Homemade Brownies (with Chocolate Sauce)
This is another wonderful brownie recipe. Thanks to the combination of cocoa powder and melted chocolate, it has a very deep chocolate flavor. The brownies are fudgy, easy to make, and can be frozen, making them a great last-minute dessert with a scoop of ice cream.
Servings 9 squares
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter
- 3 ½ ounces semisweet chocolate in small pieces
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar light or dark
- 3 eggs at room temperature
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or ¾ teaspoon vanilla paste
- ¼ teaspoon pure almond extract optional but recommeded
Toppings (optional):
- Chocolate ganache the same one I use for the Chocolate Bundt Cake, or your favorite store-bought chocolate sauce
- Dulce de leche homemade or you can buy it online (see Notes, below)
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Turn the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Grease or spray an 8-inch (20cm) square pan. Line with a strip of parchment paper wide as the pan, covering the bottom and two sides. This makes it easier to remove from the pan after it’s baked.
- Melt ¾ cup unsalted butter in a bowl 3 ½ ounces semisweet chocolate in pieces. You can microwave it in 10 second spurts, mixing well between each one. Or do it in a double boiler making sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water.
- Combine 1 cup white granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons brown sugar in a bowl, add the 3 eggs and mix well with a whisk until it’s frothy, about 1 minute.
- Add the melted chocolate mixture and stir until fully mixed.
- Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract , ¼ teaspoon pure almond extract and then the sifted dry ingredients (½ cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder and ½ teaspoon salt) in 2 parts. I have them measured and sift them directly over the chocolate mixture, but you can sift them in a different bowl first and then add them.
- Mix well until you have a silky, smooth mixture.
- Pour into the prepared pan and bake for about 20 minutes, until the edges are firm but the center still jiggles. It might take a few more minutes. But don’t bake them until the whole surface is firm because they won’t be fudgy.
- Let cool on a wire rack. I recommend eating them the next day, but that’s hard, I know. So pop them in the fridge for an hour.
- Eat them plain or top with chocolate sauce, dulce de leche and ¼ cup chopped walnuts before eating.
Notes
Baking time: keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as possible, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend tracking how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
Sauces: I use chocolate and dulce de leche. If you haven't tried these two flavors together, you're in for a treat of the best kind.
Resting: I find that most chocolate recipes are better the next day. So, if you can, let these rest in the fridge or at room temperature for a day.
