World’s Best Coffee Fudge Brownies
posted in Coffee Fudge Brownies |If the world is divided between those who love cakey brownies and those who
prefer theirs fudgey, there’s widespread agreement in both camps that a
hint of coffee flavor is the best way to improve upon something that nearly
defies improvement. Notice I said hint. Our aim is to add a whisper of
coffee flavor, not shout it from on high – these are brownies, after all –
and we achieve that end with a subtle one-two coffee punch: a bit of ground
coffee, and some coffee liqueur. Warning to those of you, like me, who have
a habit of licking utensils and may wonder about this: the coffee flavor is
muted in the batter but more prominent in the baked brownies.
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, in several pieces
8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons finely ground, almost powder-like coffee (see note below)
2 tablespoons Kahlua or other coffee liqueur
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1. Put the butter in the top of a double boiler and begin to melt it
over barely simmering water. As butter starts to melt, add the chocolate,
spreading it evenly rather than dumping it in one big pile. Leave the
mixture over the heat for about 5 minutes, until melted, then stir to
smooth. Transfer the top of the double boiler to a cooling rack and stir in
the ground coffee and Kahlua. Cool for 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 9- by
9-inch cake pan and dust it with flour, knocking out the excess. (Do not
use a smaller pan.) Set aside.
3. Combine the sugars in a large mixing bowl. Rub with fingers to break up
any lumps. Add the eggs. Using an electric mixer, beat on medium-high speed
for about 30 seconds, until well blended. Blend in the vanilla. Add the
melted chocolate and blend on medium speed just until evenly mixed.
4. Sift the flour and salt into a medium bowl. Stir it into the chocolate
mixture, about half at a time, until evenly mixed and no dry streaks
remain. Stir in the nuts. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and
smooth with a spoon.
5. Bake the brownies on the center oven rack for 30 to 35 minutes. When
done, the brownies will have risen somewhat and will have a thin, brittle
top crust. A toothpick, inserted at the center, should emerge with a little
batter attached. Try not to over bake.
6. Transfer the brownies to a cooling rack and cool thoroughly. To get the
cleanest cuts, cover and refrigerate for several hours before slicing.
Serve slightly cool or at room temperature.
Makes 16 brownies
Note: Whenever I need to make finely ground coffee for a recipe such as
this, I do it in either my blender or – even better – my mini-chopper style
coffee grinder. For best results I’ll usually mix in a bit of the total
amount of sugar with the coffee beans – perhaps 2 to 3 tablespoons.
