brownie points

This recipe is a bit… involved, but I have to say, it’s pretty damn good.

Fudgy brownies topped roasted hazelnuts and drizzled with boozy salted caramel and chocolate sauce… need I say more?

INGREDIENTS:

Brownies

• 190 g ( 1 1/2 C + 1 T ) all-purpose flour, sifted

• 50 g (1/2 C ) cocoa powder, sifted (dutch processed preferred)

• 3/4 tsp. kosher salt (like Diamond, half amount if using Morton)

• 200 g ( 1 C ) caster/ superfine or granulated sugar (organic, vegan-friendly)

• 100 g (1/2 C ) light brown sugar (lightly packed, organic, vegan-friendly)

• 170 g ( 3/4 C ) vegan butter (browned and reduced down to 140 g or 1/2 C + 2 T ) * see note on browning vegan butter below*

• 6 oz (170 g ) semi-sweet chocolate, melted ( I use Guittard baking bars, but you can use chocolate chips )

• 4 oz (110 g )chocolate chips (semi-sweet or dark preferred)

• 3 T brewed coffee ( hot )

• 8 T aquafaba ( chickpea liquid, room temp.)

• 2 tsp. vanilla extract (pure)

• 1/2 C blanched hazelnuts (for topping brownies- roasted and chopped- can sub with pecans)

Bourbon Salted Caramel

• 200 g ( 1 C ) caster/ superfine or granulated sugar (organic, vegan-friendly)

• 1/4 C water

• 1/2 C heavy whipping cream, vegan ( I use Silk )

• 42 g (3 T) vegan butter (unsalted preferred)

• 1/4 tsp baking soda

• 2-3 T Bourbon Whiskey

• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

• 1/2- 1 tsp. salt (may want to use a bit less if using salted butter)

Chocolate Sauce

• 2 oz semi-sweet chocolate (melted)

• 2 T vegan butter (melted)

• pinch of salt

You will need:

• 8” x 8” baking pan

• One large bowl (for whipping aquafaba and sugar )

• One medium-sized bowl (for dry ingredients)

• A few small bowls

• 1 medium heavy-bottom saucepot (for browning butter and making caramel)

• Hand or stand mixer

• Cooling rack

• Whisk, spatula, + pastry brush

• Sifter or fine mesh sieve

• Small cookie sheet (for roasting nuts)

• Parchment paper

  
  
  

Prep

• Brown butter

• Heat coffee

• Bring aquafaba and heavy cream to room temp.

• Line pan with parchment paper

• Roast hazelnuts

  
  

  
  

  
  

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350° F

1. For the Brown Butter- Place a small or medium saucepot on medium heat and add butter. The butter will melt, the begin to form large bubbles. While cooking, you want to continually stir the butter with a spatula or a spoon- don’t step away and do something else. Continue to cook until the bubbles get small and foamy (this means most of the water has evaporated) and watch for the butter to turn golden and brown and start to smell nutty- you should have some golden bits at the bottom of the pan- this is good, but don’t let them burn. When butter is browned, remove from heat and pour the mixture into a small bowl to cool slightly- if you leave it in the pot, it will continue to cook and possibly burn. The butter should have reduced in volume by the end of browning, but you may have a bit more than needed for the recipe. Make sure to measure it out and save the rest for another dish. It’s delicious on potatoes, pasta, or roasted veggies.

2. Mix together 2 tablespoons of the allotted cocoa with the hot coffee in a small bowl. This is called blooming your cocoa- it really intensifies the flavor. Stir well till combined, then set aside.

3. In a medium-size bowl, sift flour and the rest of the cocoa powder together. Add salt and mix together until well combined. Set aside.

4. It’s time to melt the chocolate. I usually do this in the microwave in a small bowl heating the chocolate for 30 seconds on medium-high heat, then stirring the chocolate and repeating this process until all the chocolate is melted. It typically takes about 4 to 5 times to get smooth silky chocolate. If you don’t have a microwave or don’t like to use it, you can make a bain-marie (water bath)- see how here.

