Featured Recipe
Chunky Chocolate Pecan Brownies
By Kate
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Dense, fudgy brownies with a slightly crisp edge and a rich, tangy cream cheese chocolate glaze. Uses bittersweet and semi-sweet chopped chocolate. Pecans swapped with toasted hazelnuts for earthier crunch. Cane sugar replaced half with brown sugar for moisture. Slightly less flour for deeper chew. Glaze sweetened with powdered coconut sugar, a twist on classic frosting. Baking temperature lowered by 10 °C for better dome control. Timing adjusted to focus on tactile cues, not just minutes. Relies on layered mixing techniques and sensory checks for best texture. Notes cover ingredient swaps and how to salvage dry or underbaked batches.
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Prep:
30 min
Cook:
35 min
Total:
Serves:
12 servings
brownies
chocolate
baking
dessert
pecans
glaze
Introduction
Look, brownies aren’t just dumping stuff in a bowl. Texture’s king here. That crunch edge? You get it by baking at lower temp longer so edges crisp slow, centers stay fudgy but not gooey. Mixing matters. Creaming butter and sugars on medium speed traps air. Don’t rush eggs; add them one by one for structure. Melt chocolate carefully—overheated? Gritty mess. Nuts? Toast ‘em, chop big for texture contrast. Glaze is a quick chocolate ganache with cream cheese—smooth, tangy, less sweet thanks to coconut sugar. Chill it or it slips when cutting. Learn to watch brownie jiggle not minutes for perfect bake.
Ingredients
CAKE
- 110 g (roughly 4 squares) bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped
- 110 g (about 4 squares) semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
- 200 g (3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
- 110 g (1/2 cup) light brown sugar
- 160 g (3/4 cup) granulated cane sugar
- 4 eggs, room temperature
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) pure vanilla extract
- 230 ml (just under 1 cup) all-purpose flour, sifted
- 2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) baking powder
- 100 g (1 cup) toasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped (optional)
- 110 g (4 squares) semi-sweet chocolate
- 25 ml (1 2/3 tbsp) unsalted butter
- 25 ml (1 2/3 tbsp) water
- 65 g (1/4 cup) cream cheese, softened
- 110 g (3/4 cup) powdered coconut sugar, sifted
GLAZE
About the ingredients
Butter softened, not melted, traps air better when creaming, leading to lighter crumb despite fudge density. Using half brown sugar keeps moisture in and adds caramel notes; swap with coconut sugar for subtle flavor change. Chocolate—bittersweet adds depth; semi-sweet eases sweetness. Pecans swapped for toasted hazelnuts here for nuttier aroma and crunch, but walnuts or almonds work. Flour amount slightly decreased from standard to prevent cakiness; sift to prevent lumps and ensure rise. Baking powder allows gentle lift without changing crumb. Cream cheese in glaze deters sweetness overload and adds softness. Powdered coconut sugar offers less refined option, lending earthy aroma, but sift well to avoid clumps. Water in glaze thins to perfect spreadable consistency—don’t skip. Room temperature eggs beat in better, preventing dense texture.
Method
CAKE
- 1. Rack set in center. Oven 155 °C (310 °F) to tame sharp edges, let brownies rise gently. Grease a 33 x 23 cm pan thoroughly or line with parchment to avoid melting mess.
- 2. Melt bittersweet and semi-sweet chocolate gently over simmering water, stir till all glossy, no lumps. Set aside. Watch closely—overheat and chocolate seizes, grainy disaster.
- 3. Whisk flour and baking powder in a bowl. Essential dry mix; keep light, no clumps.
- 4. Cream butter with brown and cane sugar on medium-high till pale and fluffy. Should hold soft peaks. Scrape bowl often; uneven mixing ruins crumb.
- 5. One egg at a time, beat them in fully before next. Incorporate air—think volume, texture. Dribble in vanilla while mixing.
