Kahlua Mousse Bownies

These brownies are loaded with chocolate from two directions: 3 ounces of unsweetened baking chocolate and 2 ounces of semi-sweet, melted together with a full cup of butter and shortening. Kahlua mixed with instant coffee crystals adds a concentrated coffee-liqueur flavor that deepens the chocolate without tasting boozy.

Six eggs beaten with sugar until thick and light give these a mousse-like interior that’s softer and more velvety than standard fudge brownies. Cake flour instead of all-purpose keeps the crumb tender and fine-textured.

Baked in a jelly roll pan, these come out thin enough to use as building blocks: sandwich two squares together with ice cream between them, drizzle with chocolate sauce, and you’ve got a restaurant-quality plated dessert.

Chef Tips

• Beat the eggs and sugar until truly thick and light-colored. This takes 2 to 3 minutes and creates the mousse-like texture that gives these brownies their name.
• Melt the chocolate, butter, and shortening over very low heat. High heat seizes the chocolate and turns it grainy.
• Bake just until the center tests done. Overbaking kills the mousse texture and turns them dry.
• Line the pan with parchment paper for easy removal. These stick to bare pans.

Variations

• Dust with powdered sugar for an elegant, simple finish.
• Top warm squares with vanilla ice cream and hot fudge for a brownie sundae.
• Use walnuts instead of pecans for a slightly more bitter, earthy nut crunch.