Iced Mocha Brownies

 Rich, moist mocha-flavored brownies baked from scratch and iced with chocolate icing.  Get tips and tricks on how to make the best brownies imaginable.

Brownies are one of the most popular baked goods.  You can find recipes online for just about any variety imaginable.  Some are quite creative. My tastes lean toward less complicated so Iced Mocha Brownies are my preference over brownies that have 12 kinds of candy and who knows what else baked into them.

A box of premium brownie mix can turn out some mighty fine brownies.  Make a batch and everyone is perfectly happy.  Especially the cook because it’s less work on them. Or, do something a little unexpected and try these Strawberry Cake Mix Brownies.

Sometimes, you need a special batch of brownies made from scratch and using tips and tricks from all the best brownie recipes.  Well, hold on to your britches.  We’re about to throw down some brownies that are better than ultimate. They’re superior to ultimate.

Whatever that might be.

So, here’s my tips for better-than-ultimate brownies:

1. Melt butter and chocolate to make a chocolate syrup for  more of a fudge-like flavor.  Hershey Syrup Brownies taught us this when they told us to use their chocolate syrup in our brownie batter.
2. Use two different kinds of chocolate: powdered cocoa and chocolate chips. Generally speaking, different versions of the same product add more flavor.  I always use as many different varieties of apple as I can get my hands on when baking apple goodies.
3. In addition to different versions of chocolate, use them in different forms.  Melt some and throw some unmelted into the batter, too. Unmelted chocolate chips add pockets of chocolate in the brownie plus adds a little texture to the finished product.
4. Ina Garten is right about her admonition to add instant coffee to chocolate baked goods.  I don’t know if the idea is originally hers, but we all hear her in our heads saying,
   

   “It adds a depth of flavor.”

5. Even if you’d rather perish than drink a cup of coffee, don’t be afraid of coffee in chocolate baked goods.  You won’t notice a coffee flavor but, in the words of Ina (again), “It adds a depth of flavor.”  Depth of flavor is a good thing.  You don’t want shallow flavor, for Heaven’s sake.
6. Lunchroom Lady Iced Brownies  recipes are all over the internet.  While I do have fond memories of great school cafeteria food, such as rolls and hamburger soup, I honestly don’t remember brownies.  But, what I really like about the recipe, that keeps popping up all over creation, is the icing.  It’s fluffy enough that I could spread it on the brownies while they were hot from the oven.  After the brownies and icing cool completely, the icing forms a slight crust that makes it oh-so-wonderful.  I opted to leave the icing just chocolate and not add coffee for a  mocha flavor.  I think it was a good decision.
7. Pecans are my favorite nut for baked goods but walnuts are the best choice for brownies.  Their slight bitterness is a great offset to the brownies’ sweetness.

I hope you find my tips helpful.  My team of researchers (consisting of me, myself and I) left no stone unturned to bring you tips for the best brownies you can imagine.  If you give our recipe a try, post it on social media and tag #syrupandbiscuits.  We don’t want to miss seeing it.

If you’re interested in experimenting with almond flour, try these Almond Flour Brownies. 

Y’all come see us!

Iced Mocha Brownies

preheat oven to 350 degrees

yield: 24 brownies (2 1/2 inch square)

The trick to moist, rich brownies is  a mocha syrup and  two different kinds of chocolate in the brownie batter.  This recipe is a composite is several different brownie recipes.  Each lends a particular component that leads to spectacular brownies.

make the brownies:

4 sticks (one pound) unsalted butter, cubed for faster melting

24 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

6 large eggs

2 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract

3 tablespoons instant coffee granules

2 1/4 cups granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups self-rising flour, divided (if using all-purpose flour, add 1 tablespoon baking powder and 1 teaspoon salt)

3 cups walnuts, chopped

Prepare one  (12 x 18in) baking sheet  or two (12 3/4 x 9 in) baking sheets by spraying with non-stick cooking spray.

Fill a medium sized sauce pan with water.  Bring to a slow boil.  Place a heat resistant mixing bowl on top of the sauce pan. Note: this is a make-shift double boiler.  If you have a double-boiler, God love your heart. You can use that instead.

Add butter, one pound (16 ounces) of chocolate chips, and  cocoa powder to the bowl. Stir until melted.

Remove and let cool for 5 minutes.

Add eggs to a mixing bowl and whisk well.  Add a few spoonfuls of the warm chocolate mixture to the eggs to temper and quickly whisk.

To the egg mixture, whisk in vanilla extract, instant coffee and sugar.  Whisk egg mixture into chocolate mixture.

Add 1 1/4  cups flour into chocolate mix. Stir until all the white from the flour is gone.

In a small bowl, stir together remaining 1/4 cup flour, remaining 8 ounces chocolate chips and chopped walnuts until chips and nuts are well coated. Stir into batter.

Pour in  prepared pan(s).

Bake in a preheated 350 degree for 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Remove from oven and ice while still warm. Let cool completely before cutting.

Chocolate Icing:

1/4 cup softened unsalted butter

1/4 cup half and half

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3 cups powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

With an electric mixer, mix together ingredients until smooth.  Ice brownies while they’re still warm.

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5 from 1 vote

Iced Mocha Brownies

Author: Jackie Garvin

Ingredients

• preheat oven to 350 degrees
• yield: 24 brownies 2 1/2 inch square
• The trick to moist rich brownies is a mocha syrup and two different kinds of chocolate in the brownie batter. This recipe is a composite is several different brownie recipes. Each lends a particular component that leads to spectacular brownies.
• make the brownies:
• 4 sticks one pound unsalted butter, cubed for faster melting
• 24 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips divided
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 6 large eggs
• 2 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons instant coffee granules
• 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour divided (if using all-purpose flour, add 1 tablespoon baking powder and 1 teaspoon salt)
• 3 cups walnuts chopped
• Chocolate Icing:
• 1/4 cup softened unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup half and half
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

• Brownies:
• Prepare one (12 x 18in) baking sheet or two (12 3/4 x 9 in) baking sheets by spraying with non-stick cooking spray.
• Fill a medium sized sauce pan with water. Bring to a slow boil. Place a heat resistant mixing bowl on top of the sauce pan. Note: this is a make-shift double boiler. If you have a double-boiler, God love your heart. You can use that instead.
• Add butter, one pound (16 ounces) of chocolate chips, and cocoa powder to the bowl.. Stir until melted.
• Remove and let cool for 5 minutes.
• Add eggs to a mixing bowl and whisk well. Add a few spoonfuls of the warm chocolate mixture to the eggs to temper the eggs and quickly whisk.
• To the egg mixture, whisk in vanilla extract, instant coffee and sugar. Whisk egg mixture into chocolate mixture.
• Add 1 1/4 cups flour into chocolate mix. Stir until all the white from the flour is gone.
• In a small bowl, stir together remaining 1/4 cup flour, remaining 8 ounces chocolate chips and chopped walnuts until chips and nuts are well coated. Stir into batter.
• Pour in prepared pan(s).
• Bake in a preheated 350 degree for 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• Remove from oven and ice while still warm. Let cool completely before cutting.
• Icing:
• With an electric mixer, mix together ingredients until smooth. Ice brownies while they're still warm.

Tried this recipe?Mention @syrupandbiscuits or tag #syrupandbiscuits!

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