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Easy Cocoa Brownies

★★★★★ 5 from 16 reviews
  • Author: Paula Montenegro
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cooling time: 120 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 2 hours 35 minutes
  • Yield: 9 medium squares 1x
  • Category: Brownies & Bars
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Description

These are easy and incredibly fudgy cocoa brownies
Topped with a thin layer of chocolate ganache, this recipe will bring raves among chocoholics.

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the brownies:

  • 10 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs (cold)
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour

For the ganache:

  • 2 0z semisweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1/4 cup whipping cream
  • 2 tablespoons whole milk

Instructions

For the brownies:

  1. Preheat oven to 325ºF / 170ºC.
  2. Butter or spray an 8-inch square pan and line with parchment or aluminum paper. I use a strip wide as the pan and line the bottom and 2 of the sides.
  3. Melt butter in a large bowl, preferably glass, in the microwave or over simmering water.
  4. Add sugar, sifted cocoa, salt and vanilla extract and mix with a hand beater until well mixed.
  5. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat vigorously until very well mixed.
  6. Add flour and mix 40 times with the hand beater.
  7. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a tester comes out with moist crumbs attached. The center must jiggle.
  8. Let cool on a wire rack.
  9. Cover with a layer of chocolate ganache. Let harden before cutting.

For the ganache:

  1. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until almost starting to boil.
  2. Put the chopped chocolate in a bowl and add the hot cream. Let stand 1 minute and whisk to combine well.
  3. After the chocolate has dissolved, add the milk and mix well.
  4. Keep refrigerated.

Notes

Cocoa powder - make sure you use the best quality unsweetened cocoa powder you can buy. It does make a big difference.

Cold eggs - part of the success for getting fudgy eggs is using cold eggs. They will emulsify the batter better.

Right pan - all brownies need to be baked in the right sized pan. Always follow the instructions in the recipe. A larger or smaller pan will alter the baking times and the results will not be fudgy and gooey.

Oven - do take them out while still jiggling in the center. A few minutes more makes a big difference in this recipe. And I recommend eating them the next day. The chocolate flavor mellows and deepens. It's worth the wait.

Ganache - the layer of ganache is optional but adds a lot to the final experience. Cocoa powder and chocolate together make the best chocolate flavor ever.

Extras - you can add berries on top (fresh if you have access to them), preferably raspberries or strawberries. Also, some walnuts could be thrown on top before the ganache hardens.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/9
  • Calories: 340
  • Sugar: 30.6 g
  • Sodium: 87.9 mg
  • Fat: 19.8 g
  • Carbohydrates: 41 g
  • Protein: 4.3 g
  • Cholesterol: 83.4 mg

Keywords: cocoa brownies

Find it online: https://vintagekitchennotes.com/alice-medrichs-easy-cocoa-brownies/