brown butter cocoa brownies with walnuts
Two weeks ago my husband came home, plunked the mail down on the desk and proceeded to tell me about his day. Nothing unusual or overly frustrating, at least I hope that’s what he was saying. After about 3.7 seconds into the conversation my attention was immediately diverted to the Bon Appetit magazine peeking out from under the Gold’s Gym flyer and the bills, which should frankly be sent to someone else’s house and not mine. I pulled it out from the clutter and said “mmmhmmm” as if I were listening to anything he was saying and without warning I almost ran out of the house barefoot and jacketless because the cover on this magazine had the most fudgy looking brownies I have ever seen and (let me get to the good part) when I flipped to the recipe, it said “brown butter”. Brown Butter! I needed ingredients, and I needed them fast…
But patient ole’ me, practicing my “good wife qualities“, remained calm, put the magazine back down, let my husband finish his story (which really was good) and sat on my hands until my attention could be fully devoted to my magazine. From my first glance at these brownies my mind was made up — I was willing to get the worst case of frostbite ever seen by the human race by prancing around town barefoot to gather ingredients for these brownies — that is how much I wanted them, need them, had to have them or I would die.
And to think I died and went to heaven because here we are, two weeks later I pulled out the recipe to make for my friend’s birthday, and the directions are for one bowl brownies. Yes. One bowl. As if these brownies were not already made for me with brown butter, they are most assuredly created just for me because there is only one bowl to clean. One bowl. Brown Butter. I think those are the four best words I have ever spoken.
As the picture predicted, these are most definitely fudgy, and made only with cocoa, which my wallet thanks (see above mentioning of bills), and of course brown butter and walnuts. Perfect as they are, I do think it would be fun to mix the nuts up a bit, perhaps peanuts for a more chocolate peanut (butter-ish) version, or hazelnuts for a nutella-ish take. Even without nuts, these would still be fantastic.
I am thinking about adding a category in the Recipe Index for brown butter — or am I the only one who gets ants in her pants excited about brown butter?
Brown Butter Previously: Ricotta Gnocchi with Brown Butter and Sage Sauce, Salted Brown Butter Crispy Treats, Brown Sugar Pound Cake with Brown Butter Glaze, Brown Butter Vanilla Bean Buns with Cream Cheese Glaze, Arugula and Goat Cheese Ravioli, Naked Ravioli
One Year Ago: Funfetti Cake, which will make you declare all other cakes too serious
Brown Butter Cocoa Brownies with Walnuts
From Bon Appetit, February 2011
Makes 16 brownies
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, chilled
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1 cup walnut pieces
Position rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 325-degrees. Line a 8x8x2-inch metal baking pan with foil, pressing foil firmly against pan sides and leaving 2-inch overhang. Coat foil with nonstick spray.
Melt butter in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Continue cooking until butter stops foaming and browned bits form at the bottom of the pan, swirling the pan often, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; immediately add sugar, cocoa, 2 teaspoons water, vanilla, and 1/4 teaspoon (generous) salt. Stir to blend. Let cool 5 minutes (mixture will still be hot). Add eggs to hot mixtures, 1 at a time, beating vigorously to blend after each addition. When mixture looks thick and shiny, add flour and stir until blended. Beat vigorously 60 strokes. Stir in nuts. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
Bake brownies until toothpick inserted into center comes out almost clean (with a few moist crumbs attached), about 25 minutes. Cool in pan on rack. Using foil overhang, lift brownies from pan. cut into 4 strips. Cut each strip crosswise into 4 brownies.
Do ahead: brownies can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.
