Dark Chocolate Spiced Fudgy Brownies
These super soft and fudgy brownies come with a different story to tell. They are made with pure 70% dark chocolate and Dutch processed cocoa powder for a very intense dark chocolate flavor, cinnamon, ginger and cardamom to cozy you up during the autumn nights and sour cream (yes! sour cream) to highlight the acidic notes from the Dutch cocoa and to add moisture, creating a fudgy texture without being cloying. I also used the ribbon cake method to incorporate a bit of air into the batter mix, creating that crisp crackled topping reminiscent of a flourless chocolate cake that we all love. Not that traditional brownies need to be perfected, but how decadent and delicious these brownies sound?!
I like the idea of these brownies not being an afterthought or an effort to try to replicate store boxed brownies. Nothing wrong with that of course, I have craved maaaaany times that particular taste and texture of boxed brownies. But I liked the idea of revisiting some of the ingredients and steps to see what could come out of that. That’s why I went with the dark chocolate instead of the traditional semi-sweet (like I did in my Extra Dark Chocolate Bundt Cake), Dutch processed cocoa powder instead of natural and the addition of a bit of sour cream, which always goes so well with chocolate in baked recipes. The spices are optional of course, but the flavor is pretty subtle, they just add a nice and warm kick so incredibly good, everyone will be going back for more trying to wonder what’s up there!
For the process I turned things upside down a bit and instead of mixing the eggs with the butter and adding the sugar as a dry ingredient, I used the ribbon method, which is the base for many sponge cakes, and whisked the eggs with the sugar in high heat. It’s called ribbon because when you pull up your whisk after mixing in high speed for a while, the mixture returns to the bowl not in a stream but as, you guessed it, as a falling ribbon. This method incorporates air to the mixture and dissolves the sugar enough, that’s why these brownies are not grainy or sandy but just super smooth and with a thin and crispy crackled top.
These are kind of old fashioned brownies. They are not forced to be fudgy by too much chocolate or by leaving the batter a bit raw but by those few details through the process, making them decadent, rich and satisfying with you feeling your belly super heavy after a few bites. Let’s break down the steps you’ll be following when making these brownies.
How to Make Dark Chocolate Spiced Fudgy Brownies
Start by melting the butter in a double boiler. If you don’t have a double boiler you can do as I always do (because I don’t have one) and that is to place a large glass mixing bowl in a skillet filled with water at least half way thru.
When the butter is almost completely melted, add the chopped 70% chocolate bar and stir until melted. To this you are going to add the Dutch cocoa and the coffee granules. While it cools down, prepare your pan, mix the dry ingredients and whisk the eggs with the sugar.
After the eggs and sugar mixtures are ready by being whisked in high for 3 minutes, pour the cooled down butter-chocolate mixture and after mixed, the sour cream.
This may be the only thing we are going to copy from boxed brownies. You know how the box says mix by 30 strokes? This is exactly what you will do. Gently mix in a folding motion the flour and bonus points if you can do it by 20 strokes! By the end add the chocolate chips or any other additions and mix just a couple of more times.
Scrape batter into the pan and transfer to oven. These brownies bake at 325°, another key in creating that super smooth texture.
After these are baked, you can put them in the fridge almost immediately. This will halt the cooking process and stop the steam faster, allowing the top to develop that thin crisp texture that we all love! But you can let them cool down in your kitchen counter as well.
If you are liking the idea of the fall theme, then you can add toasted pecans and drizzle a caramel sauce over. Some vanilla ice cream on top wouldn't hurt either. Or, if you are like me, a chilled glass of milk with a piece of this would be the perfect way to finish your day. I love a recipe that can serve you as a decadent dessert or as a comforting snack as well. I know you are going to love these!
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Dark Chocolate Spiced Fudgy Brownies
Ingredients
◯ Butter, regular - 1 cup (2 sticks)
◯ 70% cocoa bar - 3.5 oz (1 large bar)
◯ Dutch processed cocoa powder - 3 TBSP
◯ Instant coffee granules or espresso powder - ½ Tsp
◯ All-purpose flour - 1 cup (160 g)
◯ Cinnamon - 1 ¼ Tsp
◯ Ground ginger - ¾ Tsp
◯ Ground cardamom seeds - ¼ Tsp or just a dash more if you like the taste
◯ Fine sea salt - ¼ Tsp.
◯ Eggs, large - 3
◯ Egg yolk - 1
◯ Natural granulated sugar - 1 ½ cup (345 g)
◯ Full fat sour cream - ¼ cup
◯ Bittersweet (60% cacao) chocolate chips - about a cup and a bit more
for good luck : )
Details
Yield:
a 9” x 9” cake pan
Total time:
1 hour
Prep time:
15 minutes
Baking time:
45 minutes
Equipment:
a 9” x 9” cake pan
Steps
Preheat oven to 325°. Grease with butter or baking spray or lined with parchment paper a 9” x 9” cake pan.
Place the cup of butter in a glass bowl and place it on a large skillet filled with water more than half way up. Start melting butter over medium heat. While the butter melts finely chop the 70% chocolate bar. When a few chunks of butter remain unmelted in the bowl, add the chopped chocolate and with a silicon spatula or spoon stir frequently until the chocolate has melted. Remove from water and add the 3 tablespoons of Dutch cocoa powder and the ½ teaspoon of coffee granules. Mix and let cool down.
In the meantime, manually mix in a bowl the cup of flour, the 1 ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon, the ¾ teaspoon of ginger and the ¼ teaspoon of cardamom and the ¼ teaspoon of salt.
Place the 3 eggs, the egg yolk and the cup and a half of sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl. Using the whisk attachment mix in medium-high speed (#6 in the Kitchen Aid) for 3 minutes, until the mixture looks pale and frothy. With the mixer running pour the chocolate-butter mixture and mix for one minute. Add the sour cream and mix for 30 seconds to a minute more.
Remove the bowl from mixer and add the flour mixture. Gently fold it in with a large spatula or wooden spoon until there are no large flour streaks (a few thin ones is ok). Add the chocolate chips and gently fold just until well distributed.
Scrape brownie batter to your prepared pan. Transfer to oven and immediately bring down the temperature to 325°. Bake for 45 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean of batter after you inserted it through the center of the brownies. Melted chocolate in the toothpick is ok. If brownies are still a bit raw, bake for 5 more minutes.
Wait about 30 seconds and if you can, place them in the fridge for 15 to 30 minutes to force the cool down (see notes above). If you can’t, just let them cool down completely over the counter before slicing.
