Indulgent Brownie Shortbread Bars with Ganache Recipe Magic

Brownie shortbread bars tantalize dessert lovers with their decadent fusion of rich textures and layers of indulgence.

These bars represent a delightful culinary crossroads where classic chocolate meets buttery pastry.

Crumbly shortbread provides a sturdy foundation for the dense, fudgy brownie layer that melts effortlessly on your palate.

Smooth chocolate ganache crowns this delectable creation, adding an extra dimension of silky sophistication.

The harmonious blend of sweet and dense ingredients reinvents an ordinary treat into an extraordinary experience.

Skillful baking techniques merge different elements into a cohesive, irresistible dessert that beckons chocolate enthusiasts.

Each bite promises a symphony of contrasting yet complementary flavors that dance across your taste buds.

Storage and Reheat Tips for the Best Texture

Store in Airtight Container: Seal the brownie shortbread bars in an airtight container, separating layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking. Keep at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for maximum freshness.

Freeze for Long-Term Storage: Wrap individual bars tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 2 months, ensuring maximum flavor preservation.

Reheat for Best Texture: Thaw frozen bars in the refrigerator overnight, then let sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before serving. For a warm treat, microwave individual bars for 10-15 seconds or warm in a preheated 325°F oven for 5 minutes.

What Works Well with This Dessert

• Pair with Bold Red Wine: Match the rich, decadent brownie shortbread bars with a full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot. These wines complement the deep chocolate flavors and cut through the dessert's sweetness.
• Enhance with Coffee Companion: Serve alongside a strong espresso or rich cold brew coffee. The coffee's robust profile intensifies the chocolate's depth and provides a delightful contrast to the creamy ganache.
• Create a Flavor Symphony with Salted Caramel: Drizzle a touch of salted caramel sauce over the bars or serve with a small salted caramel truffle. The salt brings out the chocolate's complexity and adds a luxurious dimension to each bite.
• Elevate with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream: Top the bars with a scoop of premium vanilla bean ice cream. The cold, creamy vanilla beautifully balances the rich, dense chocolate and provides a refreshing counterpoint to the warm, intense flavors.

Flavor Combos to Try

• Nutty Chocolate Crunch: Replace half the flour in the shortbread crust with ground almonds or pecans for added texture and rich nutty flavor.
• Salted Caramel Edition: Drizzle homemade caramel sauce over the ganache before it sets, then sprinkle flaky sea salt on top for a sweet-salty contrast.
• Espresso Chocolate Boost: Increase the espresso powder to 2 teaspoons in the brownie batter and add a teaspoon of instant coffee granules to enhance the deep chocolate notes.
• Berry Chocolate Fusion: Swirl raspberry or cherry preserves into the brownie batter before baking, creating beautiful marbled patterns and fruity undertones.

Rich Layers in Brownie Shortbread Bars with Ganache

• Create Luxurious Layered Indulgence: These bars blend a buttery shortbread base with rich chocolate brownies, topped with silky ganache, delivering a decadent three-layer dessert experience that feels like a gourmet restaurant treat.
• Nail the Perfect Texture Contrast: Enjoy the crisp, crumbly shortbread foundation, followed by dense, fudgy brownie layers, and finished with smooth, glossy ganache- creating an irresistible mouthfeel that keeps you coming back for more.
• Master Restaurant-Quality Technique at Home: This recipe demonstrates professional-level baking skills using simple methods like precise temperature control, careful ingredient incorporation, and elegant finishing touches, making you feel like a confident home pastry chef.

What You Need for This Three-Layer Treat

• All-Purpose Flour: A classic base that provides structure and crumbly texture for the shortbread layer.
• Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps create a golden color during baking.
• Salt: Enhances overall flavor and balances the sweetness.
• Vanilla Extract: Brings a warm, aromatic flavor to the shortbread base.
• Cold Butter: Creates a rich, tender crust with flaky layers.

• Unsalted Butter: Provides moisture and richness to the brownie batter.
• Granulated Sugar: Sweetens and helps create a smooth, glossy texture.
• Chocolate Chips: Adds deep chocolate flavor and contributes to the fudgy consistency.
• Large Eggs: Bind the ingredients and provide structure to the brownies.
• Cocoa Powder: Intensifies the chocolate flavor and gives a dark color.
• All-Purpose Flour: Helps bind the brownie batter and provides structure.
• Salt: Balances and enhances the chocolate flavor.
• Espresso Powder (Optional): Deepens and amplifies the chocolate taste.

• Dark Chocolate: Creates a rich, glossy topping with intense chocolate flavor.
• Heavy Cream: Helps create a smooth, silky ganache with perfect consistency.

How to Assemble and Bake with Clean Layers

Step 1: Warm Up the Oven

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)
• Grab an 8×8 inch baking pan
• Line the pan with parchment paper, ensuring complete coverage of bottom and sides

Step 2: Create the Crumbly Base

• Gather these ingredients
• Flour
• Sugar
• Salt
• Vanilla extract
• Cold butter

Mix flour, sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl

Add vanilla extract

Chop cold butter into small cubes

Use a pastry cutter to blend ingredients until they form moist crumbs

Press crumb mixture firmly into pan, creating an even layer

Step 3: Bake the Shortbread Foundation

Slide pan into preheated oven

Bake for 15 minutes until pale golden

Remove and let cool slightly

Reduce oven temperature to 325°F (163°C)

