Gourmet Rocky Road Brownies

GOURMET ROCKY ROAD BROWNIES

7/18/2023

Gourmet Rocky Road Brownies (a/k/a Matrimony Bliss Brownies & Heavenly Hash Brownies)

If you love Rocky Road or Heavenly Hash Ice Cream, you are going to LOVE Gourmet Rocky Road Brownies, which we also sometimes call Matrimony Bliss Brownies or Heavenly Hash Brownies! Rich, ultra-fudgy, brownies are covered with a silky rich chocolate nougat filling, sprinkled with chocolate chips, fluffy marshmallows and crunchy nuts, and drizzled with a ribbon of dark chocolate. There’s nothing rocky about these – they are blissfully delicious and unapologetically decadent and indulgent!

For my daughter's wedding I called these "Matrimony Bliss Brownies" because, let's face it, "rocky road" just wouldn't have been right. The ice cream lovers in my life call these "Heavenly Hash Brownies" but whatever you want to call them, you won't be able to resist the irresistible combination of sweet, salty, and downright heavenly goodness! Whether you're celebrating a special occasion or simply pampering yourself, these brownies are a true delight for the senses and will satisfy even the most intense chocolate cravings!

Gourmet Rocky Road Brownies (a/k/a Matrimony Bliss Brownies & Heavenly Hash Brownies)

WHAT MAKES A BROWNIE A "GOURMET" BROWNIE?

TEXTURE: A perfect brownie should have a crispy, flaky top and a moist, fudgy interior. Achieving this balance requires precise measurements of ingredients and careful baking time and temperature.

QUALITY CHOCOLATE: High-quality chocolate is key to achieving the rich, chocolatey flavor that makes brownies so irresistible. Using premium chocolate with a high percentage of cocoa solids can make a big difference in the taste and texture of your brownies.

FLAVOR ADDITIONS: While classic brownies are delicious on their own, adding other flavors can take them to the next level. Pure vanilla extract, nuts, dried fruits, spices, and even espresso can add depth and complexity to the chocolate flavor.

PRESENTATION: The way your brownies look can be just as important as how they taste. A perfectly cut brownie with a beautiful, shiny top and a dusting of powdered sugar or topped with fudgy frosting and colorful sprinkles can make them look as irresistible as they taste.

PERSONAL TOUCH: Finally, what makes your brownies the best is your personal touch. Whether it's a secret ingredient, a unique twist on a classic recipe, or the love and care you put into every batch, your brownies are a reflection of your creativity and passion for baking.

FOR PERFECT BROWNIES, USE THE RIGHT INGREDIENTS:

For gourmet brownies, in addition to using premium chocolate and cocoa, only the best ingredients will give you the texture, richness and depth of flavor we all crave. Make sure to use fresh ingredients for the best results! I’ve made so many cakes, cookies and brownies through the years, and these are my recommendations:

Butter: Land O Lakes Unsalted Butter. Avoid generic/bargain brands of butter, which often contain water, which will strip your brownies of a perfect shiny sheen on top – and we LOVE a brownie with the perfect sheen!
Flour: King Arthur All Purpose Unbleached Flour is my favorite (it contains more gluten than other brands). Pillsbury All Purpose is my back-up, but weighs differently – make sure to adjust as necessary. (For reference, King Arthur is 120g per cup, Pillsbury is 129g per cup.)
Granulated Sugar: Domino Pure Cane Sugar
Baking Powder: Make sure that you use “aluminum-free” baking powder to avoid a tinny flavor. Rumford is one of the oldest and trusted brands.
Salt: To avoid a tinny flavor, never use iodized salt in brownies. Morten Non-Iodized Table Salt is my preferred brand for cooking and baking. For sea salt flakes, I use Maldon Sea Salt Flakes.
Vanilla: Neiman Massey and Rodelle are my preferred brands for Pure Vanilla Extract and Vanilla Bean Paste - both are made with the highest-quality Bourbon vanilla beans from Madagascar.
Espresso Powder: King Arthur Espresso Powder is my favorite! If you don’t have time to order, DeLallo brand is also good and available at most grocery stores.
Other Extracts & Flavorings: Neiman Massey (neimanmassey.com), Rodelle (rodellevanilla.com), Cooks (cooksvanilla.com) and Amoretti (amoretti.com) brands make my favorite extracts and emulsions. Keep in mind that extracts and emulsions have different strengths, so watch your measurements and use recommended amounts.

