Effortless Mini Brownie Bites (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
01 -
28g (¼ cup) instant espresso powder
02 -
120g (1 cup) plain flour
03 -
127g (4.5 oz) dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
04 -
142g (⅔ cup) packed light brown sugar
05 -
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
06 -
½ teaspoon fine salt
07 -
150g (¾ cup) neutral or olive oil
08 -
85g (3 oz) premium bittersweet chocolate bar
09 -
3 large eggs brought to room temp
10 -
63g (¾ cup) Dutch-process cocoa powder
11 -
200g (1 cup) white granulated sugar
12 -
21g (¼ cup) black cocoa powder
# Instructions:
01 -
Set your oven to preheat at 350°F. Grease the cups of a mini muffin pan generously with softened butter so the bites release easily later on.
02 -
Make a DIY double boiler by putting a heat-safe bowl over a pot with a little simmering water. Drop in your bittersweet chocolate and oil, stirring until it’s completely smooth and melted. Leave it to cool a bit while you handle the next step.
03 -
Drop your eggs, vanilla, and sugars into a large bowl. Use a mixer on high for about 5-6 minutes until the mixture turns fluffy, doubles in volume, and lightens in color. Don’t skip this—it’s what gets you that perfect crackly top!
04 -
Slowly pour your slightly cooled chocolate-and-oil combo into the whipped egg mixture while you keep the mixer on low. Blend until it transforms into a smooth batter.
05 -
Toss in flour, the cocoa powders, salt, and espresso powder. Stir gently and stop once it’s just mixed in. Overmixing can mess up the texture!
06 -
Stir in the chopped bittersweet chocolate pieces until they’re evenly spread through the batter using a spatula.
07 -
Spoon or pipe your batter into the muffin pan, filling each cup about ¾ of the way up to allow for a gentle rise.
08 -
Pop the pan into your hot oven and bake for around 15-18 minutes. They’re done when a toothpick stuck in comes out with only a few soft crumbs clinging to it. Don’t overdo it, or you’ll lose that fudgy texture!
09 -
Take the bites out of the oven and let them cool in the pan a bit before carefully removing. Let them finish setting as they cool. Bake the rest of the batter in batches.
# Notes:
01 -
Use top-quality bittersweet chocolate brands like Guittard or Valrhona for the best results.
02 -
If you run out of black cocoa powder, use a total of 84g of Dutch-process cocoa powder instead.
03 -
To get that shiny brownie top, it's essential to beat the eggs and sugar for the full 5-6 minutes.