Coffee Brownies

I actually made these for Christmas, but it took 2 batches to get them just right - so sad - plus I had a lot of other sugary things posted, so I have saved them to post just in time for Valentine's day. This was probably the most popular thing I baked for Christmas - and I baked a lot - even though there were a number of definite coffee haters around. The people who liked them, realllly liked them is what I am saying. You can count me in that number.

If you want to avoid Nestlé products - and why wouldn't you? - Ten Thousand Villages carries instant coffee powder.

These are a lot sweeter than most of the desserts I make, but damn it, they're brownies. And good enough I think I'll be making them once a year. This make a big pan of brownies; I would think you could cut it in half and make it in an 8" x 8" pan. The baking time might require minor adjustment.

48 brownies
1 hour - 30 minutes prep time, including brewing the coffee
15 minutes later to frost and cut

Make the Brownies:
2 1/4 cups soft whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup honey
2/3 cup very strong brewed coffee
3 tablespoons instant coffee powder
3 large eggs
2/3 cup softened unsalted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Don't forget to brew your coffee before you get started. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 9" x 13" baking pan with parchment paper.

Mix the flour, soda, salt and sugar in a mixing bowl. Mix the honey and coffee - if the coffee is not hot, heat it in the microwave or on the stove until it is hot enough to melt the honey but not really hot. You don't want to set the eggs when you mix them. Mix in the instant coffee until dissolved.

Add all the wet ingredients - the coffee and honey, the eggs, the butter, and the vanilla extract - to the dry ingredients and beat well (by hand). When the batter is smooth, scrape it into the prepared pan and spread it out evenly.

Bake for 25 to 27 minutes until it springs back when lightly touched in the middle; you can use ye olde toothpick test if you like. Let cool before frosting and cutting.

Make the Icing:
1/4 cup softened unsalted butter
1 tablespoon instant coffee powder
2 cups icing sugar
4 tablespoons very strong brewed coffee

Work the butter in a mixing bowl until smooth and creamy with the coffee powder. Work in the icing sugar as much as possible, then start adding the brewed coffee a spoonful at a time until the whole thing forms a nice smooth consistency.

Spread it evenly over the pan of brownies, let set for a few minutes, then cut into squares - 6 on the short side and 8 on the long side. They keep quite well in a tin - at least a week - and freeze well.




Last year at this time I made Beer-Can Duck.

Posted in: Ontario Food