Cold nights and long days require delicious sweet treats. I rarely bake as I don’t want to single handed-ly eat everything I make that’s just a bit excessive but after having to work this past weekend nothing sounded better than home made brownies. Something warm and gooey, sweet and taste-y perfect with a cup of warm tea on these cold nights we have been having here in New York.
Now I did not just want any brownie I wanted something a bit more grown up that your normal fair which is why I decided a sea salt and browned butter brownie was the perfect choice. Something salty but sweet and with more depth than your usual brownie, I added in chopped chocolate for that extra burst of chocolate and texture. As for texture I love my brownies soft and fudge-y not cake like and I think this recipe comes close to perfection at least for me.
SEA SALT & BROWNED BUTTER BROWNIES
Makes one 9″x 9″ pan
1/3 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
2/3 Cups AP Flour + some for dusting the pan
2 Cups Sugar
1 1/4 Cups Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 Tsp Kosher Salt
8oz Browned Butter (see below for instructions)
4 Large Eggs
2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
2oz Chopped Chocolate (I used 100% Cacao Unsweetened Chocolate Ghirardelli Premium Baking Bar)
Sea Salt for finishing (about 2 Tsp) something large grained is best
Butter for greasing the pan
9″ x 9″ Baking Pan
Mixing Bowls
Sieve
Small offset spatula (optional)
TO PREPARE
Preheat oven to 300°F
Grease your pan and dust with flour and set aside
Sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt
In a separate bowl whisk together the eggs, brown butter, and vanilla extract. Make sure the eggs are slightly whisked before you add the butter to make the process easier. Add the brown butter to the eggs right after you have strained it add it in slowly in a stream while whisking to keep the eggs from coagulating. The egg mixture with thicken up a bit once everything is incorporated after thoroughly mixed add in the vanilla extract.
Add the dry ingredients into the wet and mix together until the dry mix is fully incorporated.
Mix in the chopped chocolate and about 1 tsp of the sea salt
Pour out the mix into your prepared pan and use the offset spatula to even out the top. Hit the pan a few times on the counter to make sure all air bubbles are out.
Sprinkle a bit more of the sea salt on the top of the brownies
Cook for 30-45 min until a cake tester or tooth pick comes out clean
Let cool and turn out and cut into squares (use your offset spatula to help release the brownies from the pan if you are having a hard time getting them out)
BROWNED BUTTER HOW TO
technique adapted from Bouchon Bakery
8oz Butter
Large Sauce Pan
Mixing Bowl
Whisk
Sieve
Cheesecloth
TO PREPARE
Over your mixing bowl place a sieve with two layers of cheese cloth over it for straining the browned solids once you have browned the butter.
Place your large sauce pan over medium heat and melt the butter.
As soon as the butter melts start whisking to keep the butter from separating.
Once the butter comes to a boil turn up the heat and stop whisking.
Keep cooking the butter whisking occasionally so it does not burn until the bubbles lessen indicating most of the moisture has evaporated.
Once the butter is a caramel color remove from the heat and strain the solids out and use in your recipe.
graham & cook 