The brownie that always turns out well that I brought from my first trip

This is the brownie that always turns out well and making this delicious dessert is very simple if you keep in mind some things that are very easy.

Let's go with the ingredients:

El Chocolate - me encanta el chocolate negro al 70% pero le faltaría dulzor, así que yo uso chocolate al 51%. Lo mejor es usar un chocolate entre el 50 y el 60% de cacao y no más.

To enhance the flavor of the chocolate, I always add a tablespoon of coffee powder (decaffeinated so that children can drink it). This doesn't add flavor at all but it does give much more intensity to the chocolate flavor.

Regarding sugar, the best sugars to make a good brownie are white sugar and dark brown sugar, in a ratio of 2:1 or 1:1. The white sugar creates a crunchy layer on top when baking and gives it a tender texture while the brown sugar gives it moisture and a deeper caramel flavor, leaving that melty texture essential in a good brownie, so don't hesitate to mix both sugars.

For the flour, I use pastry flour which has more protein and this makes the brownie more juicy and with that medium chewy consistency that we like so much.

Walnuts are without a doubt my favorite crunchy, along with hazelnuts, which you can substitute perfectly. In fact, the first time I tried a brownie was in the United States when I was studying there and it had hazelnuts, so try it because you will be amazed at how well they go with chocolate, it is no coincidence that Nutella has both ingredients. You can also put different fillings in the batter to create different brownies. The ones that work best are peanut butter, crushed Oreos, a few tablespoons of Nutella, or a few pieces of chocolate if you love death by chocolate.

Process

The key to dense, fluffy brownies is not to overbake them. If you want them a little more cupcake-like, you can bake them 5-8 minutes longer. Please note that all ovens are different, so baking time may vary depending on the oven. An oven thermometer will help determine the actual temperature.

The other key is to let them cool completely before cutting, so the chocolate has a chance to set, which is why I like to make them in the afternoon and let them sit overnight. If you can't wait, the brownies will end up looking more like a pudding and not a cake, which is also delicious served with ice cream, but it won't be a real brownie. The ideal is to leave it overnight. It is important to let it cool completely before cutting it so that the brownie does not fall apart, but above all, the flavor is much richer when it is no longer hot.

Regarding the mold, I use one of 30 x 24. If you use a smaller mold they will be higher and will then need more time (depending on the size, about 40-45 minutes).

Lastly, I like the brownie covered in dark chocolate mixed with milk chocolate but without coverage it is also delicious.

Ingredients

• 220 g 51% dark chocolate
• 150 g butter
• 200 g white sugar
• 100 g brown sugar
• 4 large eggs at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 140 g pastry flour
• 40g pure cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon decaffeinated instant coffee
• 1 teaspoon soluble coffee
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 70 g walnuts

For the chocolate cream topping

• 100 g milk chocolate
• 50 g dark chocolate
• 50 g butter

Directions

Preheat the oven to 170 C° heat up and down.

We grease and cover a mold measuring approximately 30 x 23 cm or 23 x 23 cm with baking paper, leaving a little excess paper sticking out on all sides.

We melt the chocolate together with the butter in a bain-marie by putting a saucepan with water on the heat and placing the bowl on top, stirring constantly until we have a smooth cream, or in the microwave at intervals of 30 seconds, until we have a smooth and soft cream. We reserve.

In a large bowl, mix the sugar, vanilla and eggs with the help of a whisk for about 5 minutes. This will make the brownie texture juicy.

Add the melted chocolate and beat by hand until combined.

Now add the flour mixture and using a silicone spatula, mix. It is best to do this by hand so as not to overmix the mixture. We add the nuts and mix.

Pour the mixture into the prepared mold. Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs. It may take much longer depending on oven temperature and ingredients. All ovens are different, so baking time may vary depending on the oven. An oven thermometer will help determine the actual temperature.

We let it cool in the mold for 10 minutes and then gently pulling the excess paper from the corners, we transfer it to a rack. I like to let them cool overnight with a cloth on top to make sure the chocolate flavor is really deep.

In any case, it is important to let them cool completely before cutting them so that the brownie does not fall apart when you cut it, but above all, the flavor is much richer when it is no longer hot.

For the chocolate cream, we heat the chocolate with the butter. We can do it in a bain-marie over a case of heated water, or in 30-second intervals in the microwave. We stir until we obtain a ready cream and serve on top of the brownie. Enjoy!

Tips and Tricks

• You can prepare it today and freeze it into potions that you can thaw when you go to take it.
• Difficulty: easy
• Preparation time: 20 minutes plus baking time
• Servings: 16