Step 4: Craft the Decadent Brownie Layer

• Butter
• Sugar

Heat until mixture bubbles

Cook for 2 minutes, then remove from heat

• Chocolate chips
• Vanilla extract

Let mixture cool for 10 minutes

Whisk eggs one at a time until smooth

• Cocoa powder
• Flour
• Salt
• Espresso powder

Fold dry ingredients into wet mixture

Spread batter evenly over shortbread crust

Step 5: Bake the Brownie Layer

Bake for 25 minutes

Look for crackled, browned top

Allow to cool completely

Step 6: Create Silky Ganache Topping

Finely chop dark chocolate

Place chocolate in a bowl

Warm cream in saucepan until edges simmer

Pour hot cream over chocolate

Stir until glossy and smooth

Spread ganache over cooled brownies

Swirl with knife for artistic effect

Let ganache set for 1 hour

Step 7: Slice and Serve

Use parchment paper to lift bars from pan

Cut into square pieces

Wipe knife between cuts for clean edges

Enjoy your luxurious treat!

Tips for Smooth Ganache and Firm Shortbread

• Chill Butter Perfectly: Use ultra-cold butter straight from the refrigerator to create a flakier, more tender shortbread crust that holds its shape beautifully.
• Prevent Overmixing Brownies: Gently fold dry ingredients into the wet mixture just until combined to ensure a rich, fudgy texture without developing tough gluten.
• Control Chocolate Melting: Remove chocolate from heat when it's mostly melted, then stir until completely smooth to prevent burning or seizing.
• Test Brownies Accurately: Insert a toothpick near the center- a few moist crumbs are perfect, while completely clean indicates potential overcooking.
• Create Clean Cuts: Warm your knife under hot water and dry completely before slicing to achieve neat, crisp edges on your bars.

Brownie Shortbread Bars with Ganache Recipe

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4.9 from 9 reviews

• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 16 1x

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Description

Irresistible brownie shortbread bars with ganache blend rich chocolate and buttery shortbread into a luxurious dessert experience. Chocolate enthusiasts will savor each layered bite of this indulgent treat that promises pure sweet satisfaction.

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Ingredients

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Primary Ingredients:

Flour:

• 1 cup (120 grams) all-purpose flour (for shortbread crust)
• ⅓ cup (40 grams) all-purpose flour (for brownies)

Chocolate:

• ½ cup (85 grams) semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 4 ounces (113 grams) good-quality dark chocolate (55-60% cacao)

Butter:

• ½ cup (113 grams) cold, unsalted butter (for shortbread crust)
• ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter (for brownies)

Secondary Ingredients:

Sugar:

• ⅓ cup (67 grams) granulated sugar (for shortbread crust)
• 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar (for brownies)

Eggs and Dairy:

• 2 large eggs
• 4 ounces (120 milliliters) heavy whipping cream

Flavor Enhancers and Seasonings:

• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (for shortbread crust)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (for brownies)
• ½ teaspoon coarse Kosher salt (for shortbread crust)
• ¼ teaspoon coarse Kosher salt (for brownies)
• ⅔ cup (60 grams) unsweetened, Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1–2 teaspoons instant espresso powder (optional)

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Instructions

1. Craft a perfectly lined 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper, ensuring complete bottom and side coverage.
2. Blend flour, sugar, salt, and vanilla into a fine crumbly mixture, incorporating cold butter using a pastry cutter until texture resembles moist sand.
3. Compress the dough firmly and uniformly across the pan’s base, creating a compact shortbread foundation.
4. Roast the crust in a 350°F oven until it achieves a delicate golden hue, approximately 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
5. Simultaneously, generate a rich chocolate base by melting butter and sugar together, stirring until bubbling occurs.
6. Remove molten mixture from heat and fold in chocolate chips and vanilla, allowing ingredients to meld into a glossy consistency.
7. Allow the chocolate mixture to cool slightly, then introduce eggs individually, whisking until batter transforms into a smooth emulsion.
8. Sift cocoa powder, flour, salt, and espresso powder into the liquid ingredients, gently incorporating without overmixing.
9. Distribute brownie batter evenly across the pre-baked shortbread crust, ensuring complete coverage.
10. Bake at 325°F for roughly 25 minutes, watching for a crackling surface and slightly puffed appearance.
11. For ganache, finely dice dark chocolate and place in a heat-resistant bowl.
12. Heat cream until microscopic bubbles form around the edges, then cascade over chocolate pieces.
13. Whisk ganache until achieving a luminous, uniform texture.
14. Drizzle and swirl ganache across cooled brownies using a knife or offset spatula.
15. Allow ganache to solidify for approximately one hour.
16. Extract bars from pan using parchment handles, slicing into precise squares with a clean, sharp knife between each cut.

Notes

• Master a foolproof layered dessert combining rich chocolate brownies with buttery shortbread and silky ganache.
• Parchment paper ensures easy removal and clean slicing of the bars without sticking or crumbling.
• Use cold butter for the shortbread to create a flaky, tender crust that provides a delightful textural contrast.
• Sifting dry ingredients prevents lumps and ensures a smooth, even brownie batter with professional-quality results.
• Allow sufficient cooling time between layers to maintain structural integrity and prevent soggy textures.
• Wiping the knife between cuts creates clean, precise edges for a bakery-worthy presentation.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Category: Desserts, Snacks
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 16
• Calories: 319
• Sugar: 21 g
• Sodium: 64 mg
• Fat: 20 g
• Saturated Fat: 12 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 34 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 3 g
• Cholesterol: 47 mg