Salted Espresso Brownies

For all you coffee lovers out there - my recipe for Salted Espresso Brownies will blow you away! These brownies are so easy to make with the most luxurious moist fudgy texture. They are made with bittersweet chocolate, infused with espresso powder and a good hit of salt for a very rich taste.

WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE

• Fudgy chocolate brownies - these brownies have such a rich fudgy texture and intense chocolate flavor thanks to bittersweet chocolate and not a lot of flour.
• Rich coffee mocha taste - the combination of coffee and chocolate is just magic. They complement each other so well thanks to them sharing similar flavor compounds.
• Salted chocolate - adding a decent amount of salt really amps up the taste of espresso and chocolate while also tempering the sweetness for the most rich decadent brownies.
• Easy preparation - this recipe requires few simple ingredients and is very easy to make.
• Shiny top brownies - these brownies have that perfect shiny crust that every great brownie should have.

INGREDIENTS

• Salted butter - the best brownies that have a chewy fudgy texture are made with butter. Salted butter adds extra richness here. You can use unsalted butter in this recipe, but then add a pinch more salt.
• Dark chocolate - anything between 60 and 70% cocoa solids will work. I prefer Bittersweet Chocolate and these bittersweet chocolate callets are very convenient.
• Egg - 2 whole eggs will provide majority of the structure in these brownies.
• Granulated sugar - simple fine white granulated sugar is best for these brownies and for the cheesecake. I do not recommend substituting with brown sugar because brown sugar has a coarser texture and it will be more difficult for it to dissolve to make the shiny top.

• Pure vanilla extract - vanilla is essential to enhance the flavor of the chocolate and is the main flavor in the cheesecake. I like this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.
• All purpose flour - regular all purpose flour is perfect to make fudgy brownies. Use unbleached flour which will give you that nice dense texture.
• Cocoa powder - just 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder will bump up the chocolate taste in the brownies and also replace some of the structural function of flour for a super fudgy texture. You can use natural cocoa or Dutch Process cocoa powder in this recipe. It won't make much of a difference.
• Salt - salt is important in any baking dessert recipe, but especially here in these brownies! It totally enhances the chocolate and coffee taste.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

• STEP 1.) Melt chocolate. Combine chocolate and butter in a small saucepan over low heat and stir constantly until completely melted and smooth. If you are worried about burning the chocolate, then place it in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and stir frequently until melted. You can also melt it in the microwave in short bursts with frequent stirring so it doesn't burn. Set the chocolate aside, but keep it warm.
• STEP 2.) Beat eggs and sugar. Combine eggs with sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat vigorously by hand with a whisk until thick, pale and fluffy. You can also use an electric hand mixer if you prefer. Mix in vanilla and salt.
• STEP 3.) Combine eggs with chocolate. Add the warm chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and mix it in well.
• STEP 4.) Combine dry ingredients. Add flour, cocoa powder and espresso powder to a small bowl and whisk to blend evenly. If your flour and cocoa are lumpy, then sift it first.
• STEP 5.) Add dry ingredients. Add the flour mixture to the chocolate batter and fold it in until evenly combined.
• STEP 6.) Add chocolate chips. Fold in chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
• STEP 7.) Bake! Spread the batter into your lined baking pan and bake until a skewer inserted into the center comes out with a few moist sticky crumbs attached, but not wet batter. Then, let the brownies cool completely in the pan.

EXPERT BAKING TIPS FOR ESPRESSO BROWNIES

• Keep the chocolate and butter hot. There is no need to cool the chocolate mixture before adding the eggs. In fact, a warm batter will help the sugar dissolve for a nice shiny top.

• Always use room temperature eggs so that they incorporate more evenly and the warmer temperature helps sugar dissolve. TIP: to bring eggs to room temperature quickly, submerge them in warm water for 10 minutes.

• Measure flour accurately. Too much flour leads to a dry brownie.

• Mix the eggs with the sugar first instead of stirring the sugar into the melted chocolate. Sugar cannot dissolve in fat, but it can dissolve in the water within egg whites

• Watch the baking time. In all my experience, most standard 8-inch pan brownie recipes take between 20 and 25 minutes when baked in a metal pan. Start checking after 20 minutes. A skewer should not come out clean -- it should come out with a few moist sticky bits attached. If it comes out clean it may be over baked, and if it comes out with wet batter then it is still a bit raw.

• Cool completely. For the best texture, it is important that the brownies cool completely.

RECIPE FAQ

What type of chocolate should I use for salted espresso brownies?

I use bittersweet chocolate with 70% cocoa solids which makes perfectly chocolaty chewy brownies. You can also use semisweet chocolate, but just note that they will certainly taste much sweeter.

Can I use cocoa powder to make fudge brownies?

This recipe requires melted chocolate. Melted chocolate gives a fudgier texture because of the cocoa butter content that has a higher melting point. If you prefer to make brownies with cocoa powder only, then check out my Better Than Box Brownie Mix recipe which have a chewier texture.

Can I add any kind of chocolate chips to this brownie recipe?

Yes you can! If you'd like to milk or white chocolate chips, this recipe will still work the same. The brownies will just be sweeter.

How do I know when brownies are baked?

Brownies are baked when a skewer inserted into the center comes out with a few moist sticky crumbs attached - not wet batter, and NOT clean. If the skewer is clean then the brownies are over-baked and if the skewer has wet batter then they are still raw.

How to get the shiny crust on brownies?

It's about dissolved sugar. If you see my Perfect Shiny Crust Brownies recipe, I explain how the shiny top is achieved when sugar is thoroughly dissolved. Whisk the sugar into the eggs first. This will help it dissolve some, and also the bonds between sugar and egg proteins is what creates the thin tissue like crust.

To help this along, always use room temperature (not cold) eggs. The warmer temperature helps sugar dissolve. The longer you whip the eggs with the sugar, the thinner and shinier the crust will be.

TIP: to bring eggs to room temperature quickly, submerge them in warm water for 10 minutes.

Can I use cocoa powder to make brownies?

This recipe requires melted chocolate. If you prefer to make brownies with cocoa powder only, then check out my Better Than Box Brownie Mix recipe.

Why are my brownies dry?

The number one reason why these would turn out dry is if they are over-baked. Brownies take no more than 25 minutes to cook if baked in a metal 8x8-inch pan. Measure the flour accurately too because too much flour will make them dry.

How do I store salted espresso brownies?

Brownies keep really well at room temperature as long as they are stored in an airtight container to prevent drying out. If you plan to keep them for more than a couple of days, then store them in the fridge.

If you love brownies, check out these recipes!

Triple Chocolate Brownies Fudgy Grain Free Brownies Olive Oil Brownies with Date Fudge Frosting Fudgy Buckeye Brownies Outrageous Fudgy Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Brownies The BEST Small Batch Fudge Brownies Homemade Cosmic Brownies Recipe!