Originally published on October 28, 2011
It’s National Chocolate Day, and I thought what better way to mark the day then with chocolate – on top of chocolate! That’s exactly what these brownies are all about, getting as much chocolate on your plate as possible! I like to make the ganache thin so you can drizzle it over the brownies after they’ve been plated. That way, as you work your way through the brownie, it acts as a sponge, sopping up that giant puddle of chocolate on your plate.
My hubby on the other hand, likes the ganache much thicker so that it works more like a frosting than it does a light (or heavy) syrup. I’ve had these brownies both ways and both are good. After all, you’re eating chocolate. What could be bad? Just remember that if you like the chocolate to be thicker, use less milk and/or more chocolate. Work the two together until you have a consistency that you like, and you’re done.
The ganache (at least when thin) can be frozen, I do it all the time. When you want to use it again, bring it up to room temperature first and then put it back in the double boiler. It will most likely be a bit (or a lot) thicker than when you originally froze it so it’s likely that you’ll need to add more cream and mix the two together again before it can be used. But it’s still a great way to have terrific ganache on hand for when you need it, and it only takes a few minutes to bring it back to life.
Happy Chocolate Day, everyone!
Ingredients:
For the brownies:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
For the ganache:
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tablespoon butter
Directions:
1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a square baking dish.
2.) For the brownies: In a medium bowl mix together oil, sugar, and vanilla. Beat in the eggs.
3.) In a separate bowl, whisk together: flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Little by little, stir flour mixture into the egg mixture making sure to stir and fully incorporate the flour after each addition.
4.) Stir in chocolate chips and pour into prepared pan, shaking to make sure mixture is level.
5.) Place in preheated oven for 20 – 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
6.) For the ganache: Meanwhile, place chocolate chips in a heat-proof bowl. Heat milk and butter in a small saucepan until boiling, whisking the entire time to prevent burning.
7.) As soon as milk is boiling, pour over chocolate chips and stir until all chips are melted. Cover and place in fridge to cool and thicken or, set aside to cool slightly.
8.) When ready to plate, place brownie on a plate and drizzle chocolate ganache over top.
9.) Serve and enjoy!