Chewy Chocolate Brownies Recipe

Hey guys,

Just another dreary and wet day today here in the Midlands.
Somehow it seems different today though, everything is still and quiet, kinda like the zombie apocalypse happened overnight while I was sleeping and now with most everyone gone everything seems more spacious, quiet and free.

Strangely I take no comfort in the hustle and bustle of city life where I spent much of my life so, really, this suits me..

It feels like home.

Another source of comfort for many, including me, is chocolate.

So when I saw this recipe from my absolute favourite food people, America’s Test Kitchen I had to make it right away.

Chewy chocolate brownies.

Believe me, there is A LOT of chocolate flavour in these babies, in fact, just take my advice and don’t eat more than one at a time.

You’ll thank me later.

Since the recipe was (obviously) American I had to do quite a bit of research into the ingredients to know what to buy in a typical English supermarket.

Bitter sweet and semi sweet chocolate simply don’t exist here.

So with my shopping list ready I went off to the shop and spent some time deciding on my chocolate.

What I came out with were these two bars.

The top bar is 70% cocoa and the other from what I recall is about 50 – 60 %.

By the way, isn’t that French package just lovely?

I don’t get tired of looking at it, I guess it’s the old and simple style that really gets me.

Right then, anyway!

It turns out the French style chocolate is made by Nestlé.

Can you see the colour difference from the front chocolate to the chocolate at the back?

When all was cooked up mine looked like this, certainly gooey and chewy, very rich in chocolate flavour as I’m sure you won’t be surprised at when I let you in on the secret to the other ingredients.

It may seem like torture but these brownies improve by the hour and by the next day are even better.

They’ll hold their shapes even better the longer you leave them as well which makes them easier to eat.

Would you like the recipe then?

I’ll try to make it as English as possible.

Chewy Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients

40g cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
150 ml boiling water
57g cooking chocolate, finely chopped
57g unsalted butter, melted
150ml vegetable oil
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
500g granulated sugar
250g self raising flour
3 Quarters of a teaspoon table salt
170g (70% cocoa or higher) dark chocolate cut into small squares

You will also need some very good quality foil and a 13 x 9 inch dish in any material.

Method

Put the oven rack to it’s lowest position in your oven and heat to 180˚c.

Cut an 18 inch long piece of foil and fold lengthways, fit into length of dish getting into the corners and sides, be sure to leave extra foil to hang over the sides.

Cut a 14 inch long piece of foil and lay it in the opposite way to the first.

Spray all over with cooking spray.

Whisk the cocoa, espresso powder and boiling water in a large bowl until smooth, add the cooking chocolate and whisk until melted.

Whisk in the melted butter and the Vegetable oil.

Add the eggs, the yolks & the vanilla extract whisking until smooth.

Whisk in sugar until incorporated.

Add flour and salt and mix with a spoon or spatula until combined.

Fold in the dark chocolate pieces.

Pour into the pan and bake for 30 – 35 minutes.

Transfer pan to a rack and let cool for 1 hour and 30 minutes when using a metal pan, if using a ceramic or glass pan wait 30 minutes.

Using the foil overhangs lift brownies to a cooling rack.

Let cool for at least an hour then cut into 1 inch squares and serve.

According to my mother in law these are to die for when heated again with ice cream on the side.

Have a homely day!

-Pepper