- 6. Now fold melted chocolate thoroughly. Careful—too fast deflates the air. Use a sturdy spatula. Follow quick with sifted dry ingredients, fold but don’t overwork; overmix triangles the gluten into toughness.
- 7. Add toasted hazelnuts folded gently last. Nutty crunch breaks sweet density, but optional—trying a more subtle mouthfeel? Skip ‘em.
- 8. Pour mix into pan; smooth top with spatula dipped in warm water to stop sticking.
- 9. Bake 32–35 minutes. Watch edges firm and set, center just glossy but no wet batter. Tap gently; brownie jiggle means still fudgy inside. Don’t depend strictly on timer—oven variability kills results.
- 10. Cool completely in pan—about 3 hours. Rushing with heat or fridge dries the surface or causes cracks.
- 11. Low heat in small saucepan melts semi-sweet chocolate, butter, and water. Smooth fluid without grain or separation. Remove from heat fast; residual warmth melts cheese easier.
- 12. Beat cream cheese till super smooth, no lumps. Add warm chocolate mix gradually; whisk each addition till silky, then add powdered coconut sugar slowly. Coconut sugar less sweet, earthier with mild grit—nice twist.
- 13. Spread glaze evenly over cooled brownies with offset spatula. If glaze is too firm, microwave 5-second bursts, stir between.
- 14. Let set at room temperature an hour or refrigerate 20 minutes to firm glaze before cutting clean squares.
- Notes:
- Brown sugar moistens and deepens flavor; avoid overbaking to stop dryness. If overdone, warming briefly in microwave revives softness. For gluten-free, swap flour for same quantity almond flour but expect lighter crumb and less rise.
- If glaze splits, keep whisking off heat until combined or rewarm gently; often from temperature shock.
- Hazelnut toast adds aroma and crunch—chop uneven for rustic texture contrasts. Nut substitute: walnuts or pecans work fine.
- Room temperature eggs incorporate better; cold eggs shock batter, causing dense crumb.
- Use kitchen towel under mixing bowl to stabilize and speed beating.
- It's tempting to overmix chocolate into batter; fold slowly to preserve air bubbles for lightness despite fudgy texture.
GLAZE
Technique Tips
Start with oven rack placement central; too high or low ruins heat distribution, uneven baking. Temper chocolate by melting slowly over simmering water or low microwave pulses; stir constantly. Cream butter and sugars till light—don’t underbeat or you lose volume; overbeat and butter breaks. Add eggs slow, one at a time to emulsify fats and lock in bubbles. Folding chocolate and dry mix requires gentle hand—overmixing creates toughness. Look for batter consistency with gentle fold motion, no streaks, but don’t beat. Nut addition last preserves crunch. Bake watching texture, not timer exactly. Edges firm to touch and slightly darkened, center still shiny but set means done. Cool fully in pan; rushing leads to soggy bottom or cracks. Glaze heated till just smooth—too hot breaks cheese. Incorporate cream cheese cold but softened, beating till fully combined for silky finish. Spread glaze warm on fully cooled cake to prevent melting issues. Cool glaze set ensures clean cut squares. If glaze hardens too much, soften briefly before cutting. Patience beats rush in every step for reliable results.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Use room temperature eggs, they mix better. Cold eggs? Dense batter. Cream butter, brown, and cane sugar till airy. Not just mixed—should hold peaks.
- 💡 Melt chocolate over simmering water. Too hot? Grainy mess happens. Stir constantly, avoid lumps. Mixing chocolate into batter? Fold gently, preserve air.
- 💡 Watch for cues, don’t just rely on time. Edges should set while the center looks glossy. Tap the pan gently; a jiggle means fudgy.
- 💡 Cool brownies in the pan for about 3 hours. Rushing cracks the top or dries out edges. Patience here leads to better texture.
- 💡 For glaze, beat cream cheese until no lumps. Add warm chocolate gradually. Too hot breaks it. If glaze gets firm, warm in short bursts, stir after.
