GOURMET BROWNIE BOARD

Gourmet Brownie Board

For our Galentine's Valentine gathering this year, we celebrated with an appetizer party - and my contribution was a Gourmet Brownie Board.  Filled with fresh homemade gourmet brownies, with dark chocolate, peanut butter, sea salt caramels, and chocolate truffles, together with fresh sweet raspberries and strawberries, everyone was happy!

it was a wonderful evening spent sharing memories and discussing upcoming wedding plans - so much fun!  I am so incredibly blessed to be able to spend a fun evening with my five daughters!  And with two new granddaughters, our celebration will only get better each year!  

Gourmet Brownie Board

LET'S START WITH OUR FAVORITE HOMEMADE GOURMET BROWNIES:

• Gourmet German Chocolate Brownies
• Gourmet Salted Caramel Brownies
• Reese's Peanut Butter Brownies
• Magic Layer Deluxe Brownie Bars
• Snickers Brownies

Gourmet Brownie Board

TO CREATE A GOURMET BROWNIE BOARD or GALENTINE BROWNIE BOARD I USED:

• Fresh Strawberries
• Magic Layer Deluxe Brownie Bars
• Gourmet Salted Caramel Brownies
• Lindt Milk Chocolate Truffles
• Hershey Molten Chocolate Kisses
• Lindt Dark Chocolate Truffles
• Reese's Peanut Butter Brownies
• Snicker Brownies
• Sanders Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels
• Dark Chocolate Dipped Valentine Pretzels
• Gourmet German Chocolate Brownies
• Fresh Raspberries

Gourmet Brownie Board

RECIPE TIPS & TRICKS FOR THE BEST GOURMET BROWNIES:

• For a rich and robust chocolate flavor, I recommend using only high-quality chocolate for this recipe.  Since there are only a few ingredients, each one really shines through!  I prefer Ghirardelli or Lindt dark chocolate bars with at least 70% chocolate for the melted chocolate, and Ghirardelli chocolate chips.  Make sure to use a premium Dutch processed unsweetened cocoa powder as well - my favorites are Ghirardelli Premium Baking Cocoa and Rodelle Gourmet Baking Cocoa.
• Don’t skip the espresso powder! It helps enhance the flavor of the chocolate without adding an intense coffee flavor.  
• Whisking the cocoa powder and espresso powder into boiling water until smooth allows the chocolate flavor to bloom - don't skip this step!
• Don't overbeat your brownie batter!  Mix your dry ingredients in with a spatula just until blended for a perfectly shiny, crispy, and crackly top - the way a brownie should be!
• Be sure you don’t overbake the brownies! They should not be liquid when you pull them out of the oven, but should have a little jiggle in the middle. The brownies will firm up as they cool.   Over-baked brownies will not be chewy or fudgy.
• Allow your brownies to cool COMPLETELY IN THE PAN before icing and slicing, which usually takes about two hours.  
• Be brave and try different flavor combinations.  It's hard to go wrong with brownies - and this is your opportunity to try new flavor combinations and toppings!  Whether stuffed or layered in the middle, layered or drizzled on top, there are so many wonderful taste combinations to try!

Gourmet Brownie Board

MORE FAVORITE GOURMET BROWNIE VARIATIONS: 

• Dark Chocolate Strawberry Cheesecake Mousse Brownies
• Gourmet German Chocolate Brownies
• Hazelnut Nutella Brownies
• Gourmet Salted Caramel Brownies
• Mississippi Mud Brownies
• Reese's Peanut Butter Brownies
• English Toffee Crunch Brownies
• Magic Layer Deluxe Brownie Bars
• Dark Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies
• Snickers Brownies
• Cookies & Cream Brownie Bites
• Black Forest Brownie Bites
• Salted Caramel Chocolate Pecan Brown Butter Blondies
• Starbuck's Mint Brownies
• Red Velvet Brownies with Cream Cheese Frosting
• Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel Stuffed Brownies
• Fresh Lemon Brownies
• Sea Salt Turtle Pecan Brownies
• S'Mores Campfire Brownies
• Triple Chocolate Brownies with Buttercream Frosting (Ghirardelli Copycat)
• Krispie Bar Crunch Brownies

Gourmet Brownie Board

GOURMET BROWNIE BOARD - TRIPLE CHOCOLATE GHIRARDELLI BROWNIES

Triple Chocolate Brownies are the richest, most decadent homemade brownies you’ll ever try - my family lovingly refers to them as my “Ghirardelli Brownies” for good reason!