Conversions & Equivalents
Volume | Baking | Metric | Pan Size | Temperature | Oven | Other
1/2 teaspoon
=
30 drops
1 teaspoon
=
1/3 tablespoon OR 60 drops
3 teaspoon
=
1 tablespoon or 1/2 fluid ounce
1/2 tablespoon
=
1 1/2 teaspoons
1 tablespoon
=
3 teaspoons or 1/2 fluid ounce
2 tablespoons
=
1/8 cup or 1 fluid ounce
3 tablespoons
=
1 1/2 fluid ounces
4 tablespoons
=
1 1/4 cup or 2 fluid ounces
5 1/3 tablespoons
=
1/3 cup or 5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon
8 tablespoons
=
1/2 cup or 4 fluid ounces
10 2/3 tablespoons
=
2/3 cup or 10 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons
12 tablespoons
=
3/4 cup or 6 fluid ounces
16 tablespoons
=
1 cup or 8 fluid ounces or 1/2 pint
1/8 cup
=
2 tablespoons or 1 fluid ounce
1/4 cup
=
4 tablespoons or 2 fluid ounces
1/3 cup
=
5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon
3/8 cup
=
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons
1/2 cup
=
8 tablespoons or 4 fluid ounces
2/3 cup
=
10 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons
5/8 cup
=
1/2 cup + 2 teaspoons
3/4 cup
=
12 tablespoons or 6 fluid ounces
7/8 cup
=
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons
1 cup
=
16 tablespoons or 1/2 pint or 8 fluid ounces
2 cups
=
1 pint or 16 fluid ounces
1 pint
=
2 cups or 16 fluid ounces
1 quart
=
2 pints or 4 cups or 32 fluid ounces
1 gallon
=
4 quarts or 8 pints or 16 cups or 128 fluid ounces
FLOUR
1 cup all-purpose flour
=
5 ounces or 142 grams
1 cup cake flour
=
4 ounces or 113 grams
1 cup whole wheat flour
=
5 1/2 ounces or 156 grams
SUGAR
1 cup granulated white sugar
=
7 ounces or 198 grams
1 cup packed brown sugar
=
7 ounces or 198 grams
1 cup confectioners sugar
=
4 ounces or 113 grams
COCOA POWDER
1 cup cocoa powder
=
3 ounces or 85 grams
BUTTER
4 tablespoons
=
1/2 stick or 1/4 cup or 2 ounces
8 tablespoons
=
1 stick or 1/2 cup or 4 ounces
16 tablespoons
=
2 sticks or 1 cup or 8 ounces
32 tablespoons
=
4 sticks or 2 cups or 1 pound
1/4 teaspoon
=
1.23 milliliters
1/2 teaspoon
=
2.46 milliliters
3/4 teaspoon
=
3.7 milliliters
1 teaspoon
=
4.93 milliliters
1 1/4 teaspoon
=
6.16 milliliters
1 1/2 teaspoon
=
7.39 milliliters
1 3/4 teaspoon
=
8.63 milliliters
2 teaspoon
=
9.86 milliliters
1 tablespoon
=
14.79 milliliters
2 tablespoons
=
29.57 milliliters
1/4 cup
=
59.15 milliliters
1/2 cup
=
118.3 milliliters
1 cup
=
236.59 milliliters
2 cups or 1 pint
=
473.18 milliliters
3 cups
=
709.77 milliliters
4 cups or 1 quart
=
946.36 milliliters
1/4 teaspoon
=
1.23 milliliters
4 quarts or 1 gallon
=
3.785 liters
PAN SIZE
VOLUME
CAN SUBSTITUTE WITH
1 8-inch round cake pan
4 cups
1 8x4-inch loaf pan
1 9-inch round cake pan
1 9-inch pie plate
2 8-inch round cake pans
8 cups
2 8x4-inch loaf pans
1 9-inch tube pan
2 9-inch round cake pans
1 10-inch bundt pan
1 11x7-inch baking dish
1 10-inch springform pan
1 9-inch round cake pan
6 cups
1 8-inch round cake pan
1 8x4-inch loaf pan
1 11x7-inch baking dish
2 9-inch round cake pans
12 cups
2 8x4-inch loaf pans
1 9-inch tube pan
2 8-inch round cake pans
1 10-inch bundt pan
2 11x7-inch baking dish
1 10-inch springform pan
1 10-inch round cake pan
11 cups
2 8-inch round cake pan
1 9-inch tube pan
1 10-inch springform pan
2 10-inch round cake pans
22 cups
5 8-inch round cake pans
3 or 4 9-inch round cake pans
2 10-inch spring form pan
9-inch tube pan
12 cups
2 8-inch round cake pans
2 9-inch round cake pans
1 10-inch bundt pan
10-inch tube pans
16 cups
3 9-inch round cake pans
2 10-inch pie plates
4 8-inch pie plates
2 9x5-inch loaf pans
2 8-inch square baking dishes
2 9-inch square baking dishes
10-inch bundt pan
12 cups
1 9x13-inch baking dish
2 9-inch round cake pans
1 9-inch tube pan
2 11x7-inch baking dishes
1 10-inch springform pan
11x7x2-inch baking dish
6 cups
1 8-inch square baking dish
1 9-inch square baking dish
1 9-inch round cake pan
9x13x2-inch baking dish
15 cups
1 10-inch bundt pan
2 9-inch round cake pans
3 8-inch round cake pans
1 10x15-inch jellyroll pan
