3/17/15

Dark, Fudgy Muscovado Brownies

Soooo, while I continue to plan/navigate/avoid the next phase of my life, I’ve been doing a bit of baking.

Therefore, I was really happy to be sent a copy of Real Sweet by Shauna Sever a couple of weeks ago. (Shauna recently happened upon one of our videos. I think it was the "Use a Spoon!" one? Point being, she liked what she saw and offered up a copy of her book. Thank you, Shauna!) 48 hours after opening it, which is basically record timing in this post-Teddy era, I was making these brownies.
I really loved having a pan of them on our kitchen countertop for three days. They were the perfect mix of chocolate and sweet, which for me equates to very chocolatey and not that sweet. I’d cut myself a little rectangular piece in the late afternoon and then another one after dinner. 

Matt didn’t love this routine. After work, he’d lift the foil from the pan with an outraged, “C’mon, dude!” as if he’d had an exact mental image of the way the brownies looked before he left for work in the morning. But I'm pretty certain that each night, his after-dinner mega-portion trumped the sum of my two modest portions. (Modest brownie portion = kidding myself?)

Either way, hang in there, Matt! I’m definitely going to be making these again.

Completely unrelated: I was one of the few people who wasn't crazy about Tiny Beautiful Things, but I'm totally into the Dear Sugar podcast, particularly episodes 2 and 5. Anyone want to talk about it with me?
Dark, Fudgy Muscovado Brownies slightly adapted from Real Sweet

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate (60 to 70% cacao), chopped
3 tablespoons unsweetened natural cocoa powder
3/4 cup firmly packed dark muscovado sugar
3 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 large eggs, cold
1/2 cup whole wheat flour, spooned and leveled (The recipe called for whole wheat pastry flour, but regular whole wheat worked fine for me!)

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350F. Line an 8x8-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a few inches of overhang on two sides. Lightly grease the pan with nonstick cooking spray or butter.

In a large heatproof bowl, melt the butter and chocolate together in the microwave with 60-second bursts of high power, stirring well after each interval until smooth. Whisk in the cocoa powder. Whisk in the sugar, honey, vanilla extract, and salt until well blended (a few small lumps of sugar may remain--that's just the rough charm of dark muscovado!). Whisk in the eggs one at a time. Switch from a whisk to a spatula and add the flour, stirring gently just until no traces of flour remain. Set the batter aside to rest for 10 minutes. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. 

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean, with a smudge of chocolate at the end, and the brownie slab has just begun to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 30 minutes. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Refrigerate for up to five days. (Or leave them on your countertop like I did for three?)

20 comments:

Matthew said...

When, exactly, are we making these again and can we double the recipe when we do?

Unknown said...

Dang these look good! What didn't you like about Tiny Beautiful Things?

Lydia said...

I made a pan of brownies this week that promised to be The Ones (fudgy and mildly sweet). It just goes to show that "not too sweet" isn't the same for everyone. I have lackadaisically chipped away at them...my teeth slowly dissolving. (So rough).

All to say - these proportions look way better! Round two.

Amelia Morris said...

Hi Ileana! It was probably the timing--like, I don't know if I wanted to hear most of her advice (or anybody's advice?) at that time period in my life when I was reading it. I just remember that it felt very cloying and over the top.

Dani Elis said...

Yum. I want brownies... now.

I was going to make a batch of brownies last night until I missed my train home from work and had to wait half an hour then the idea of brownies was even more tempting but a hot shower, trackies and bed ended up being more tempting. I now regret my decision not to make them as I could be eating them right now while reading this and drinking my morning coffee...

Mary Anne said...

I am totally you in our household, Matt. I yelled "C'mon dude!" to Adam just the other day when I realized he'd eaten at least 75% of the Rice Krispie Treats I made.

Samantha Blau said...

I'm totally up for some "Dear Sugar" chats. You could run it like a book club, posting questions after each podcast and opening it up for discussion.

Brands family blog said...

How funny, you're right. I do have to enter my comment twice? Just a quick message to say thanks again for a little inspiration. Made the brownies this evening and they're cooling right now. My house smells lovely. Can't wait to sneak a little piece in my daughters' school lunches tomorrow. They'll be stoked!

Matthew said...

I knew you'd get me, mare.

Bellbird said...

I made these tonight and they are delicious. Also I'm reading your book right now and am really enjoying it!

Unknown said...

Looks so delicious!

Beijinhos

food&emotions
http://fefoodemotions.blogspot.pt

Marisa said...

These look so good. Last night at 8:45 I seriously considered spending the next hour making brownies, but didn't and settled for ice cream.

Amelia Morris said...

Oh man. Fingers crossed. :)

Amelia Morris said...

aghhhh sorry! Blogger is so annoying--re: comments.

That said, I love that you made these right away and that you're gonna sneak some in your daughter's lunch! So sweet.

Amelia Morris said...

Double glad. Thank you for reading!!

Amelia Morris said...

I doubt I could be so organized... but maybe?? :)

Unknown said...

Too much Sugar? (Ha, couldn't help myself). Anyway, got me thinking, would you do a post with your book recommendations? I'd read that!

p.s. Like Matt, I find myself yelling out 'C'MON DUDE' when my husband eats the last of the pita chips.

sara said...

I want to make these tomorrow WHILE listening to the Dear Sugar podcast (which has totally been on my list since the first time you mentioned it!)

Amanda said...

I love hearing Cheryl Strayed's thoughts about life...and am having a hard time with Steve Almond's voice! I can get behind the content of what he's saying, but he presents it in such a breathless/"buckle up for this truth bomb" manner that I'm not quick to embrace. I keep trying to push through but not sure I can. Brownies, though - looking A+!!

Kara said...

In peak Kara timing I am ready to make these brownies and want to talk about Dear Sugar with you. I ADORE Steve Almond but am dying about Amanda’s point above, so so true. Anywaaaay, Happy three years later! (Also: I feel like I interact with the same three people online and I am FINE with that. After all, what is the internet these days but a loop of the same old garbage?? #cheerfulthoughts)