These chocolate brownies are very dangerous
INGREDIENTS
- • Non-stick cooking oil spray or unsalted butter at room temperature (for skillet)
- • 230g. cream cheese (regular, not low-fat)
- • 3 large chilled eggs
- • 1 cup and ⅓ (about 270 g) of sugar (divided)
- • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (divided)
- • ¾ teaspoon coarse salt (divided)
- • Unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-processed (or alkalized), divided into 1-1/2 teaspoons, 2 tablespoons, and 3/4 cup
- • 10 tablespoons of unsalted butter
- • 1 teaspoon of instant espresso powder (optional)
- • ½ cup (about 60 g.) of flour
1.Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325°. Lightly cover a 20x20cm baking pan, preferably metal, with nonstick cooking spray or unsalted butter at room temperature.
Cover with parchment paper for the oven, leaving a handle on all sides. (If you have a pre-cut sheet of parchment paper, simply divide it in half crosswise, then overlap the halves to line the pan.) Lightly coat the paper with non-stick spray.
2. Prepare a water bath. Gather a medium saucepan and 2 medium heatproof bowls that can sit on top of the saucepan without submerging too much. Pour the water into a saucepan until it reaches 2.5 cm on the sides (there should be a space between the water and the bowl, so check before the water gets hot!) and cook over low to medium heat.
cut 8 oz. cream cheese (not low fat) in 2.5cm pieces and place them in one of the medium bowls; place bowl over saucepan.
Heat cream cheese, stirring occasionally, until very smooth. approximately 5 minutes. We want it to be smooth enough that we can easily mix it with a heat-resistant rubber spatula or wooden spoon.
3 Remove the bowl from the heat (leave the water boiling). Blend the cream cheese until smooth. Add 1 large chilled egg, ⅓ cup (66 g) sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt and beat until very smooth.
Transfer about half of the cream cheese mixture to a small bowl. (you can do it by eye) and mix 1½ teaspoons of unsweetened cocoa powder. (Both dutch process and natural cocoa powder will work in this recipe, but the former will provide a deeper color and a smoother, richer flavor.) Set both bowls of cream cheese mixture aside.
4 Cut 10 tablespoons of unsalted butter (142 g) into 2.5 cm pieces. Place them in the remaining medium heatproof bowl.
Add 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (if drinking) and remaining 1 cup (200g) sugar, ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons cocoa powder (80g) –break up large clumps before measuring as they will lose weight and you need to be as precise as possible here– and ½ teaspoon kosher salt.
5 Place the bowl over a pan of still boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally once butter begins to melt, until mixture is smooth and too hot to stick finger in, 7 to 9 minutes.
Let cool 5 minutes. Don't panic if the dough looks stiff or wrong at this step; once we take the next step, we'll be back to a beautiful, shiny mix.
6 Add remaining 2 large cooled eggs and remaining ½ teaspoon vanilla extract to butter mixture, one at a time, beating vigorously after each addition until smooth and glossy (the mixture will look curdled and broken until you add the second egg).
Add ½ cup (63 g) of all-purpose flour and mix with a spatula or spoon until no longer visible, then vigorously mix another 30 shakes.
Consider this recipe your arm workout! Why do eggs get cold? To help the dough emulsify, ensuring that the fat does not separate.
7 Scoop out ½ cup of brownie batter and set it aside (place it near a warm place, like the oven, to keep it loose). Scrape remaining batter into prepared pan and spread into an even layer.
Working quickly, spoon alternate tablespoons of the cocoa-cream cheese mixture and the cream cheese mixture onto the dough. Place reserved brownie batter on top (it will be quite thick). Don't worry if the design looks random and blotchy.
8 Bake brownies until center is set and no longer moist. (chocolate drops will change from shiny to matte), 22 to 25 minutes.
If you're using a glass tray, this can take much longer, so use a toothpick to check that only a few moist crumbs have been removed. Brownies may have puffed, they will deflate as they cool.
Transfer the skillet to a wire rack and let cool completely. Using parchment paper, lift brownies from pan and transfer to cutting board. Remove the parchment paper and cut the brownies into 16 squares of approximately 6 cm, clean with a knife between slices.
To easily cut uniform squares, cut brownies into four quadrants, then cut each quadrant into four.
Article originally published in Bon Appètit