Gourmet Rocky Road Brownies (a/k/a Matrimony Bliss Brownies & Heavenly Hash Brownies)

FOR PERFECT BROWNIES, USE THE RIGHT CHOCOLATE:

For gourmet brownies, only the best ingredients will give you the texture, richness and depth of flavor we all crave. Trust me on this! For a rich and robust chocolate flavor, I recommend using only high-quality chocolate. Since there are only a few ingredients, each one really shines through!

Extra Dark & Bittersweet Chocolate: Guittard 63% Extra Dark Chocolate Baking Chips and Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips are my favorite.
Unsweetened Chocolate: Guittard and Ghirardelli 100% Unsweetened Chocolate Chips, or if you don’t mind chopping chocolate, Ghirardelli or Baker’s Unsweetened Baking Bars
Semi-Sweet Chocolate: Guittard and Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
German Chocolate: Baker’s German Sweet Chocolate Bars
Milk Chocolate: Guittard and Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate Chips
Chocolate Bars: For chocolate chunk brownies and cookies, you can substitute good quality chocolate bars (Lindt or Ghirardelli) or Callebaut chocolate blocks that are cut into small chunks or pieces.
White Chocolate: Guittard Mystic White Chocolate Baking Wafers (true white chocolate flavor and melt perfectly) or Lindt Classic White Chocolate Bars or Ghirardelli White Chocolate Premium Baking Bar, Ghirardelli Classic White Premium Baking Chips
Cocoa Powder: Always use Dutch-processed premium unsweetened cocoa for brownies! Valrhona Pure Cocoa Powder, Rodelle Gourmet Baking Cocoa, Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa or Ghirardelli 100% unsweetened Ground Cocoa
Black Cocoa Powder: King Arthur Black Cocoa will give you an intense, dark colored and unsweetened chocolate flavor – use sparingly for the darkest chocolate cake, cookies and brownies (think “Oreo” dark)

Gourmet Rocky Road Brownies (a/k/a Matrimony Bliss Brownies & Heavenly Hash Brownies)

GOURMET ROCKY ROAD BROWNIES (a/k/a HEAVENLY HASH BROWNIES & MATRIMONY BLISS BROWNIES)

If you love Rocky Road or Heavenly Hash Ice Cream, you are going to LOVE Rocky Road Brownies, which we also sometimes call Matrimony Bliss Brownies or Heavenly Hash Brownies! Rich, ultra-fudgy, brownies are covered with a silky rich chocolate nougat filling, sprinkled with chocolate chips, fluffy marshmallows and crunchy nuts, and drizzled with a ribbon of dark chocolate. There’s nothing rocky about these – they are blissfully delicious and unapologetically decadent and indulgent!

Gourmet Rocky Road Brownies (a/k/a Matrimony Bliss Brownies & Heavenly Hash Brownies)

INGREDIENTS:
BROWNIES:
4 large eggs (room temperature)
3 ounces (85g) unsweetened baking chocolate
1 cup (170g) 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate chips (Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips)
1 cup (8 ounces or 2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
1 cup (213g) light brown sugar
1 cup (125g) King Arthur All-Purpose Flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ Tablespoon espresso powder
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup (72g) roasted salted almonds (chopped)
1 cup (170g) semisweet chocolate chips

CHOCOLATE NOUGAT FILLING:
¼ cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
¼ cup evaporated milk
1-½ cups (7 ounces) marshmallow crème
½ cup (85g) 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate chips (Ghirardelli Bittersweet)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pure chocolate extract (Cooks or Rodelle)

ROCKY ROAD TOPPING:
2 cups (100g) miniature marshmallows
½ cup (54g) roasted salted almonds (slivered or cut in half lengthwise)
½ cup (85g) semisweet chocolate chips

CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons light corn syrup
½ cup (85g) semisweet chocolate chips
2 teaspoons HOT water

HOW I MAKE THESE:

