Up until the the moment I had my first bite of one of these brownies, my favorite brownie came from a mix...not any more...these, oh these...they are enough to make one swoon.
swoon /swun/
| 1. | to faint; lose consciousness. |
| 2. |
to enter a state of hysterical rapture or ecstasy: The teenagers swooned at the sight of the singing star. |
You will need parchment paper or waxed paper, so the brownies will come out of the pan easily. You can use a 9x13 or a jelly roll pan and you will need the secret ingredient, Black Cocoa Powder, which you can order here. Of course, if you don't want to use Black Cocoa Powder, you could also use a Double Dutch Dark Cocoa or a Dutch-process Cocoa...but please, don't use regular cocoa powder, it just won't be the same :(
This past week was a bit hectic, I catered 3 small events for a group of vegetarians...which was a bit of a stretch for this carnivore...but it all worked out great and they loved the food...this was one of the desserts I made and they were scarfed up in minutes! Instead of cutting the brownies into squares, I used a 3-inch cookie cutter and cut them into circles. Sprinkled with powdered sugar and topped with shaved chocolate, these Black Brownie Bites are now my all-time favorite Brownie - and I'm sure they'll be number one on your list too!
Black Brownie Bites - Adapted from King Arthur Flour
1 cup unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup Black Cocoa Powder
3/4 cup Dutch-process Cocoa Powder
1 1/2 tablespoon espresso powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (or your favorite chocolate candy bar chopped up - I used chocolate truffles chopped into small pieces - simply amazing!)
1 cup chopped nuts, optional (I did not use nuts as one of the people I was serving to had allergies)
powdered sugar for sprinkling
chocolate bar for shaving chocolate for topping
whipped cream or ice cream, optional, for serving
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 10 x 15-inch jelly roll pan or a 9 x 13-inch pan. Line the pan with parchment paper or waxed paper and grease the paper.
In a microwave-safe bowl, melt hte butter. To the butter add the sugar, stirring to combine. Stir in the cocoa, espresso powder, salt, baking powder and vanilla. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, stirring until smooth. Add the flour, chips and optional nuts, again stirring until smooth. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the brownies for 28 to 34 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. The borwnies should feel set on the edges, and barely set in the center. Remove the brownies from the oven, and cool for at least 1 hour before cutting.
Use a 3-inch round cookie cutter to cut as many circles as possible, (about 9 from a 9 x 13-inch pan) out of the brownies. Using a vegetable peeler, "peel" the chocolate bar, creating shavings. Dust with powdered sugar and top with shaved chocolate. Serve with a whipped cream or ice cream for an extra swoon or two!
"Why do we love certain houses, and why do they seem to love us? It is the warmth of our individual hearts reflected in our surroundings." ~ T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings
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One year ago today: Creme au Chocolat