This is the perfect base recipe for starting to create your own favorite brownies - and the one that I use all the time.  

Topped with powdered sugar, chocolate fudge frosting, a scoop of ice cream, or simply warm and naked, these are brownie perfection!  

Gourmet Brownie Board

INGREDIENTS FOR GOURMET BASE BROWNIES:
TRIPLE CHOCOLATE BROWNIES:
⅓ cup (35 g) Dutch-processed cocoa
1 teaspoon espresso powder
½ cup + 2 tablespoons boiling water
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate (finely chopped)
        (I use Ghirardelli 100% Cacao Unsweetened Chocolate Bars)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 eggs (room temperature)
2 egg yolks (room temperature)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2½ cups (500 g) cups granulated sugar
1¾ cups (210 g) all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet Ghirardelli chocolate chips
 
VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:
1 and 1/2 cups (345g) unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
5 and 1/2 cups (650g) confectioners’ sugar
1/3 cup (80ml) heavy cream
1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
1/8 teaspoon salt
For coloring, AmeriColorGel Food Coloring
 
HOW I MAKE THESE:

1. Remove eggs from refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature.
2. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 325 degrees F.  Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with foil or parchment paper, leaving about a one-inch overhang on all sides. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Whisk cocoa powder, espresso powder and boiling water together in a large bowl until smooth.
4. Add the chopped unsweetened chocolate and whisk until the chocolate is melted.
5. Whisk in the melted butter and oil (the mixture may look curdled at this point, that's okay!).
6. Add the eggs, yolks, and vanilla extract, and whisk until smooth and well blended.
7. Whisk in the sugar until fully incorporated.
8. Add the flour and salt and mix with a silicone spatula until combined.
9. Fold in the chocolate chips.
10. Scrape batter into prepared pan and spread into an even layer.
11. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the edges are firm and the top is shiny and slightly cracked, or a toothpick inserted halfway between edge and center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached.  
12. Place the pan on a wire rack and allow to cool for 2 hours.
13. Although it’s not necessary, you can frost these brownies once cooled, or dust with powdered sugar right before serving.
14. FOR BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:  With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. (A whisk attachment will beat too much air into your frosting, which makes it harder to pipe evenly.)
15. Add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, on low speed until well blended. 
16. Add vanilla extract, almond extract, and a pinch of salt.  Increase speed to medium-high and best well until light and fluffy – about 10 minutes.  Frosting should be extra fluffy. 
17. At this point, you can add more powdered sugar if the frosting is too thin or a splash of heavy cream if it’s too thick.  Taste now – a pinch of salt is usually enough to offset the sweetness and bring out the flavor.
18. Buttercream frosting can be made up to 1 day in advance, covered, and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use – bring to room temperature before using.
19. FROST & DECORATE BROWNIES. 
20. Brownies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

YIELD:  24 brownies
 
RECIPE VARIATIONS & SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

• Add a cup of your favorite nuts to the mix – chopped pecans or walnuts are wonderful!
• Add a cup of English toffee bits to the batter before baking
• Sprinkle with powdered sugar right before serving
• Top with homemade Fudge Frosting
• Top with homemade Buttercream Frosting and decorate for a special occasion!
• Top with a scoop of ice cream and drizzle with warm hot fudge or caramel topping
• Place a scoop of softened ice cream between two brownies for the perfect Brownie Ice Cream Sandwich!
• Top a brownie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, fresh sliced bananas and strawberries and sweetened whipped cream for a Brownie Split treat! 

