INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 5 oz semisweet chocolate
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • ½ cup dark brown sugar
  • 4 eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS

    1. Preheat oven to 350ºF / 180ºC.
    2. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners or butter them.
    3. Melt butter and chocolate in a large bowl. See Notes below for instructions.
    4. Add sugars and mix.
    5. Add eggs and mix well but do not beat.
    6. Add the sifted dry ingredients: flour, salt, cocoa powder and baking powder. You can sift them before or have the ingredients measured and sift them directly over the butter mixture (my choice).
    7. Add vanilla and stir to combine.
    8. Divide batter evenly between muffin cups.
    9. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick comes out with some moist crumbs. They should be barely jiggly when you touch the tops, just like a brownie.
    10. Let cool on a wire rack.

NOTES

    • Chocolate: use your favorite semisweet dark chocolate for this recipe. I like Callebaut 54% chocolate wafers or Ghirardelli Premium baking bar.
    • Melt the chocolate: always start with chopped chocolate in a microwavable or glass bowl. You can use the microwave (short 10-15 second spurts stirring well between each one until it’s fully melted) or a double boiler with the bowl containing the chopped chocolate not touching the water. In both cases, make sure it doesn’t scorch.
    • When are they done: as with any brownie-like recipe, take them out while still a bit soft in the center. If they are very springy when you touch them, they are somewhat overbaked. They will be delicious anyway, but not as fudgy but cakeier.
    • Topping: I use a dab of dulce de leche (because I use it with everything I can), and the candies on top I used to pretty then up for a birthday (and for this post), but they are good on their own, as I mentioned before. A light chocolate glaze (with or without the bourbon) works wonders too.
    • Freezing: they freeze beautifully. Wrap them well or use an airtight container made for the freezer. Defrost at room temperature.
    • Mini brownies in muffin form: an alternative is to bake them in a mini muffin pan and make brownie bites. They’re the perfect size for a gathering or after-dinner coffee. The baking time will be lower, so keep that in mind.