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Brownies

Updated: 17 hours ago


Brownies just chilling
Brownies just chilling

This recipe created the thickest, most dense brownies I have ever eaten. It is precisely how I like them. There will be no 'jump to recipe' button for this, as the small talk leading up to it will be kept brief.


History

I grew up with some sort of box mix, likely Betty Crocker. The younger, naive version of me didn't know any better, but liked what popped out of the oven. As I tried more and more brownies, I became more drawn over time to the more dense, more fudgy variants. After research and experimentation, my recipe has turned out to exemplify such.


Inspiration

This recipe is largely based off of one originally by Broma Bakery one, which is linked below.


Methodology

This section detials what exactly makes these brownies just so superior to any other. The key is the mixing method; the one you apply to your recipe will alter how your brownies turn out, mostly in terms of texture.


My go-to method is the 'sponge' mix. What this involves is melting the butter in a sauce pan, and subsequently adding the cocoa powder into such, thus 'blooming' the powder and chocolatey flavor. This mixture is then added to the sugar and egg mix, which has already been previously combined.


It is also key to mix the eggs and sugar until lighter in color, mixing at high speed for about one minute. Allowing the sugar to meld into the eggs will give the brownies the dazzling, crackly and shiny top.


Lastly, the dry ingredients are folded in. It is important to merely fold the dry into the wet batter until just combined. Dry ingredients, in this instance, consist of flour, as well as any other additives you'd like to put into your brownies, such as nuts or chocolate chips.


Other mixing methods, like a traditonal creaming method (mixing sugar and butter), will result in a cakier texture. This is due to the air that has been incorporated into the wet mixture. But, with this method, the cocoa flavor will be most pronounced.


Unique Ingredients


I aim to utilize the best ingredients I can in order to create the best final product. Some make little to no difference, such as the eggs you use, but others will be key in making a better brownie batch.


  • Browned, salted butter: I grew up with 'regular' salted butter, and have always used that in my baking. When doing so, i skip any added salt that a recipe may ask for. If you are being extra conscious about the saltiness of your dish, then controlling such via unsalted butter is wise. I find that salted butter just tastes better, and never results in any bitter or unwanted saltiness in the baked good.

  • I always am sure to brown the butter as well, giving it a nutty flavor that only ehances the richness of the brownies. I am sure to brown my butter for cakes and cookies as well, and even sweetbreads.

  • Espresso powder: I have never been a fan of coffee-flavored desserts, but what espresso powder does in this recipe is only further amplify the flavor of the brownies.

  • Dark brown sugar: when aiming for the most dense brownie possible, I always use the darkest brown sugar I can find ( or make), and no white sugar. The extra molasses, once again, provides an unparalleled richness to the brownies.

  • Ensure the vanilla extract you utilize is a good one; I always go for Penzy's Mexican. One or two teaspoons will suffice, but I just eyeball it.

  • Flaky sea salt: sprinkling a bit of salt just on top of your brownies will provide a slight crunch and good contrast to the sweetness of the brownies themselves. The enhanced aesthetic is an added bonus.


Recipe

Even though I claim this recipe as my own, it has been inspired from previous recipes, like Broma's. It's a great philosophical debate whether anyone actually comes up with their own baked good or their own dish. I choose not to claim total ownership-- let the wheel in the sky keep turning, and let the bakers keep baking. I believe this to be a contender for the best brownie recipe, but I leave to you to make the final call.


Brownies


Incredible
Incredible

  • Preparation time: approximately 20 minutes

  • Baking time: approximately 30 minutes


  • Utensils needed:

  • Sauce pan (preferably cast-iron)

  • Large mixing bowl

  • Stand or hand mixer

  • Rubber spatula

  • 9x13 oven-safe baking dish, either lined with parchment or buttered + floured


Brownies (one 9x13 dish)

  • Ingredients; Dry:

    • 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour

    • flaky sea salt for topping (optional)

  • Ingredients; Wet:

    • 1 1/2 (220g) cup unsalted butter

    • 3.5 oz (100g) chopped chocolate, 70 percent or higher

    • 1 ½ cups (125g) dutch-process cocoa powder

    • 2 teaspoons espresso powder

    • 2 ½ cups (530g) packed dark brown sugar

    • 4 eggs, room temperature

    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Method:

1) Line 9x13 baking dish with parchment. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2) Add butter to saucepan. Begin at medium heat, and as butter melts, decrease heat to medium-low to ensure even browning. Stir butter occasionally to prevent burning. Brown for 20-25 minutes, or until butter achieves a deep amber color.

3) Remove pan from heat. Add in the chopped chocolate; mix until smooth and incorporated. Sift in dutch-process cocoa powder and espresso powder. Mix until smooth.

4) In a separate mixing bowl, combine sugar and eggs on medium speed until creamed, and lighter in color, about one minute. Add vanilla extract.

5) Temper the egg-sugar mixture by mixing in the brown butter mixture gradually on medium speed. Once a third of the butter mixture is fully combined, add in the rest, mixing until smooth.

7) Fold flour into wet ingredients until just combined; do not over-mix. No white steaks of flour should remain.

8) Pour batter into prepared dish. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely in the dish before serving.



BONUS: Chocolate Covered Bacon Brownies (one 9x13 dish)

Ingredients:

Chocolate-covered bacon:

  • 12 oz (340g) Oscar Mayer center-cut bacon

Dry:

  • 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour

  • flaky sea salt for topping (optional)

Wet:

  • 1 ¼ (190g) cup unsalted butter


Method; Chocolate-covered bacon:

1) Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2) Preheat oven to 400 degrees; add bacon strips in batches to not overcowd sheet. Add water to ensure as much fat renders out as possible.

3) Bake for 20 minutes until crispy. Remove bacon from pan and move to a wire rack lined with paper towel underneath. Pour rendered fat into a heat-safe bowl or measuring cup. Set aside.

4) Place chopped chocolate into a heat-safe bowl or measuring cup. Add in coconut oil or shortening. Melt in microwave in ten-second increments, stirring occasionally. Chop bacon into bite-size pieces.

5) Once chocolate is fully melted and smooth, dunk bacon pieces into melted chocolate. Place chocolate-covered bacon onto parchment-lined baking sheet. Allow chocolate to cool and set.


Method; Brownies:

1) Line 9x13 baking dish with parchment. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2) Add butter to saucepan. Begin at medium heat, and as butter melts, decrease heat to medium-low to ensure even browning. Stir butter occasionally to prevent burning. Brown for 20-25 minutes, or until butter achieves a deep amber color.

3) Remove pan from heat. Add in rendered bacon fat through a mesh sieve, followed by the chopped chocolate; mix until smooth and incorporated. Sift in dutch-process cocoa powder and espresso powder. Mix until smooth.

4) In a separate mixing bowl, combine sugar and eggs on medium speed until creamed, and lighter in color, about one minute. Add vanilla extract.

5) Temper the egg-sugar mixture by mixing in the brown butter mixture gradually on medium speed. Once a third of the butter mixture is fully combined, add in the rest, mixing until smooth.

6) Add in chocolate-covered bacon into flour; coat fully. Add flour and bacon bits into wet ingredients.

7) Fold flour mixture into wet ingredients until just combined; do not over-mix. No white steaks of flour should remain.

8) Pour batter into prepared dish. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely in the dish before serving.

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