10x15x1-inch jellyroll pan
15 cups
1 10-inch bundt pan
2 9-inch round cake pans
2 8-inch round cake pan
1 9x13-inch baking dish
9x5-inch loaf pan
8 cups
1 10-inch pie plate pan
1 8-inch square baking dish
1 9-inch square baking dish
8x4-inch loaf pan
6 cups
1 8-inch round cake pan
1 11x7-inch baking dish
9-inch springform pan
10 cups
1 10-inch round cake pan
1 10-inch spring form pan
2 8-inch round cake pans
2 9-inch round cake pans
10-inch springform pan
12 cups
2 8x4-inch loaf pan
1 9-inch tube pan
2 9-inch round cake pans
1 10-inch bundt pan
2 11x7-inch baking dishes
2 8-inch round cake pans
8-inch square baking dish
8 cups
1 9x5-inch loaf pan
2 8-inch pie plates
9-inch square baking dish
8 cups
1 11x7-inch baking dish
1 9x5-inch loaf pan
2 8-inch pie plate
Water Freezes
32°F
0°C
40°F
4.4°C
50°F
10°C
60°F
15.6°C
70°F
21.1°C
80°F
26.7°C
90°F
32.2°C
100°F
37.8°C
110°F
43.3°C
120°F
48.9°C
130°F
54.4°C
140°F
60°C
150°F
65.6°C
160°F
71.1°C
170°F
76.7°C
180°F
82.2°C
190°F
87.8°C
200°F
93.3°C
Water Boils
212°F
100°C
250°F
121°C
300°F
149°C
350°F
177°C
400°F
205°C
450°F
233°C
500°F
260°C
275°F
=
140°C or Gas Mark 1
300°F
=
150°C or Gas Mark 2
325°F
=
165°C or Gas Mark 3
350°F
=
180°C or Gas Mark 4
375°F
=
190°C or Gas Mark 5
400°F
=
200°C or Gas Mark 6
425°F
=
220°C or Gas Mark 7
450°F
=
230°C or Gas Mark 9
475°F
=
240°C or Gas Mark 10
And for conversions that are not listed I found a great conversion calculator here!
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The Good Kind of Comments:
- Conversational. If you're starting or continuing a conversation about your life, your experiences in the kitchen, or stories about your family, then I love and welcome your comments. The ability to genuinely connect with other people with similar interests whom I may never otherwise meet is one of the things I most love about the food blogging community, and I encourage people to participate as much as they'd like in these sometimes spontaneous conversations.
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Good for you for holding it in that long… when I get food on the brain it’s really, really hard to get my attention back to the task at hand. These look amazing!
You crack me up with your brown butter lust! :) But seriously, these brownies do look pretty awesome!
I just adore fudgy brownies. Aside from being absolutely delicious, could you tell a difference in the brownies with the brown butter?
I’ve never tried brown butter! I know, totally unacceptable. This looks like a gorgeous place to start though, and I love the sound of the arugala & goat’s cheese raviolis aswell…
Stephanie – yes, there is a subtle nutty undertone to the brownies that is very obviously not walnut. That being said, my husband does like to joke that I have “trained” my palette to pick up hints/notes/anything that may/might/could possibly be perceived as brown butter…
I don’t even know what brown butter is. How is it different? these brownies are making my mouth water though. good job on making me hungry !!
theveggie – Brown butter is butter that has been melted and cooked until brown and gives off a divine nutty aroma. As far as taste goes, I would say it tastes like heaven, but, that’s just me…
Love the pictures, I have not tried with brown butter, but you are converting me!
And I know the advertisements right below your blog might come randomly, but somehow everytime there is a good chocolate something recipe, a weight loss ad is coming up. I think the universe is sending me a message! I’ll just not listen as usual :)
I just thought about eating those all at once, because I inevitably would, and then I’d get a stomach ache and feel dumb for eating all of them at once, but upon reflection, I’d be cool with it, just because that’s how I roll. And I also say things like ‘that’s how I roll’ on comment boards, apparently. I love learning new things about myself.
These look so fudgy and good! Absolutely beautiful. Thanks for sharing!