Ina Garten outrageous brownies are an easy dessert born from a SoHo restaurant legend. The original Chocolate Glob was a dense confection of chocolate dough with chips and walnuts. She turned it into a sheet pan batch recipe that sold from her store for fifteen years.
Stir the eggs and sugar, never beat them, because beating adds air that makes brownies cakey instead of fudgy. Let the batter cool fully before folding in the last 12 ounces of chips, or they melt into the dough.
Source: The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook (1999)
Ina Garten Outrageous Brownies
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy20
servings20
minutes35
minutes655
kcalTriple-chocolate sheet pan brownies with walnuts, made without a mixer. Instant coffee in the batter intensifies the cocoa flavor.
Ingredients
1 pound unsalted butter
1 pound plus 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
6 extra-large eggs
3 tablespoons instant coffee granules
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups chopped walnuts
Directions
- Preheat: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Prepare the pan: Butter and flour a 12 x 18 x 1-inch baking sheet.
- Melt and mix: Melt together the butter, 1 pound of chocolate chips, and the unsweetened chocolate in a medium bowl over simmering water. Allow to cool slightly. In a large bowl, stir (do not beat) together the eggs, coffee granules, vanilla, and sugar. Stir the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Combine dry and fold: In a medium bowl, sift together 1 cup of flour, the baking powder, and salt. Add to the cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the walnuts and 12 ounces of chocolate chips in a medium bowl with 1/4 cup of flour, then add them to the chocolate batter. Pour into the baking sheet.
- Bake and cool: Bake for 20 minutes, then rap the baking sheet against the oven shelf to force the air to escape from between the pan and the brownie dough. Bake for about 15 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not overbake! Allow to cool thoroughly, refrigerate, and cut into 20 large squares.
FAQs
Can I use a different nut instead of walnuts?
Pecans work well here since they have a similar rich, buttery flavor. You could also skip the nuts entirely and add more chocolate chips instead. Just keep the total volume about the same so the ratio of batter to mix-ins stays balanced.
How should I store outrageous brownies?
Wrap them tightly in plastic and keep them in the fridge for up to a week. They also freeze well for up to three months in a sealed container. Bring them to room temperature before serving for the best fudgy texture.
Can I make these ahead for a party?
These are a great make-ahead dessert because they taste better the next day. Bake, cool, and refrigerate them up to a week before you need them. The flavors deepen as they sit, and the texture gets denser and fudgier.
Do I need a special pan for these brownies?
You need a 12 x 18 x 1-inch sheet pan, which is a standard half-sheet pan. A smaller pan will make the brownies too thick, so they won’t bake through in the time given. Line it with parchment after buttering and flouring for easier cleanup.
Why do these brownies call for instant coffee?
The coffee doesn’t make them taste like coffee at all. A small amount of instant coffee deepens and intensifies chocolate flavor, which is a common pastry trick. You won’t taste the coffee, but you’ll notice the chocolate seems richer.
