“These brownies were a happy accident”, says Michael Ricchuiti of Ricchiuti Chocolates. “Whenever I’d make marshmallows I’d be left with a bowl of oddly shaped trimmings that tasted great. My wife Jacky suggested I toss them in a batch of our brownies with some nuts and test them out at the Saturday morning Farmers’ Market. They were a hit. Make them and you’ll see why.”
Rocky Recchiuti Brownies
16 Brownies
Recipe courtesy of Recchiuti Confections
Ingredients:
- Flavorless vegetable oil for the pan
- 5-1/2 ounces 100% unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped, divided
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter with 82% butterfat, cut into 1-inch slices
- 2/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, preferably Madagascar Bourbon
- 1-1/3 cups granulated cane sugar
- 1/3 cup walnut halves, roasted and roughly chopped
- 6 Vanilla Bean Marshmallows, cut into quarters
Method
-
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line the bottom of an 8-inch square baking
pan with parchment paper and liberally coat the paper and the pan sides
with flavorless vegetable oil. -
Put 3 ounces of the chocolate and the butter in a medium
stainless-steel bowl and set over a pot of simmering water. Heat,
stirring occasionally, until the chocolate and butter melt and are
fully combined and the mixture is smooth. Lift the bowl from the pot.
Set aside. -
Sift the flour and salt together into a bowl. In another bowl, combine
the eggs and vanilla extract and whisk together by hand until blended.
Whisk in the sugar. -
Whisk the egg mixture into the chocolate. Add the flour and the
remaining 2 ½ ounces chocolate to the batter and, using a rubber
spatula, mix well. Then mix in the walnuts. -
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Spread it evenly with a small
offset spatula. Scatter the marshmallow pieces evenly over the surface
and push them halfway into the batter. The tops should remain uncovered. -
Bake on the middle shelf of the oven until the marshmallows are browned
and a skewer inserted into the center of the brownie sheet comes out
with some batter clinging to it, about 45 minutes. Let cool completely
in the pan on a wire rack, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate
until cold. -
Run a table knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the sides of the
brownie, and then slide the brownie, still on the paper, onto a work
surface. Using a ruler to guide you and a sharp knife, cut into sixteen
2-inch squares. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for
up to three weeks.
From Chocolate Obsession: Confections and Treats to Create and Savor,
by Michael Recchiuti and Fran Gage.
