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