Title: Kahlua Brownies

Coffee and chocolate hit from three angles in these brownies: Kahlua (coffee liqueur), instant coffee crystals, and unsweetened chocolate melted with butter. The result is an intensely fudgy brownie with deep, roasted coffee flavor running through every layer.

Melting the chocolate and butter in a double boiler gives you smooth, even heat without scorching. Once off the heat, everything else gets mixed in by hand. No mixer needed, no fuss.

The boiled chocolate icing on top is old-school candy-making technique applied to a brownie. Chocolate, sugar, milk, butter, and corn syrup boil for one minute, cool, and get spread over the brownies. Scattered chocolate chips on top melt just slightly into the warm icing and set as it cools.

Chef Tips

• Let the melted chocolate-butter mixture cool for a few minutes before adding the beaten eggs. Too hot and you’ll scramble them.
• Don’t overbake. Pull at exactly 30 minutes for fudgy centers. The brownies continue to set as they cool.
• Boil the icing for exactly one minute. Longer makes it too thick to spread; shorter and it stays runny.
• Sprinkle the chocolate chips on immediately after spreading the icing so they partially sink in and stick.

Variations

• Use Baileys Irish Cream instead of Kahlua for a creamier, less coffee-forward flavor.
• Add chopped walnuts to the brownie batter for crunch.
• Sprinkle flaky sea salt over the chocolate chips before the icing sets.