Cocoa Brownies

If you don't have cocoa butter, use regular butter instead. In that case, you will need 140g of butter for this recipe.  Cocoa nibs are optional, but if you like a bit of crunch, add about 60g of chopped nuts of your choice. Toasted hazelnuts would work great in these brownies.

Category: Bars & squares

Recipe in PDF format (print friendly)

• Yields 20-25 squares
• Prep time: 20min
• Cook time: 25min
• Total time: 45min
• Difficulty: Basic

Ingredients

• 70g butter
• 70g cocoa butter
• 280g sugar
• 100g cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cold large eggs
• 55g all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons cocoa nibs or 60g chopped nuts (optional)

Directions

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 160°C. Line the bottom and sides of a 20x20cm baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides. Combine the butter, cocoa butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium heatproof bowl and set the bowl in a pot of barely simmering water. Stir from time to time until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth and hot enough that you want to remove your finger fairly quickly after dipping it in to test. Remove the bowl from the pot and set aside briefly until the mixture cools down a bit. Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one. When the batter looks thick, shiny, and well blended, add flour and stir until you cannot see it any longer, then beat vigorously for 40 strokes with the wooden spoon or a rubber spatula. Stir in the cocoa nibs or nuts if using. Spread evenly in the prepared pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center emerges slightly moist. Let cool completely on a rack. Lift up the ends of the parchment liner, and transfer the brownies to a cutting board. Cut into squares and serve with vanilla ice cream or a glass of milk.

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