 
RECIPE TIPS & TRICKS FOR THE BEST BROWNIES:

• For a rich and robust chocolate flavor, I recommend using only high-quality chocolate for this recipe.  Since there are only a few ingredients, each one really shines through!  I prefer Ghirardelli or Lindt dark chocolate bars with at least 70% chocolate for the melted chocolate, and Ghirardelli chocolate chips.  Make sure to use a premium Dutch processed unsweetened cocoa powder as well - my favorites are Ghirardelli Premium Baking Cocoa and Rodelle Gourmet Baking Cocoa.
• Don’t skip the espresso powder! It helps enhance the flavor of the chocolate without adding an intense coffee flavor.  
• Whisking the cocoa powder and espresso powder into boiling water until smooth allows the chocolate flavor to bloom - don't skip this step!
• Don't overbeat your brownie batter!  Mix your dry ingredients in with a spatula just until blended for a perfectly shiny, crispy, and crackly top - the way a brownie should be!
• Be sure you don’t overbake the brownies! They should not be liquid when you pull them out of the oven, but should have a little jiggle in the middle. The brownies will firm up as they cool.   Over-baked brownies will not be chewy or fudgy.
• Allow your brownies to cool COMPLETELY IN THE PAN before icing and slicing, which usually takes about two hours.  

 
FOR THE BEST BROWNIES, DON’T OVERBAKE!

• ​Baking brownies low and slow is the way to go!  For a 9x13-inch pan, plan on baking for 35 to 45 minutes. The perfect bake time here depends on just how fudgy you want your brownies to be! For brownies that are super gooey, pull them at 35 minutes. For more structured brownies, bake for 45 minutes, or until there’s barely any wiggle in the center of the pan.  Every oven is a little bit different, so you'll want to check them towards the end.  
• For brownie bites (prepared in individual brownie bite pans and lined with parchment liners), I usually bake for 20 to 22 minutes.  ​
• After removing from the oven, I suggest you place the brownies on a wire rack and cool completely before frosting and slicing. They usually come to room temperature within a few hours - and although waiting for this may be the hardest part, they are worth the wait!
• If you are baking these in a glass baking dish rather than a metal pan, line your baking dish with parchment paper.  After removing from the oven, cool the brownies for 10 minutes, then remove them from the pan to a wire rack – otherwise the heat retention of glass can lead to overbaking and dryness.
• Brownies need time to firm up, and slicing into them too soon will leave you will brownie lava…you're better off baking up Chocolate Lava Cakes if this is what you're looking for!
• If you absolutely can't wait, pop these in the fridge for about 45 minutes to speed up the chilling process. ​​
• For a warm brownie treat, heat up for a few seconds in the microwave, and then top with your favorite ice cream - so decadent and good!

 
TRIPLE CHOCOLATE MAKES THE PERFECT BROWNIES: 

• Triple chocolate creates the rich chocolate taste that we all crave - the perfect combination of dark Dutch-processed cocoa, melted unsweetened Ghirardelli chocolate, and Ghirardelli chocolate chips.  (This also may be why I call these my Ghirardelli Triple Chocolate Copycat Brownies!)
• Just a touch of espresso powder ramps of the chocolate flavor!
• Loaded with gooey chocolate chips, these are rich, fudgy and chewy in the middle!
• These homemade brownies are always a crowd-please and sure to become your new favorite brownie recipe!​

TO MAKE A GOURMET BROWNIE BOARD or GALENTINE BROWNIE VALENTINE BOARD: 

• Fresh Strawberries
• Magic Layer Deluxe Brownie Bars
• Salted Caramel Brownies
• Lindt Milk Chocolate Truffles
• Hershey Molten Chocolate Kisses
• Lindt Dark Chocolate Truffles
• Reese's Peanut Butter Brownies
• Snicker Brownies
• Sanders Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels
• Dark Chocolate Dipped Valentine Pretzels
• German Chocolate Brownies
• Fresh Raspberries

Originally published February 2022.
 
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