Remove eggs from refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature.
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with foil or parchment paper, leaving about a one-inch overhang on all sides. Lightly grease the foil in the pan, or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
PREPARE BROWNIES: In a small heavy saucepan, cut the butter into pieces and melt over low heat. While the butter is melting, chop the chocolate into ¼-inch pieces. Add the unsweetened bittersweet chocolate chips and chopped chocolate to the melted butter, whisking together until melted and smooth. Remove pan from stove and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, lightly whisk the eggs.
Place the granulated sugar and brown sugar in a separate small bowl, then whisk into the eggs just until blended.
Briefly stir the melted chocolate mixture, then gradually drizzle into the egg mixture, whisking constantly just until combined.
Whisk in the vanilla extract.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. Sift through a fine mesh strainer directly into the batter. Stir with a silicone spatula just until blended.
Stir in almonds and semi-sweet chocolate chips, just until blended.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly with a small offset spatula (or for individual brownie pan, fill each parchment liner ½ full).
Bake for 24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove from oven and cool to room temperature, then chill for 1 hour.
PREPARE CHOCOLATE NOUGAT FILLING: In a medium heavy saucepan or saucier, stir together the butter, sugar and evaporated milk. Cook over low heat until the butter has melted, then increase to medium heat, stirring frequently with a silicone spatula, until the butter is melted and the sugar completely dissolved. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil; immediately reduce heat to low and boil gently for 5 minutes without stirring.
Remove pan from heat and stir in the marshmallow crème and stir until well blended. Stir in the chocolate chips, vanilla extract, chocolate extract and salt, stirring until the mixture is well blended.
Dollop the Chocolate Nougat Filling over the chilled brownie slab and spread evenly with a small offset spatula.
ADD BROWNIE TOPPINGS: Immediately sprinkle by hand the chocolate chips, mini-marshmallows and almond pieces evenly over the top of the smooth Chocolate Nougat Filling. Gently press the toppings down into the filling with your fingertip so that they will “stick”.
Chill pan in refrigerator for 1 hour.
PREPARE CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE: In reserved saucepan, melt the butter and corn syrup over low heat. When totally melted and combined, remove from heat and add the chocolate chips. Stir with a small silicone spatula until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Stir in the hot water to thin it out as necessary.
Drizzle melted chocolate on top of the Browning Toppings. For easiest drizzling, I use a piping bag. Place open piping bag into a large tumbler and pour warm chocolate drizzle into the bag, twist and tie the top closed. Clip off just the tip of the piping bag with sharp scissors. Pipe melted chocolate on top of the chilled brownie slab. (If you don’t have a piping bag, you can also use a small spoon to drizzle the chocolate in a random design over the top of the brownies.)
Refrigerate brownie slab for at least 8 hours before slicing and serving. (Refrigerate individual brownies in an airtight container until ready to serve.)
Brownies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

YIELD: 12 large squares or 24 smaller bars, or 12 individual brownies.

PRO TIP: Warm these brownies up for a few seconds in the microwave, top them with a scoop of your favorite ice cream, and let the flavors explode in your mouth. Trust, me, it's a dessert experience like no other!

RECIPE TIPS & TRICKS FOR THE BEST GOURMET HEAVENLY HASH BROWNIES:

If I can only share one baking secret with you, always use a DIGITAL KITCHEN SCALE. You can use measuring cups and spoons for most recipes, but using a digital scale makes for the more consistent and efficient baking. Take this from someone that bakes A LOT!
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 - each with at least 70% chocolate for the melted chocolate, and Guittard or Ghirardelli chocolate chips, or Callebaut Dark Bittersweet Chocolate Callets.
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!
Baking brownies low and slow is the way to go! 325 degrees is usually the perfect temp for baking the best brownies.
Be sure you don’t overbake the brownies! They should not be liquidy or jiggly when you pull them out of the oven. The brownies will firm up as they cool. Over-baked brownies will be dry and won’t be chewy or fudgy.

After removing from the oven, I suggest you place the brownie pan on a wire rack and cool for at least an hour, and then refrigerate for an hour before topping with filling or frosting. Although waiting for this may be the hardest part, they are worth the wait!
To prevent melted dark chocolate and melted white chocolate from seizing when adding pure flavor extracts (chocolate, coffee or vanilla), make sure to add the unsalted butter indicated when melting the chocolate, and THEN add the pure extract (ALWAYS alcohol based, NEVER water based).
To thin a Dark Chocolate Glaze or White Chocolate Glaze, add a small amount of coconut oil or canola oil if needed, but not too much – you want this glaze topping to harden to a brilliant chocolate sheen!
Don’t use glass baking dishes for brownies or blondies – the baking times and results will vary wildly, and the heat retention of glass can lead to overbaking and dryness.

Original recipe published November 2022; revised and reposted July 2023.

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