Baked Brownies

Thursday, 8 Apr 10

Life is supposed to be all about balance. Lately though, the stars don’t seem to be aligning and everything feels all out of whack. First there was that horrendous lead up to the driving test, followed by the  euphoria of passing (note: I still haven’t driven since =P), which all got overwhelmed by the sheer amount of work that needs doing. Law readings, statistics learning, falling asleep in learning and physiological psych lectures (who, me? Never…)—I was so glad mid-semester break finally came. This one week period following Easter is usually a great time to step back, take a deep breath, re-evaluate and just chill, before getting back into the daily grind. But then, realization struck that assignments and mid-semester tests immediately follow this ‘break’ and panic sank in again.

These brownies are (part of) my attempt to take deep breaths. They are all things good, and immensely stack-able (like lego!). Chocolate, coffee, liquor, butter…there is nothing better than simply taking an evening off from the mind-numbing textbooks and greek letters and equations, and just baking. Inhaling the deep aromas of chocolate melting ever so slowly alongside butter, whisking in sugar until the mixture is glossy…It’s very easy to forget those pesky assignments.

The recipe is one that has received much press recently, apparently voted best brownie in America by America’s Test Kitchen and the Today Show. I refer to the Baked Brownie. While the brownie was good….I can’t say it is the best brownie I’ve eaten, possibly because it is just slightly too baked for my liking (my bad, I know). The best brownie I’ve had was just barely set in the centre, and practically molten lava-cake like when warmed, and best eaten in a way that allowed for licking of chocolate-covered fingers. This is more dense cake like. Which isn’t a bad thing, because it cuts up beautifully and had the most amazingly crunchycrackly crust when fresh out of the oven (humidity on a rainy day got rid of that, alas). But it is still very very good.

I suspect that is due in part to the good teaspoon of coffee powder included in the recipe, and the shot of Kahlua I added to enhance the happy-making properties of the brownie. I also cut down the sugar, as I had no brown sugar (which would have added to the complexity of flavours and crackly top, I’m sure) and only had a little Lindt 70% Excellence on hand and had to substitute 200 grams of Lindt Couverture Milk Chocolate instead, as well as an extra teaspoon of cocoa powder. But as with all things, balance is the key.

So make sure you serve with a glass of milk. =)

The Baked Brownie :
(yields 24 brownies; recipe from Baked by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito)

1 1/4 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons dark unsweetened cocoa powder
311g dark chocolate (60 – 72% cacao), coarsely chopped [I used Lindt 70%]
226g unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
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1 1/2 cups caster sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
5 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 176′C. Butter the sides and bottom of a 9-by-13-inch glass or light-colored metal baking pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, salt and cocoa powder together.

Put the chocolate, butter, and instant espresso powder in a large bowl and set it over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and smooth. Turn off the heat, but keep the bowl over the water and add the sugars. Whisk until completely combined, then remove the bowl from the pan. The mixture should be room temperature.

Add 3 eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Add the remaining eggs and whisk until combined. Add the vanilla and stir until combined. Do not overbeat the batter at this stage or your brownies will be cakey.

Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate mixture. Using a spatula (not a whisk), fold the flour mixture into the chocolate until just a bit of the flour mixture is visible.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake in the center of the oven for 30 mnutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs sticking to it. Let the brownies cool completely, then cut them into squares and serve.

Tightly covered with plastic wrap, the brownies keep at room temperature for up to 3 days.

The recipe yielded a lot of brownies. Observe.

Perfectly sized for study snacking, wouldn’t you agree?

5 Comments

1. Nice work with all the improv of this dish. Looks like it turned out nice, despite the challenges you faced :)

   Comment by Simon @ the heart of food — April 8, 2010 @ 1:09 pm

2. Kahlua makes everything happier. Looks the perfect midnight snack, and I’m sure it’ll get you sleepy too =)

   Comment by The Ninja — April 13, 2010 @ 10:27 pm

3. Nothing like some quiet, methodical pottering around the kitchen to take your mind off things and to refresh the senses =)

   Comment by mademoiselle délicieuse — April 13, 2010 @ 11:34 pm

4. There are some who say swimming is their escape from the world but i’m with you on spending time in the kitchen. That’s a big stash of brownies you have there – hope it helps you survive through all the assignments! By the way, love the animated GIF, hahaha…

   Comment by Jen — April 21, 2010 @ 8:19 pm

5. Mmm.. perfect if dangerous study aids. I love the animation of the brownie dropping into milk!

   Oh and a word of warning re not driving for a while – I didn’t drive for a year after getting my license. Baaad idea. Forgot everything. :(

   Comment by Forager — April 22, 2010 @ 7:16 am

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