Because the ingredient list to make Espresso Brownies is quite short, it is important the ingredients are of the highest quality you can find, especially the espresso. Believe it or not, I started making this recipe by roasting my own espresso beans. This is not for everyone, but it is an interesting process to undertake. I roasted a quarter pound of unroasted green coffee beans in a Behmor 1600 electric coffee roaster. The roasted coffee beans then sat for four days in a canister so they could give off carbon dioxide in a post-roast process called outgassing.
Next, I ground the freshly roasted coffee and used a Chemex pour-over preparation invented by a German chemist in 1941. The borosilicate glass carafe is inert and does not impart any flavor to the final brew. Espresso blends may be prepared using other coffee making methods too; you do not have to have an espresso machine at home.
Once you have prepared the espresso, pre-heat your oven to 350F and select the pan you will use. A common size used for baking brownies is a 9-inch square pan. Other pans equivalents are: 11x7-in baking dish, 9-in round 2-in deep-dish pie plate, or 9x5-in loaf pan. I used an 8x8x2-in glass Pyrex knowing these Espresso Brownies would turn out even gooier.
Gather the ingredients together. The dry: 1/4 tsp. (1.3 g) baking soda, 1/2 cup (80 g) all-purpose flour, 1/3 cup (80 g) cocoa powder, and 1/4 tsp. (1.5 g) table salt. And, the wet: 1/4 tsp. (2.5 mL) vanilla extract, 2 oz. (60 mL) prepared espresso or strong coffee, 4 oz (115 g) unsalted butter, 1 cup (200 g) sugar, and 2 large (100 g) eggs.
Stir together the melted butter, sugar, vanilla and prepared espresso in a bowl. Add the eggs. A silicone spatula works well for stirring the wet ingredients and incorporating all of the dry ingredients. Take your time, it can get messy if you go too fast. When thoroughly mixed, use the spatula to spread the batter evenly into a greased pan.
Predicting the length it takes to bake Espresso Brownies is the trickiest part of the whole process. Depending on your oven's consistency, the pan size and whether it is glass or metal makes a difference in baking time. Pull the pan out after 30 minutes and visually inspect the brownies. Have they pulled away from the sides of the pan? Also check the center to see that it doesn't jiggle. Then use the toothpick method. Take a toothpick (or in my case a unicorn shaped corn on the cob holder) and insert it into the center of the pan. If it comes out coated in batter, bake again and check after ten minutes. If the center doesn't jiggle and there are just a few crumbs on the toothpick then the Espresso Brownies are done.
Let the brownies cool completely in the pan. This could take hours or overnight.
Enjoy with a nice hot cup of coffee or espresso!}?>
Espresso Brownies
Butter and flour an 8x8-in pan | Preheat oven to 350°F (170°C) | ||||
4 oz (115 g) unsalted butter | melt | mix | mix | fold in | bake 350°F (170°C) 30 to 40 min |
1 cup (200 g) sugar | |||||
1/4 tsp. (2.5 mL) vanilla extract | |||||
1 shot (4 Tbs; 60 mL) fresh brewed espresso or very strong coffee | |||||
2 large (100 g) eggs | |||||
1/2 cup (80 g) all-purpose flour | |||||
1/3 cup (80 g) Hershey's cocoa powder | |||||
1/4 tsp. (1.3 g) baking soda | |||||
1/4 tsp. (1.5 g) table salt |
Samantha Joyce is a writer for Seattle Coffee Gear and enjoys sharing her knowledge of all things coffee.