If you have kids in your life, or if there is a kid inside you, then brownies may likely be a part of your life. When I first came to the United States, I was a graduate assistant in the Education Department of my university. My boss Carl was an excellent baker. Every Monday, he’d walk into the office with a freshly baked batch of something decadent. Cake one week, cookies another week, scones the following, and my favorite: chocolate brownies once a month.
His chocolate brownies were to DIE for! They were crusty on the outside, and gooey and soft on the inside. They were not too sweet but were just sweet enough to satisfy without the cloying feel of sugar. Carl knew my special love for these brownies, and he would smilingly slip a couple of leftovers into a paper bag, so I could take them home at the end of the day. And boy, savor them I did. I ate them slowly, allowing the flavors and textures to fill me up.
I think it was at that time I realized that one doesn’t need to gorge on desserts to feel sated. Eating foods slowly, mindfully and savoring the smells, the look, the textures all contribute to immense satiety, sans guilt. If you are curious, check out my blog on Mindful Eating during Festival Season and beyond.
Easy Chocolate Brownies
Ingredients for Easy Chocolate Brownies (From Scratch)
Ever since I graduated from university, I’ve been looking for brownies similar to Carl’s. Store bought ones doesn’t measure up at all. For one, they are overly sugary. For another, the ingredient list is enough to make one keel over in horror.
Next, I tried making chocolate brownies from out of a box. Yuck! Nothing can be more off-putting then reading the unpronounceable ingredient list. You may think of me as a drama queen, but I urge you to please look at the ingredient list while purchasing packaged goods. Or for that matter, even the so-called “freshly baked” chocolate brownies in chain store bakeries are filled with preservatives and loads of sugar.
That was when I decided to try and make my own brownies. I checked out several recipes and found a couple whose ingredients closely resembled what Carl may have used. With a couple of tweaks that come with instinct and cooking experience, I was able to make these PERFECT chocolate brownies using simple and healthy ingredients. These easy-to-make Chocolate Brownies are gooey on the inside and crusty on the outside. Little and not-so-little ones will love them!!
Easy Chocolate Brownies (From Scratch)
Decadent Desserts
If you love easy-to-make, minimal ingredient desserts, may I suggest a few…
- Chia Seed Pudding
- Mango Rasayana
- Hesarubele (Split Mung) Payasa/Kheer
- Sweet Pongal (Huggi)
- Gasagase Payasa (Poppy Seed Kheer)
- Date Almond Boats
- Creamy Instant Pot Carrot (Gajar) Halwa
- Akki-Haalu Payasa (Rice Kheer)
- Vegan Walnut Goji Berry Fudge
- Zucchini Banana Bread
- Avocado Chocolate Mousse
Store bought desserts are riddled with a dizzying array of chemicals, artificial ingredients and preservatives. These kinds of unnatural products that are lab produced may cause ill-effects in the long term. With just a few pantry items, you can avoid such health risks. These brownies have high quality protein in the nuts and eggs. Dark chocolate is rich in flavanols and antioxidants that lower the risk of heart disease. As always, eat desserts in moderation.
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Easy Chocolate Brownies (From Scratch)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup Dark Chocolate - 72% Dark Cacao Chunks/Chips
- 1/2 Cup Butter - Unsalted (1 Stick)
- 2 Eggs - Large
- 2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1/3 Cup Sugar
- 1/3 Cup Flour - Unbleached
- 1/8 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Cacao Nibs - To sprinkle on top
- 1/8 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper - Or to taste
- 1 Tablespoon Walnuts - Substitute with Sunflower and Pumpkin Seeds for allergies
- 1 Tablespoon Pecans - Substitute with Sunflower and Pumpkin Seeds for allergies
Instructions
- Use a double boiler or the Instant Pot (this is my choice). Add water to the Instant Pot and add a couple of inches of water. Place a thick-bottom pan in the IP. Add butter and chocolate chunks. Set IP to 'Sauté' mode.
- Stir the butter/chocolate combo until they melt with no lumps. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Preheat oven to 325 F. In a large bowl add eggs and vanilla.
- Whisk thoroughly.
- Slowly add melted butter/chocolate mix to eggs/vanilla, whisking continuously.
- Add sugar and whisk thoroughly once more.
- Add flour, salt and cayenne to mix. Whisk until everything is well combined (no lumps).
- Add walnuts and mix well with a ladle.
- Pour the brownie mix into a greased 8x8 square pan. I use parchment paper to make removal easy. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup cacao nibs.
- Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Do not over bake. When looking at the top of the brownies, they should be firm but soft. the edges of the pan will be more baked than the center. You can insert a toothpick to test if the brownies are done. The dough should not stick to the toothpick.
- Let brownies cool before cutting into squares (if you can resist for that long!).