5. Add aquafaba and sugars to a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer. Beat them together for about 3 minutes or until the mixture has thickened and become a pale yellow color.

6. Combine the melted chocolate, the coffee-cocoa mixture, and vanilla to the large bowl and fold all the ingredients together until fully incorporated. The end product will sort of resemble a chocolate mouse.

7. Add the dry mixture and fold again until well combined. Add chocolate chips and mix one last time.

8. Scoop the batter into your prepared 8” x 8” pan, then smooth with a spatula.

9. Place the brownies on the middle rack and bake 23-28 minutes (depending on your oven and your pan ) or until a toothpick comes out mostly-clean- don’t overbake, you want a few chocolate bits on the toothpick.

10. Remove the brownies from the oven and allow them to cool (in the pan) for at least 1 hour. I know, I know. But this will give you time to make the caramel sauce and roast the nuts if you haven’t already.

Salted Bourbon Caramel Sauce

This process takes about 8-10 minutes from start to finish. Making caramel is something that you have to give your full attention to and not do anything else. Seriously, DON’T WALK AWAY. Get all of your ingredients measured and in place next to the cooktop. Things happen fast with caramel, so you need to be prepared and ready to go. It’s also nice to have a small cup of water and a pastry brush to wet the sides of the pot if crystallization begins to happen.

1. Add the sugar and water to the medium-sized saucepot (off heat) and give it a mix until the water is covering your sugar.

2. Place the pot on medium heat. Now, lift up your hands and back away. You’re going to want to stir the mixture like you did with the brown butter but don’t. If you do, the sugar will crystalize and it will be a mess. So put your hands up, step back, and don’t touch. Seriously.

3. As the sugar begins to bubble, you may see a little crystalization on the side of the pot. Dip a pastry brush into a cup of water and brush the sides to help with this problem. Remember, don’t stir.

4. It depends on your cooktop and the heat it produces, but around the 6-minute mark, you're going to see the mixture start to take on a bit of a caramel color and start to smell a bit like, well, caramel. Stay cool, you’re getting close, but not quite there yet.

5. Around minute 8, the sugar mixture should be getting a nice dark amber color- how far you take it is up to you, but just know that once sugar burns, it’s over. the whole process usually takes about 10 minutes from start to finish, but you can play around with it and see what works for you.

6. Note *BOILING SUGAR BURNS LIKE A MOTHER * So for the next part, please be VERY careful so you don’t hurt yourself. Make sure the spoon or spatula you use has a long handle, so your skin is far away from any hot sugar that might get you.

7. When the sugar looks good and you think it is ready, add in the butter and baking soda- stir vigorously. Then slowly add in the cream while stirring (still vigorously) and then the Bourbon. Keep stirring for about 30 seconds to thicken. Remove the caramel from the heat and add in the salt and stir to fully combined. Please resist the temptation to taste at this point, cause you will burn the shit out of your mouth. You’ve been warned.

8. I like to pour the sauce into a large bowl to cool (it will happen quicker that way), then once fully cooled, pour into a mason jar or container of your choice.

9. While the caramel is cooling, you can place your hazelnuts onto a cookie sheet and roast in the oven at 350° F for 8-10 minutes or until they are slightly golden brown.

10. Allow the nuts to cool for 5- 10 minutes, then give them a rough chop with a knife or in a food processor.

11. Make the Chocolate Sauce

12. Melt the chocolate and butter in a small bowl (like you did for the brownies ) until just melted. Give it a good mix until the sauce is smooth and glossy. Set aside.

13. When brownies are completely cool, remove them from the pan with parchment paper. Sprinkle on the chopped nuts and drizzle the caramel and chocolate sauces on top. Cut how you like, but this recipe is pretty rich, so smaller pieces will probably be better.

14. Whoo, you made it to the end! Now go stuff your face.

I hope you give this recipe a try and share them with someone you love. If you do, let me know how it turned out!

Thanks for spending some time,

xxx Debbie xxx