Moist Mocha Brownies

April 13, 2010

This is the brownie recipe you want to write in stone

I have 2 categories for determining whether a recipe is worth baking. 1) Its easy and contains ingredients I usually stock in my cupboard. I will bake this to please myself or in a pinch for guests. 2) Recipes with a few extra steps and ingredients that make the dish a singing show stopper. Category 2 are what reputations are made out of. After hundreds of brownie recipes I've baked this one may be my favorite crowd pleaser category 2 recipe. Rich, flavorful, decadent, the right amount of fudgey, and soft not dense.

Moist Mocha Brownies

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1 bag good quality chocolate chips, divided (24 oz / 680 grams)
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 tsp instant espresso powder or instant coffee
2 tblsp cocoa powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp vanilla
4 large eggs
1 scant cup flour

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease the bottom and corners of 10 x 13 inch baking pan with butter. Lay a piece of with foil lengthwise, leaving 1 inch hanging on each end. Grease the sides, bottoms, and corners of the foil with butter.

Foil, just hangin'

Place butter and 1/2 bag of chocolate chips in a very clean heat proof bowl (tempered glass or metal) over a pan of simmering water. Stir until chocolate and butter melt. Be careful not to get water in the mixture.

Butter and chocolate

Remove bowl from heat and stir in sugar, espresso powder, cocoa powder, cayenne, and vanilla. Mix until combine, batter may look grainy. Add eggs, one at time, to batter, whisking for 30 seconds in between additions. After all 4 eggs are added whisk for additional 2 minutes. In a seperate bowl combine flour and remaing half bag of chocolate chips. Add chips and flour to batter, gentley mixing to combine.

Spread batter into greased foil-lined baking pan. Bake for 20 mintutes. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes in pan. Lift foil and move brownies to a cooling rack. Let cool for 10 minutes. Flip brownies over on to upside down pan. Peel off foil, and flip on to flat cutting surface. Cut and serve!