Homemade Brownie Brittle
Whew, is it just me or has this been an exceptionally hectic summer so far?!! Between hockey excursions, college pickups and dropoffs, unexpected work projects and stubborn summer colds that just don't want to go away, here we are with only 2 weeks left of summer (and yes, I know officially it's not over till late September but everyone really knows that after Labor Day it's kaput) Yikes! Thus, I am determined to make these last few days as lazy, sloth like and summery as possible in order to recharge for the coming months. That's where this Homemade Brownie Brittle comes in. It's easy, indulgent and perfect for taking to the beach, on a picnic, to the amusement park, the movies or binge-episode watching that TV show you just never got around to last season! Let's make the most of what's left of the summer, people!!
The three big C's are all at work here--chewy, crispy and chocolate-y--and that's what makes this "brittle" such a battle to resist! I'm sure you've seen it sold by the bagful in stores but this homemade version is so overwhelmingly better that once you've tried it, you'll never be able to go back.
Look at all that chocolate deliciousness!!
Bake up a batch and hang on to summer for as long as you can!!
Homemade Brownie Brittle
Makes a nice big batch
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Bake Time: 24-25 minutes
Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 2 ounce bittersweet chocolate
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 large egg whites
- About 3 ounces finely chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
The Recipe
1. Preheat oven to 325ºF. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and spray the parchment lightly with nonstick spray. Set aside.
2. Place the 2ounces bittersweet chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl and heat on high for 2-3 minutes, stopping and stirring every 45 seconds or so until fully melted and smooth. Stir in the sugar, espresso powder and vanilla. In a small separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.
3. Use an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or just a regular handheld version) to beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until frothy, 3-4 minutes. Scrape in the chocolate mixture and beat just until combined. Lower the speed to low, add the flour and beat only until combined, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula to make sure all the flour gets evenly incorporated.
4. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to spread the batter in as thin a layer as possible in the pan. Sprinkle the chopped chocolate evenly all across the top and bake for 24-25 minutes, until the top is slightly cracked and crisp. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool completely. When cool, break up the cake into small pieces. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days.
Enjoy!
Note: Recipe adapted from The Sprinkles Baking Book by Candace Nelson.
