Brownies with extra flavor are a special treat. I mean, there are brownies and then there are brownies. I want the ones with the extra flavor. How about you?
Here and Forks Corks and Brews we like to bake brownies and we like to serve them for dessert. We especially like it when our brownies have a little secret ingredient.
What Makes Our Brownies Stand Out?
When I first learned to bake brownies with Aunt Lorene, she would always put a splash of her coffee in the batter. “This gives our brownies some extra flavor,” she would say.
Aunt Lorene drank really strong coffee, so the flavor made its way through all the chocolate. People loved her brownies and always commented on how special those brown chunks of warm, sticky chocolate were.
What Is Our Secret Ingredient?
Today, I make Aunt Lorene’s brownies the same way. I brew espresso and add it to the brownie batter for extra flavor.
Espresso enhances the chocolate flavor. Make a single shot of espresso and add just a little otherwise your batter will be too wet. This extra flavor in your brownies will make a huge difference.
What Should You Do If You Don’t Have Espresso?
- Kahlua
- Coffee-Flavored Liqueur
- Double-Strength Vanilla Extract
These additions all happened at separate times when I didn’t have espresso powder and I didn’t care for the taste of my strong coffee. A quick look through my cupboard and I found a bottle of Kahlua. It didn’t take much to increase the intensity of the chocolate.
Add one tablespoon of coffee flavored liquor. You can use the sugar free version if you want. Also don’t worry about the alcohol. It will bake out and you will be left with only the extra flavor.
We make our own vanilla at times, using vanilla beans and some type of vodka. If we want an extra intense flavor, we increase the amount of time we use when making the vanilla extract.
Use a French Press?
You can make strong coffee with a french press, and it’s a great alternative to espresso. Use 1/4 cup of coffee grounds to 1/4 cup of boiling water. Mix the water and the coffee together in the french press. After about 3 minutes press the coffee and use it for your brownies.
What Else Could You Do for Extra Flavor in Your Brownies?
- If you like chocolate and orange together, you could add an orange flavored liquor.
- Add a few chocolate chips that are at least 74% cocoa for a richer taste.
- Add caramel or hazelnut liqueur. Pick your favorite flavor and experiment. Remember add just a little so you don’t change the consistency of your batter.
We often add special ingredients to our recipes to give our food extra flavor. Our cinnamon rolls have a special flavor that makes them miles apart from any other cinnamon roll you could ever bake at home.
Do you want to know what coffee beans we buy? Head over to our favorite roaster Manzanita Roasting Company in San Diego, California.
Looking for more dessert recipes? Try our crunchy peanut butter bars. It’s a simple recipe and is easy to make. Plus you can make some with white chocolate.