The Kitchn: The call of the brownie is inescapable
Ah, the call of the brownie hits us all. Sometimes it's midday, sometimes it's midnight. Dense and rich, neither cake nor fudge, a chewy brownie satisfies that primal need. But sometimes you just don't have every ingredient in the house when the need strikes. You've got some cocoa powder, flour and sugar in the pantry, and just a few eggs in the fridge. Enter these decadent pantry cocoa brownies that are so delicious, you may find yourself making them even when you have a kitchen packed with groceries.
Harnessing the power of blooming cocoa
What makes this brownie work so well is really a technique. To bring out the best in cocoa powder, it often is "bloomed," which means that the cocoa is added to a warm liquid, stirred well until it is lump-free, and then set aside to sit for a few minutes. It will become fragrant, and the cocoa powder will dissolve and thicken. When added to any mixture, that fragrance stays put even after baking. The liquid used for blooming cocoa is almost always water.
Some baking experts like Alice Medrich and Dorie Greenspan love cocoa powder brownies and mix their cocoa powder with oil. I took their advice, and kicked it up a bit by warming the oil and using it to bloom the cocoa.
A handheld mixer makes it better, faster and easier
A simple handheld mixer makes this more than quick and easy -- it ensures a great brownie. This brownie can be made by hand, but the mixing takes quite a long time in this recipe, far longer than most brownie recipes, so I strongly suggest using a handheld mixer.
The faux chocolate mixture needs to emulsify; once well-mixed, it will bake up as smooth as can be. Thoroughly mixing the eggs and sugar makes the top crackle and shine. You can also haul out the stand mixer here and use it with the paddle attachment if you wish.
Mix in the order listed
Mixing is really the second key element to this recipe; the mixture has to be pretty much finished with all the extra mixing before the flour and baking powder are added. I have built in a safeguard in the directions to ensure your brownies are tender every time.
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