Money Can’t Buy You Happiness Brownies
18
squares
Dessert
Course
Print Recipe
Ingredients
Directions
For the brownie base
1 ⅓ c
(300g) unsalted butter, + extra for greasing
10 ½ oz
(300g) dark chocolate
5 lg
eggs
1 ½ c
+ 1 tablespoon (335g) dark brown sugar
1 tsp
instant coffee mixed with 2 teaspoons hot water
1 c
+ 3 tablespoons (145g) all-purpose flour, sifted
½ c
(35g) cocoa powder, sifted
½ tsp
salt
1 tsp
all-purpose flour
1 c
(180g) dark choc chips
For the nutty center
1 ⅓ c
(240g) chopped mixed nuts or hazelnuts
2
9 oz (250g) jars of dulce de leche
½ tsp
salt
For the top
12 ¾ oz
(360g) full-fat cream cheese
½ c
+ 2 tablespoons (120g) granulated sugar
2 lg
eggs
1 ¼ tsp
almond extract
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
1 tbsp
all-purpose flour cocoa powder, for dusting
I don’t think I need to elaborate too much on these, do I? I am always in search of the best brownie, and I figure if you can’t find it, make it. So here it is: a triple chocolate brownie, with a layer of toasted chopped nuts encased in dulce de leche, then topped with a zesty cheesecake mixture and baked again. I rest my case.
Directions
- Put the butter and chocolate in a small pot and melt gently, stirring occasionally until the mixture is liquid.
- Set aside to cool.
- Line the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13-inch/23 x 33cm baking pan with some parchment paper so that it comes ½ inch/1cm above the top of the pan, and lightly grease.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Combine the eggs, brown sugar, and cooled coffee in a large mixing bowl and whisk until the mixture is light, thick, and fluffy. This should take 5 minutes with electric beaters. (Adding the coffee really enhances the flavor of the cocoa and you won’t even be able to taste the coffee itself.)
- Pour in the cooled melted chocolate and whisk until the mixture no longer has any streaks in it. Then add the sifted flour, cocoa, and salt and mix until you have a glossy batter.
- Mix the teaspoon of flour with the chocolate chips in a bowl before mixing them into the batter until they’re well dispersed—this trick will prevent them from sinking to the bottom when you bake the brownies. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and level off the top. Bake for 25 minutes.
- While it is baking, toast the nuts in a large nonstick pan, stirring until they are a deep golden brown. Put the dulce de leche in a bowl along with the toasted nuts and the salt, mix, and set aside.
- As soon as the brownies are baked, take them out of the oven and let cool completely in the pan. Spread the sticky nut mixture over the top and pop the whole thing in the freezer for 30 minutes.
- Adjust the oven to 325°F.
- Make the cheesecake top by mixing the cream cheese, granulated sugar, eggs, almond extract, orange zest, and flour together really well. Spoon and spread into an even layer over the nut mixture and pop into the oven for about 50 minutes. As soon as the cheesecake is set in the center, allow to cool totally and chill in the fridge overnight. The wait will be worth it!
- Dust with the cocoa, take out of the pan, and cut into squares. Eat, eat, eat!
Reprinted from NADIYA BAKES by Nadiya Hussain. Copyright © 2020 by Nadiya Hussain. Photographs copyright © 2020 by Chris Terry. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.