Spider Web Chocolate Brownies

By Tested and perfected in the Sur la Table kitchen
Images
Spider Web Chocolate Brownies
Serves
Makes 16 brownies
Ingredients
  • Brownies:
  • 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing baking dish
  • 6 ounces (1 cup) semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
  • ½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt

  • Chocolate glaze:
  • 3 ounces (½ cup) semisweet chocolate chips
  • ½ cup heavy whipping cream

  • Spider web:
  • 6 ounces (1 cup) white chocolate chips, melted


Procedure
Preheat the oven to 350°F, with oven rack placed in the center.

To prepare the baking dishes: Grease an 8 inch baking pan and line with parchment paper that overhangs from two edges of the pan. You will use the paper to help you remove brownies from the dish when baked.

To prepare the chocolate: Place butter and chocolate in a medium saucepan and place over low heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until melted. Remove the saucepan from the heat and cool slightly.

To prepare the egg mixture: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, and vanilla until the mixture is pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

To prepare the batter: Pour the melted chocolate into the egg mixture, whisking to combine. Use a silicone spatula to mix the flour and salt into the batter.

To bake: Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, transfer to the oven and bake until the brownies are just set, and the center is slightly gooey, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely, remove from the pan, and cut into 16, 2-inch squares.

To prepare the glaze: Add chocolate chips to a heatproof bowl. To a small saucepan set over medium heat, add cream and bring to a simmer. Pour cream over chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Whisk chocolate and cream together until fully melted and combine; allow to sit for about 10 minutes to set up slightly.

Pour the melted white chocolate into a disposable piping bag.

To assemble: Dip the flat side (bottom side) of each brownie square into chocolate glaze. Set the brownie, glazed side up, on a plate. Cut off a small tip of disposable piping bag with white chocolate. Working with one brownie at a time, pipe white chocolate over the glaze in a spiral, starting from the center and moving toward the edge. Use a wooden skewer or a toothpick to drag the white chocolate from the center towards the edge, creating the spider web design. Clean the tip of the skewer each time you drag it through chocolate for a clean look. Repeat with remaining brownies, glaze, and chocolate. Refrigerate brownies until setup.

Spider Web Chocolate Brownies

By Tested and perfected in the Sur la Table kitchen
Serves
Makes 16 brownies
Ingredients
  • Brownies:
  • 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing baking dish
  • 6 ounces (1 cup) semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
  • ½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt

  • Chocolate glaze:
  • 3 ounces (½ cup) semisweet chocolate chips
  • ½ cup heavy whipping cream

  • Spider web:
  • 6 ounces (1 cup) white chocolate chips, melted


Procedure
Preheat the oven to 350°F, with oven rack placed in the center.

To prepare the baking dishes: Grease an 8 inch baking pan and line with parchment paper that overhangs from two edges of the pan. You will use the paper to help you remove brownies from the dish when baked.

To prepare the chocolate: Place butter and chocolate in a medium saucepan and place over low heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until melted. Remove the saucepan from the heat and cool slightly.

To prepare the egg mixture: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, and vanilla until the mixture is pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

To prepare the batter: Pour the melted chocolate into the egg mixture, whisking to combine. Use a silicone spatula to mix the flour and salt into the batter.

To bake: Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, transfer to the oven and bake until the brownies are just set, and the center is slightly gooey, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely, remove from the pan, and cut into 16, 2-inch squares.

To prepare the glaze: Add chocolate chips to a heatproof bowl. To a small saucepan set over medium heat, add cream and bring to a simmer. Pour cream over chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Whisk chocolate and cream together until fully melted and combine; allow to sit for about 10 minutes to set up slightly.

Pour the melted white chocolate into a disposable piping bag.

To assemble: Dip the flat side (bottom side) of each brownie square into chocolate glaze. Set the brownie, glazed side up, on a plate. Cut off a small tip of disposable piping bag with white chocolate. Working with one brownie at a time, pipe white chocolate over the glaze in a spiral, starting from the center and moving toward the edge. Use a wooden skewer or a toothpick to drag the white chocolate from the center towards the edge, creating the spider web design. Clean the tip of the skewer each time you drag it through chocolate for a clean look. Repeat with remaining brownies, glaze, and chocolate. Refrigerate brownies until setup.