Tuxedo Brownies
Servings: 36 bars
Ingredients
Brownies
- 2 cups (350 grams) semisweet chocolate chips Guittard or another high-quality brand is a must here
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter cut into small pieces
- ¾ cup (165 grams) packed light brown sugar
- ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs room temperature is best
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup (137 grams) all-purpose flour
Frosting layer*
- 8 ounces (1 cup) cream cheese at room temperature, cut into small pieces
- 1.5 - 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract or heavy cream
Ganache topping
- 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips Guittard or another high-quality brand is best
- ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
Brownies
- Preheat the oven to 325 F. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with parchment paper and coat with cooking spray or grease with butter.
- In a heatproof bowl, microwave the chocolate chips and butter in 30 second intervals, stirring after each time, for about 1.5-2 minutes total, until just melted. You could also do this in a double boiler set over simmering water.
- Using a handheld whisk or stand mixer, whisk both sugars into the melted chocolate. Add the eggs, one by one, until combined, then the vanilla and salt. Whisk to combine.
- Add all the flour at once and gently mix until just combined.
- Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan and bake for 27-33 minutes in a convection oven or 32-36 minutes in a standard oven. The brownies are done when a toothpick inserted 2 inches from the edge of the pan comes out clean. The center should still look slightly underbaked, with perhaps a single crack or two showing along the top.
- Allow the brownies to cool completely in the pan.
Frosting layer:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or with a large bowl and a handheld mixer), add the room-temperature cream cheese and beat on medium speed for 30-60 seconds until smooth.
- Add about 1 cup of powdered sugar, beat until it's mostly incorporated, then pour in the vanilla extract and beat for another 10-20 seconds
- Add another ½ cup of powdered sugar and beat until the frosting is fluffy. Taste, and adjust with more powdered sugar or a little milk/cream as desired.
- Spread over the brownies, and place the frosted brownies in the refrigerator to set for 15 minutes.
Ganache topping:
- Place bittersweet chocolate chips (or small slivers if cut from a block) in a small, heatproof bowl.
- Use a small saucepan to heat the heavy cream over medium heat until it begins to steam and is almost (but not actually) boiling. [Don't try to cut corners and microwave the cream to heat it, because unless you're really lucky/know your microwave well/measure the temperature of the hot cream, you may ruin the sheen of the ganache.]
- Once the cream is almost boiling, pour it over the bittersweet chocolate, let everything sit for 15 seconds, then stir rapidly (but carefully) until the mixture is smooth.
- Let the ganache sit and thicken for 5 minutes, then take the frosted brownies out of the refrigerator and spread the chocolate ganache over the top.
- Return the pan to the refrigerator and let them set for 30 minutes.
- At this point, the brownies can be served or stored in an airtight container (in the refrigerator) for 4-5 days.
Notes
If you prefer buttercream over cream cheese frosting, follow the original buttercream frosting recipe for the middle layer:
Combine 1 stick (½ cup) room-temperature butter with 3 cups powdered sugar in a stand or handheld mixer, beat at medium speed for a minute or two. Add 2 tablespoons heavy cream, beat at medium speed for another minute to combine.