Milk Chocolate Malted Brownies with Chocolate Ganache
- 1 1/4 cups (160 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (70 g) malted milk powder
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 ounces (170 g) milk chocolate (40 to 60% cacao), coarsely chopped
- 4 ounces (115 g) dark chocolate (60 to 72% cacao), coarsely chopped
- 6 ounces (11/2 sticks/170 g) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) cubes, plus more for the pan
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (110 g) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 5 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 6 ounces (170 g) dark chocolate (60 to 72% cacao), coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
- 3 to 4 cups (340 to 450 g) confectioners' sugar, sifted
- 2 large egg whites
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- Blue, yellow, red, and black food dyes or gels (optional)
- MAKE THE BROWNIES
- 1 Preheat the oven to 350F (175C) and position a rack in the center.
- Butter the sides and bottom of a glass or light-colored metal 9-by-13-inch (23-by-33-cm) pan.
- Line the bottom with a sheet of parchment paper so that it overhangs about 1 inch (5 cm) on the long sides of the pan, and butter the parchment.
- 2 In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, malted milk powder, cocoa, and salt.
- 3 Place both chocolates and the butter in a large heatproof bowl and set it over a saucepan of simmering water (double-boiler method, see this page), stirring occasionally, until the chocolate and butter are completely melted, smooth, "and combined.
- Turn off the heat, but keep the bowl over the water and add both sugars.
- Whisk until completely combined, then remove the bowl from the pan.
- The mixture should be at room temperature.
- 4 Add 3 eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk until combined.
- Add the remaining 2 eggs and whisk until combined.
- Add the vanilla and whisk until combined.
- Do not overbeat the batter at this stage or your brownies will be cakey.
- 5 Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate mixture.
- Using a spatula, fold the flour mixture into the chocolate until just a bit of the flour mixture is visible.
- 6 Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Bake, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs sticking to it, about 30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, place the pan on a cooling rack, and let the brownies cool completely.
- MAKE THE CHOCOLATE GANACHE
- 1 Place the chopped chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl.
- Place the cream in a saucepan over medium heat and heat just until bubbles form around the edge of the pan.
- Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and let sit for 1 minute.
- Whisk until smooth.
- Pour the warm chocolate ganache over the cooled brownies in the pan and use an offset spatula to spread it into an even layer.
- Allow the ganache to sit for about 10 minutes, then refrigerate for another 15 minutes to set completely.
- 2 Using a small paring knife, release the brownies from the sides of the pan and pull straight up on the parchment to remove them from the pan, then place the brownies onto a cutting board and remove the parchment.
- Place the brownies in the freezer for 30 minutes (this will make them easier to cut).
- Run a chef's knife under hot water, wipe dry, and cut the brownies into 36 to 48 bite-size pieces (or smaller--these brownies are rich).
- MAKE THE ROYAL ICING
- 1 In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 cups (340 g) confectioners' sugar, the egg whites, and lemon juice until the mixture is completely smooth.
- The mixture should have the texture of a thick glaze.
- If it is too thin, add more powdered sugar, a few tablespoons at a time, "until it is thick enough to hold its shape when piped.
- Divide the icing into four bowls.
- Royal icing will begin to harden when exposed to air.
- If you are not using a particular color, make sure to cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or place the icing in a pastry bag and cover the tip.
- 2 Leave one bowl white for skulls and ghosts.
- In another bowl, create a black icing (about 8 drops of black gel or 2 drops each of blue, yellow, and red dye) for outlines and eyes.
- In the other two bowls, we recommend mixing orange for pumpkins and green for embellishments (green eyes are spooky).
- Put each color in its own pastry bag fitted with the smallest tip.
- (Pastry bags provide more control, but, if needed, you can fill four zip-tight plastic bags and cut a small corner from the bottom of each.)
- In essence, you want to pipe and fill all of your base layers first, then go back and add your final embellishments.
- (It is more difficult to decorate each brownie from start to finish.)
- 3 For skulls and ghosts: Pipe on the shapes of skulls or ghosts in: Pipe on the shapes of skulls or ghosts in white and allow them to harden for a few minutes (see photo 1).
- Then fill them in completely (see photo 2).
- Gently pipe final embellishments (eyes, mouths, etc.)
- directly on top of the white icing with any other color you like.
- 4 For pumpkins: Pipe on the shape of the pumpkins (not the stem) in orange and allow to harden for a few minutes, then fill them in completely.
- Gently pipe on the stem in green.
- 5 Allow the icing to harden completely before serving.
- HOW TO STORE
- The brownies will keep, tightly covered with plastic wrap, at room temperature for up to 4 days.
flour, milk powder, cocoa, kosher salt, milk chocolate, chocolate, unsalted butter, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, chocolate, heavy cream, sugar, egg whites, lemon juice, gels
Taken from www.cookstr.com/recipes/milk-chocolate-malted-brownies-with-chocolate-ganache (may not work)