Black Cocoa Brownies

Step 1/7

• aluminum foil
• parchment paper

Preheat Oven 350 degrees. Line an 8-9 inch pan with baking parchment paper or aluminum foil. Spray or lightly grease the paper/foil. Once the brownies have cooled (the flavor is best the day after baking) you can use the paper/foil to remove the giant brownie for easy slicing into reasonably sized brownies.

Step 2/7

• ⅛ cup Double Dutch Dark Cocoa
• ¼ cups sugar
• ⅛ cup confectioner’s sugar
• ⅛ tsp salt
• ⅛ cup Fine Pastry Flour (Bob’s Red Mill)
• ⅛ tsp Baking powder
• ⅛ tsp espresso powder
• ⅛ cup Dark Chocolate/Semi-Sweet Chips for Baking

• whisk
• bowl

Whisk together all the dry ingredients in a large bowl: cocoa (must be Dutch processed—don’t use the cheap cocoa), sugars, salt, flour, baking powder, espresso powder, and chocolate chips.

Step 3/7

• Glass measuring cup
• Microwave

Scoop out the spectrum shortening into a glass measuring cup. Melt the shortening in the microwave to measure the needed amount. While normal vegetable oil is fine, the shortening is a much stronger binder. It will make the brownies substantial—dense, yet very moist & chewy, and just the right amount of crunch. It’s okay to start drooling now. You’ll thank me when you take your first bite tomorrow.

Step 4/7

• ½ Eggs
• ⅛ cup Spectrum Culinary Shortening
• ⅓ tbsp Water
• ⅓ tsp vanilla extract

• Whisk
• Bowl

Whisk together the eggs, water, and vanilla in a separate bowl until smooth. Make sure the shortening is relatively cool before mixing it in—you don’t want to partially cook the eggs with lava hot shortening.

Step 5/7

Combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula. The mixture will begin to get very dense and difficult to mix—at this point you can use your hands to make sure everything is well combined.

Step 6/7

“Pour” the mixture of heaven into the prepared pan. It won’t pour. Stop trying. Just get it out with a spatula and/or your hands. It’s worth the mild frustration to do this. Spread it out as best you can inside the pan.

Step 7/7

Bake in the over for 35-45 minutes. Set a timer for 35 minutes. When it goes off, stick a toothpick in the center. If it comes out very wet—as though you put the toothpick in the mixture before ever baking—keep baking that shit another 5 minutes. After 5 min, use a new toothpick to do the same thing. If it’s slightly moist with little brownie crumbs stuck to it, you’re golden. If it’s dry you fucked up. But I really hope that ill fate didn’t befall you.