Salty, Deep-Dark Chocolate Brownies

Adapted from Ovenly: Sweet and Salty Recipes from New York’s Most Creative Bakery by Agatha Kulaga and Erin Patinkin

In addition to the black cocoa powder, the original recipe calls for “natural” cocoa powder, which is cocoa powder that hasn’t been alkalized. If you’re not sure, look at the ingredients; if there is no alkalizing ingredient added (such as potassium bromate or carbonate), it’s likely to be natural cocoa powder. Supermarket brands in the United States are usually natural cocoa, although bean-to-bar makers ScharffenBerger and Askinosie, make natural cocoa powder as well. I’ve not seen natural (non-alkalized) cocoa powder in Europe, but since there is no leavening in the recipe, I am pretty certain you could make it with Dutch process cocoa powder. (But like I said, I’m not wont to recommend something without trying it first. But I’m reasonably sure that would work.) For more about cocoa powder, check out my Cocoa Powder FAQs. In that vein, since black cocoa is not likely something you’ll come across outside of the U.S. (and it’s not so easy to find in the U.S. either – I’ve listed some sources at the end of the recipe), you could try the recipe out using 1 1/4 cups (125g) total of cocoa powder, the darkest you can find. Valrhona is a very good brand of dark cocoa powder.

Servings brownies

1 cup (8 ounces, 225g) unsalted butter, cubed (plus additional, for greasing the pan)
1 cup (100g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup (25g) black cocoa, sometimes called "dark" cocoa powder
1/2 cup (70g) flour
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
3/4 packed cup (170g) dark brown sugar
Flaky sea salt, such as fleur de sel or Maldon, for finishing

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
Prepare an 8-inch (20cm) square pan or 9 x 13-inch (22x33cm) pan by lining it with aluminum foil, greasing it with melted butter or nonstick spray.
Melt the butter in a saucepan. Set aside until tepid.
Sift together the natural cocoa powder, black cocoa powder, flour, espresso powder, and 3/4 teaspoon of salt in a large bowl. (Cocoa powder tends to “dust up” when sifting, and using a large bowl helps contain the mess.)
In a separate small bowl, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, and brown sugar.
Stir half of the egg mixture into the cocoa powder, then stir in the melted butter. Then stir in the remaining egg mixture. If the mixture isn’t smooth, give it a couple of vigorous stirs with a whisk, although don’t overdo it. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle liberally with flaky sea salt.
Bake the brownies just until the center feels almost set, but not quite. I found in either size pan they will take about 25 minutes, although best to start checking them at the 20 minute mark.
Once done, remove from the oven and let cool completely in the pan. The salt on the top tends to absorb into the batter during baking, yet you can still taste little sparks of it in the brownies. If you wish, you can sprinkle them again with a bit more salt, before serving.

Notes

Storage: The brownies can be made up to five days in advance and stored in an airtight container. Like most baked goods, they’re best eaten within a couple of days. Then can also be frozen for up to two months, if well-wrapped. Black cocoa powder is available at King Arthur Flour (which ships internationally), Savory Spice Shop, Chocolate Man, and Amazon. (I wasn’t able to find anywhere in France or in Europe where black cocoa powder is available, but be aware that if you search, noir is often translated in chocolate terms to mean “dark,” rather than “black.” Hence you’ll often find chocolat noir translated on packages to “black chocolate” in English, which is, in fact, dark chocolate.)