Death by brownies

Marcel Desaulniers

A stack of Dancing-Deer-brand brownies, bought at a supermarket in Brooklyn, NY. 🔗

From the Death by Chocolate Cookbook by Marcel Desaulniers (Rizzoli, 1992). Simply the ‘best chocolate brownie’ [yes, that's what he calls them — Nyssa]. The original method was replete with superfluous circumlocution so I have simplified it.

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Makes 12. Heat your (fan) oven to 325°F. Prep time: 20 minutes + 22 minutes (chocolate + whisk + cool). Cooking time: 40 minutes.


Ingredients

  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tbsp cocoa
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt (see tip)
  • 3 oz unsweetened chocolate
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 oz semisweet chocolate
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup sour cream

Method

  1. Rub a 9″×9″ square cake pan with the butter paper, then dust it with a pinch of the flour.

  2. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt together into a dry bowl and set aside.

  3. Melt the unsweetened chocolate, butter, and semisweet chocolate in the top half of a double boiler for 5 and a bit minutes, remove from the heat and stir until smooth (see tip).

  4. Whisk the eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract for about 2 and a bit minutes until slightly thickened.

  5. Add the melted chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and mix on medium for half a minute.

  6. Add the sifted ingredients, mix on low for 10 seconds, then on medium for 10 seconds.

  7. Add the cream and mix on medium for a further 5 seconds, then remove from mixer and finish blending with a silicone spatula.

  8. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, spreading evenly into the corners.

  9. Bake for 40 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

  10. Remove the brownies from the oven and allow to cool in the pan at room temperature for 15 and a bit minutes. Use a serrated knife to cut into 12 portions.


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