The secret ingredient you didn't know your brownies needed.
I wish I had a deeply personal story to write as an introduction to this recipe, but the truth is, I was obsessed with the combination of black cocoa, caramel and sesame seeds . . .
And I also just wanted brownies.
Dark and fudgy, laced with caramel and topped with crisp black sesame meringue, these brownies are the perfect mid-winter treat. The soft chewy brownie is the perfect contrast to the crisp, powdery meringue, while the earthy black sesame and slightly bitter dark cocoa balances beautifully with the sweetness of the caramel and the lightness of the meringue and comes together into one decadently delicious bite.
These brownies might look complicated or difficult to make— Brownie! Caramel! Meringue!—but they’re actually pretty simple. You can use a jarred caramel sauce—no shame there—and making the meringue couldn’t be simpler: just dissolve the egg whites and sugar in a bowl over simmering water, and then whip it up until it’s stiff and shiny. You’ll be using the same pot of simmering water to make the brownie batter, so you won’t even need to pull out any additional equipment. You can even use the same bowl, as long as you wash it in between!
Whether you’re baking a Valentine’s Day treat or just need a sweet project to get you through the mid-winter slump, these brownies have got you covered. I could keep going, but I feel like I’ve already said too much. Some recipes just speak for themselves.
Enjoy!
Black Sesame Meringue Brownies
(Makes 16)
12 oz dark (60%) chocolate (170 grams)
¾ cup unsalted butter (170 grams, 1 ½ sticks)
½ cup Dutch processed cocoa (45 grams)
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
1 cup white sugar (200 grams) plus ¾ cup (150 grams)
½ cup light brown sugar (100 grams)
3 eggs plus 3 egg whites
1 cup all-purpose flour (125 grams)
1/3 cup caramel sauce, homemade or storebought, at room temperature
¼ cup black sesame seeds (35 grams)
Special equipment: hand mixer or stand mixer, 8x8 metal baking pan, parchment paper.
Method
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and line an 8x8 light-colored metal baking pan with baking parchment, letting the paper overhang the edge for easy removal.
In a bowl fitted over a pot of simmering water, melt chocolate and butter together. Remove from heat and stir in cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt until smooth. (Reserve pot of water for the meringue.)
In the large bowl (preferably of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment) whisk 1 cup (200 grams) white sugar, brown sugar, and whole eggs together until pale and thickened, 3-4 minutes. Switch to a rubber spatula and fold in melted chocolate mixture. Fold in the flour until combined.
Pour brownie batter into the prepared pan and dollop 9 even blobs of caramel sauce on top. Using a toothpick or the tip of a knife, swirl caramel sauce slightly into the batter, leaving large pockets still intact.
Bake brownies until glossy and shiny on top and set in the center, and a toothpick in the center comes out free of brownie batter, 40-50 minutes. (A bit of caramel may come away on the tip of the toothpick, but the brownie itself should be cooked). Remove from the oven, but keep the oven on.
When the brownie has been baking for 30 minutes, start making the meringue. Return the pot of water to a simmer. In a large clean bowl (preferably a stand mixer bowl), whisk together egg whites and 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar. Place the bowl over the pot of simmering water (careful not to let the bowl bottom touch the water) and heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is completely dissolved. The mixture should feel completely smooth when you rub it between your fingers. Remove the bowl from the heat and whisk on high speed until the meringue is stiff and shiny, and the peak on the end of the whisk does not fall over when you invert it. Fold in sesame seeds.
Spread sesame meringue over baked brownies, sprinkle with additional sesame seeds, then return to the oven. Drop the oven temperature to 275 and bake until the meringue is dry and set, 30-35 minutes. Let cool before lifting out the tin and cutting into squares. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Originally posted February 14, 2022.
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