• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Of Muses and Meringues

  • Home
  • Recipe Index
    • Appetizers
    • Bars and Squares
    • Bread
    • Breakfast
    • Brownies and Blondies
    • Cakes and Cupcakes
    • Candy
    • Cookies
    • Easy Entrees
    • Fruit Desserts
    • Lemon and Lime Desserts
    • Miscellaneous Desserts
    • Muffins
    • Pies
    • Salads and Side Dishes
    • Soup
    • Recipes Inspired by Musicals
  • Travel Index
  • Poetry Index
  • Writing Links
  • About My Books
  • About Me

February 27, 2011

The Convert

Have you ever noticed how recent converts are often the most enthusiastic?  For example, my friends and I like to talk about the kindle and other e-readers, and what it means for the future of the book.  The people who have just bought an e-reader are the ones whose eyes shine the brightest when they talk about it. 
That’s how I am with browned butter.  Having just discovered this technique a couple of weeks ago, I feel like my life has been forevermore enhanced.  It’s hard to describe the nutty undertone that browning butter brings to a recipe.  Remember how magical it was the first time you watched a 3D movie?  How you felt that if you extended your arm, you could touch everything that you were seeing?  That’s what browned butter will do to your recipes.
I’ve been scouring my books for recipes that use melted butter, knowing that this method will bring them to an unimagined level of perfection.  So what an amazing coincidence it was when I saw the February Bon Appetit cover promising the “Best-Ever Brownies”.  And when I flipped open the magazine to read the recipe, it featured browned butter.
These brownies, developed by the amazing Alice Medrich, were truly wonderful.  And although I didn’t eat the entire tray, as the subtitle promised I would, I was very grateful that my hungry friends and family kept me from doing so.
The original recipe calls for walnuts.  My kids don’t love most nuts, so I substituted an equal amount of chocolate chips. Next time (and there will be a next time) I’ll try toffee bits instead.  I think they’d set off the browned butter perfectly.
Cocoa Brownies with Browned Butter
(adapted from the February 2011 issue of Bon Appetit)
  
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup cocoa
2 tsp water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs, chilled
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup chocolate chips, toffee bits or walnut pieces
Preheat oven to 325°F. Line 8x8x2-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang.
Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking until butter stops foaming and browned bits form at bottom of pan, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; immediately add sugar, cocoa, water, vanilla, and salt. Stir to blend. Let cool five minutes (mixture will still be hot). Add eggs to hot mixture one at a time, beating vigorously to blend after each addition. When the mixture looks thick and shiny, add flour and stir until blended. Beat vigorously 60 strokes. Stir in your choice of chocolate chips, toffee bits or walnuts. 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 completely in pan, about four hours. When cool, use the parchment paper to lift brownies out of the pan. Cut into sixteen brownies.  Try to share them.

Filed Under: Brownies and Blondies

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Ruth says

    February 27, 2011 at 1:25 pm

    Although I don't like 3D movies and am pretty sure I will never buy an e-Reader, I am definitely going to try the recipe for Blondies that you posted with your original "browned butter" post!

    Reply
  2. Brenda says

    February 27, 2011 at 1:56 pm

    I'm one of those e-reader enthusiasts, lol. I've had it since October, but I still gush over it (guilty as charged). I saw these same brownies on another blog and they were raved about also. I have to try these and I would definitely be putting chocolate chips (or toffee bits) in instead of nuts. I'm not a fan of nuts in brownies. You've convinced me to try these, thanks!

    Reply
  3. Belinda says

    February 27, 2011 at 2:03 pm

    You're so right…OK…maybe I need to get on this….

    Reply
  4. laxsupermom says

    February 27, 2011 at 2:06 pm

    Yum! Love that nutty complexity that browned butter adds! Can't wait to try my own (gf) version of these. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  5. Joanne says

    February 27, 2011 at 2:28 pm

    I have heard SUCH good things about these brownies and I really need to make them soon! Browned butter does beautiful things to baked goods, so true!

    Reply
  6. Jess says

    February 27, 2011 at 2:30 pm

    Yummmmmm…those brownies look SO good! And I love the way you presented this post~ it got me giddy about browned butter too 🙂

    Reply
  7. Jennifurla says

    February 27, 2011 at 2:52 pm

    Delish….I have yet to see a 3D movie!

    Reply
  8. Velva says

    February 27, 2011 at 3:07 pm

    These brownies were the best ever! I threw away my brownie recipe and replaced it with this one too. I loved them. You are right, the browned butter added a nutty depth that was amazing.

    Velva

    Reply
  9. Katerina says

    February 27, 2011 at 4:02 pm

    I've learned the browned butter technique only recently and I want to try it because it sounds really intriguing. These brownies are the perfect opportunity to do so!

    Reply
  10. The Words Crafter says

    February 27, 2011 at 4:26 pm

    MMmmmmm, this sounds delicious!!!!

    Reply
  11. Heather says

    February 27, 2011 at 5:48 pm

    These look delicious. I'm afraid that when it comes to brownies, I take the easy route…Ghiradelli brownie mix. I could never get homemade brownies to taste as good as Ghiradelli ones, so I am anxious to try this recipe. Thanks for sharing. Also looking forward to brown butter!

    Reply
  12. comfortablydomestic.com says

    February 27, 2011 at 7:33 pm

    Your brownies have the most beautiful, shiny crust! I was turned onto browned butter in baked goods awhile back when I forgot I was melting butter on the stove, and it browned. Hooray for happy accidents!

    Reply
  13. Janet Johnson says

    February 27, 2011 at 8:06 pm

    Wishing I had toffee bits since I'm alergic to Walnuts, but I think I'll be making this recipe later today.

    Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
  14. Barbara Kloss says

    February 27, 2011 at 8:24 pm

    What a great idea! I simply LOVE brown butter.

    Reply
  15. theresalwaysthyme says

    February 27, 2011 at 9:48 pm

    I saw that recipe in Bon Appetit and folded the page! Yours look fantastic, I definitely have to try this recipe.

    Reply
  16. Valerie says

    February 27, 2011 at 10:25 pm

    Be careful Beth, next thing you know you'll start having dreams about brown butter waterfalls flowing into caramel rivers. 😀

    I love Alice Medrich (even her name makes me hungry for desserts). These brownies look spectacular! Congrats on not eating the entire pan.

    Reply
  17. Sue says

    February 27, 2011 at 10:33 pm

    I've only made one (cookie) recipe using browned butter and I must admit, they were amazing! I'm sure these brownies are no exception.

    Reply
  18. Sue says

    February 27, 2011 at 10:40 pm

    P.S. I visited your website, and all of your books sound great. Just reading the synopsis of "The Next Step" almost made me cry.

    Reply
  19. Chow and Chatter says

    February 27, 2011 at 11:10 pm

    wow sounds like a good technique will any of your children's books be on ipad?

    rebecca

    Reply
  20. Medeia Sharif says

    February 28, 2011 at 12:44 am

    Hmmm, can you come bake for me, pretty please. 🙂

    Reply
  21. Angela Felsted says

    February 28, 2011 at 12:59 am

    Man, your blog makes me hungry! I wonder if it's like flan, where you cook the sugar until it's almost burned and that's what makes the topping so good.

    Reply
  22. LDH says

    February 28, 2011 at 1:35 am

    I just might have trouble refraining from eating too many of these brownies too. They look and sound heavenly! I feel a conversion coming on! 🙂

    Reply
  23. Barbara says

    February 28, 2011 at 2:29 am

    So true, Beth. I've been trying browned butter here and there and what a difference! Am about to try it for my grandkids in rice krispy treats. Smitten Kitchen raved about it in that recipe.

    It looks like a winner in your brownie recipe as well. (Love the double chocolate in these too!)

    Reply
  24. Chiara "Kika" Assi says

    February 28, 2011 at 11:27 am

    Brownies with browned butter? Yum. Sounds delicious.

    Reply
  25. Beth says

    February 28, 2011 at 1:52 pm

    Sue, thank you for your kind comment about my books. Writing "The Next Step" was really hard, because I was always in the mind of a child who had suffered a big loss. It's not a coincidence that the next book I wrote was a comedy.

    Rebecca, my latest book ("The Witch of Bloor Street") is available on e-reader. I don't know if they're going to do my back titles too. I must admit that I'm curious to see what my books would look like in e-book format!

    Reply
  26. Jen Chandler says

    February 28, 2011 at 3:35 pm

    Oh yum! This sounds fabulous. Just the words "browned butter" has my mouth watering!
    Thanks for sharing this recipe!!

    Happy Monday,
    Jen

    Reply
  27. Angie's Recipes says

    February 28, 2011 at 8:04 pm

    Who wouldn't love this! Browned butter brownies…writing it has already made my mouth water….irresistible!

    Reply
  28. Raina says

    March 1, 2011 at 12:46 am

    I just recently discovered how delicious baking with brown butter is too. Although, I burnt the butter on the first attempt..lol But I agree it really brings out a prominent nutty, buttery flavor. These brownies must be great. Thanks for sharing them:)

    Reply
  29. Reeni says

    March 1, 2011 at 2:32 am

    Browned butter is indeed magical! I never tried it in brownies! Sounds heavenly.

    Reply
  30. Zoe says

    March 1, 2011 at 2:38 am

    Burnt butter is my favorite too. Got to try this with brownies…

    Reply
  31. shaz says

    March 1, 2011 at 6:15 am

    Ahh, the joys of browned butter. I really need to get me an Alice Medrich book, I love all the recipes of hers that I've seen around the blogosphere. Hmmm, now I'm craving brownies 🙂

    Reply
  32. 5 Star Foodie says

    March 1, 2011 at 2:14 pm

    The brownies sound so good made with brown butter, yum!

    Reply
  33. Kristen says

    March 1, 2011 at 3:59 pm

    As one convert to another, let me just say Yeah for Browned Butter!! I use it in cookies and savory sauces. Brownies are definitely next.

    Reply
  34. TerryLynnJohnson says

    March 2, 2011 at 1:24 am

    ha ha! love this comparison! clever. and sounds delicious!

    Reply
  35. tenaciouslyyours.com says

    March 2, 2011 at 2:51 am

    I am most definitely familiar with the food rut and with needing friends and family to save me from myself when I'm confronted with something particularly delicious 🙂

    Reply
  36. Jeanne says

    March 2, 2011 at 6:38 am

    I recently discovered brown butter as well. Isn't it fun to discover a new flavor? 🙂 Guess I'll have to make these brownies now!

    Reply
  37. Amie Kaufman says

    March 3, 2011 at 3:05 am

    Oh gah, yum, hurry up kitchen renovation!

    I'm still a little unsure that I won't just end up with 'burned butter', but I'm prepared to give it a shot. Hurry up stove delivery man!

    Reply
  38. Diana's Cocina says

    March 5, 2011 at 4:38 am

    My husband adores brownies ~ These sound incredible!

    Reply
  39. Christine Tyler says

    March 9, 2011 at 11:27 pm

    Nice! I'll have to try this!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Connect Online

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • Welcome
  • Categories
  • Archives
Welcome to Of Muses and Meringues. Thanks for stopping by! I am Beth! Writer, traveller, baker, mother.
Categories
Archives

Copyright © 2019 · Of Muses and Meringues · designed by blogger boutique · Genesis Framework