Black Cocoa Brownies
The curse of the favorite tool
A common press question I used to get during the Baked days is “What is your favorite tool?” and it was always asked in way that implies the you are going to surface a new and valuable item or disclose some secretive advice. It is a weird dance, because if you answer honestly which is most likely (for dessert folks anyways) “Whisk” or “Bench Knife” or “Stand Mixer” it sounds unimaginative. If you strain too hard - try to make the answer a bit twee or over the top - it comes across as overwrought. Are journalists looking for some weird tool you found in a back alley at random shop in Tokyo? Are they looking for common items to link via affiliate programs? Do readers care about anyone’s favorite kitchen tool? No one is knocking down my door these days to inquire about my kitchen set up, but if they did, I would tell them that I haven’t had a microwave in many years and I miss it dearly. It is not a favorite tool or kitchen item, but microwaves are useful and unfortunately very UGLY, so until I get an appliance garage (I have never needed anything more than an appliance garage), I am going microwave-less.
I am doing a lot of longing lately. When my brain malfunctions from staring into the abyss of my iPhone for any length of time, I will look up and out a window or maybe ponder the innards of my refrigerator and while this could feel a bit bleak, I think there is solace in removing my eyes from the blue glow - even if it is just a moment - to peer into the void. I am also intrigued about the rise of digital detox retreats. And I want to go on one desperately but I worry I will meet horrible people at these camps. And I would also be without my phone which sounds wonderful but also terrible. And to be completely honest, shock therapy seems much faster and less expensive.
Onto better news: the big winter holidays are nearly here. I plan on leaning into them hard this year. The more saccharine the holiday experience the better. Give me loads of Hallmark holiday stuff a la “girl meets a real life sexy Santa and moves back to her small town in Michigan to start a cinnamon bun business”. I will watch each and every holiday Hallmark special in earnest with bedside hot cocoa and a plateful of cookies. I will light every candle that smells like pine. I will put up a zillion holiday lights. Even the bulky ugly ones. I don’t care. 2025 was a bit of a whirlwind and, for me, self-care is dissolving into a blankets and fireplaces and bathtubs.
Oh, yes, and I did write a cookbook this year. I have been pretty terrible about plugging it, but it is actually quite good. In the meantime, I am sharing some recipes from the book and the one below is PERFECT for casual holiday get togethers.
Black Cocoa Brownies
Serves 16
The cocoa brownie is a peculiar yet pervasive species of the classic brownie. Like me, you might have first become acquainted with this type of brownie through one of many ubiquitous and inexpensive, yet handy, supermarket baking mixes. The cocoa brownies these mixes produce have a pleasant chewy texture, but they are entirely lacking in flavor. But cocoa brownies deserve a place in your repertoire. When executed correctly, a cocoa brownie is an entirely unique dessert that is also blessedly foolproof. For this recipe, I used the gold standard, Alice Medrich’s cocoa brownie recipe, as my jumping-off point and manipulated the ingredients a bit to coax as much flavor potential as possible from these innocuous-looking dark squares.
First, you have to add black cocoa. It makes this brownie pop. It not only provides a gorgeous color, but also adds a pleasant bitterness that is reminiscent of high-cacao-content chocolate bars. Second, use a really good grassy or fruity olive oil. Don’t worry, the flavor of the olive oil will take a backseat to the cocoa, but it will shine through in degrees and create the perfect fudgy texture. Lastly, this brownie needs a heavy dose of flake sea salt when it comes out of the oven, as a flavor enhancer. The end result: a fudgy, slightly rarefied, slightly adult-tasting confection.
¼ cup (20 g) black cocoa powder
½ cup (40 g) unsweetened cocoa powder (natural preferred over Dutch-process)
2½ ounces (5 tablespoons / 75 g) unsalted butter
5 tablespoons (75 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1¼ cups (250 g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ cup (65 g) all-purpose flour
1 generous teaspoon flake sea salt, such as Maldon
Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C) and position a rack in the center. Butter the sides and bottom of a light-colored metal 8-inch (20-cm) square pan. Line with parchment paper so that it overhangs by about 1 inch (2.5 cm) and butter the parchment.
In a small bowl, whisk together the black and natural cocoa powders and set aside. Put the butter in a medium bowl and set the bowl in a large skillet filled about halfway with simmering water. Stir the butter until just melted, then add (in this order) the olive oil, sugar, and cocoa powders and stir until just combined. Remove from the heat—you do not want to accidentally burn the cocoa powder. The mixture will be thick and grainy at this point.
Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking vigorously after each addition until well combined. Whisk in the salt and vanilla. Switch from a whisk to a spatula and add the flour. Fold the flour into the batter until it disappears, then continue to fold for another 30 seconds. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs. Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle with flake sea salt. Let the brownies cool completely. Use a small paring knife to release the brownies from the sides of the pan and pull straight up on the parchment to remove them.
Place on a cutting board, cut into 16 squares, and serve. Leftover brownies freeze extremely well; just be sure to wrap tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. You can eat the frozen brownies directly from the freezer or allow them to thaw for about 30 minutes before serving.