Yields 20-25 squares.
- Prep time: 20min
- Cook time: 25min
- Total time: 45min
- Difficulty: Basic
If you don’t have cocoa butter, you can substitute regular butter. In that case, this recipe will require 140g of butter. If you like a bit of crunch, add about 60g of chopped nuts of your choice instead of the cocoa nibs. Toasted hazelnuts would be delicious in these brownies.
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:
Preheat the oven to 160°C and place a rack in the lower third. Using parchment paper, line the bottom and sides of a 20x20cm baking pan, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides.
In a medium heatproof bowl, combine the butters, sugar, cocoa, and salt. Place the bowl in a pot of barely simmering water. Stir occasionally until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth and hot enough to remove your finger quickly after dipping it in to test.
Remove the bowl from the pot and set aside for a few minutes to allow the mixture to cool slightly. With a wooden spoon, stir in the vanilla extract. Add the eggs one at a time, vigorously stirring after each one. When the batter is thick, shiny, and well combined, add the flour and stir until it is no longer visible, then vigorously beat for 40 strokes with a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula. Fold in the cocoa nibs or nuts. Distribute evenly in the prepared pan. 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out slightly moist.
Allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Transfer the brownies to a cutting board by lifting up the ends of the parchment liner. Serve in squares with vanilla ice cream or a glass of milk.
Commentary.
Kakao Kocke is another name for it.
I have strange cravings. To make things more interesting, I usually pine for stinky cheeses, ice cream, or specific fruits that aren’t in season at the time. But once or twice a year, my entire body craves chocolate. On days like that, I transform into a terrifying, frantic, befuddled version of myself. It is not a pretty sight.
Because life works in mysterious ways and can be quite ironic at times, I have been known to run out of chocolate on that exact day. This actually happened not long ago. I almost burst out laughing. To make matters worse, I happened to have raw cocoa beans and cocoa butter on hand, which are, of course, the main ingredients used in chocolate production. I must have been a terrible person in a previous life, and this is how the Universe decided to repay me. There is no other explanation for such cruelty in my mind.
I briefly considered making chocolate from scratch, but decided I was too desperate to go through such an ordeal. I needed something rich and chocolatey as soon as possible. I then remembered a long-forgotten brownie recipe. I have it scribbled on a stained piece of paper and have no idea where I got it. Anyway, the recipe calls for no chocolate and yields a ridiculously moist and fudgy chocolatey goodness. It’s truly brilliant.
I’d never worked with cocoa butter before, but I decided to give it a shot because I had some on hand. Cocoa butter has a creamy color and a firm, crumbly texture, but it smells like pure chocolate heaven. Something deep within me told me it was the right thing to do. I replaced half of the regular butter with cocoa butter and tweaked the recipe slightly.
I also mixed in some cocoa nibs for crunch. They added not only a great texture to the brownies, but also a rich and intense chocolate flavor. You can omit the cocoa butter entirely and simply use regular butter. The brownies will still be delicious.
This brownie is your saving grace if you need a quick chocolate fix. You could serve it with vanilla ice cream or milk, but I recommend opening a nice bottle of sweet red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, and relaxing on a comfortable couch.
The strong bittersweet brownie combined with the fruity aroma of a good red wine will take your breath away.