mean you splitting the bill with anyone. I always use dutch processed cocoa powder in baking. Again, you ask why? I’m going tell you. Dutch processed cocoa is alkalized which translates to darker, smoother and OH GOSH more intensely flavoured form of cocoa. If you are a chocolate lover, you go dutch, there’s no other option.

  4. Coffee or espresso? If you are so inclined to have espresso powder around then go for it. It will really punch up the depth of the chocolate flavour, otherwise any instant coffee granule is perfectly fine to sub in just make sure you measure it correctly as in the recipe instructions below.

  5. Super gooeyness. Yesssssss – the trick to making your brownies super moist is easy. It’s by adding the chocolate chips AND light brown sugar. For some reason, these two ingredients give the brownies JUST the right amount of oomph.

That’s about it folks. Oh, and if you happen to be on a diet – step away from the screen right now. This is not the type of dessert that is bikini friendly. I’m apologizing in advance because you’re to want to eat at least two or three squares, maybe even four or if you have no self control, there may be just a few crumbs left in the pan.

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SUPER MOIST ESPRESSO BROWNIES WITH MOCHA FROSTING

  • 170 g (3/4 cup) unsalted butter

  • 200 g (I used two 100 g bars) good quality dark chocolate

  • 1 teaspoon espresso powder OR 1 tablespoon instant coffee powder

  • 3 large eggs

  • 180 g caster sugar (3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons)

  • 100 g all-purpose flour flour (3/4 cup)

  • 30 g cocoa powder (3 tablespoons)

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • 170 g (3/4 cup) semisweet chocolate chips

  • 57 g (1/4 cup) light brown sugar

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • Fleur de Sel - garnish

    Mocha Frosting - Recipe below

  1. Place a heat proof bowl inside a small pot of simmering water. Slowly melt the butter and chocolate together stirring constantly. Stir in the coffee powder of choice then set aside to cool.

  2. Preheat the oven to 350F (180°C) and line a 8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper.

  3. With the whisk attachment of a stand mixer or electric beater, beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla together until pale and thick for about 3-5 minutes.

  4. Add the cooled melted chocolate mixture into the egg/sugar mixture and gently fold to combine.

  5. In a large fine mesh colander, sift the flour, cocoa and salt directly into the chocolate mixture. Gently fold just to combine. Now stir in your chocolate chips.

  6. Pour into the baking pan and bake for 20 - 22 minutes or until just set and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out with some moist crumbs. The less you bake these, the more gooey they are.

  7. Cool to room temperature. Top brownies with mocha frosting and sprinkle with Fleur de sel.

FLUFFY MOCHA FROSTING

  • 1½ cups unsalted butter, at room temperature

  • 4 cups powdered sugar

  • ¾ cup cocoa powder

  • 4 tablespoons whipping cream

  • 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

  • 1½ teaspoons espresso powder or 3 teaspoons instant coffee powder

  • pinch of sea salt

  1. In the bowl of your stand mixer beat the butter on medium speed until light and fluffy.

  2. Turn the mixer down to the lowest setting and slowly incorporate the powdered sugar and cocoa powder into the butter. Make sure you do this step or the dry ingredients are going to fly out of the bowl everywhere.

  3. Once you have added all the sugar and cocoa to the mix add the whipping cream, vanilla, salt and coffee powder. Turn the mixer up to medium-high speed and continue mixing for 10 minutes until light and fluffy.

RecipesDebi TraubComment