37 Comments
User's avatar
Susan Renee Hennings's avatar

David, you went over the edge with this one. Niagara!

Laura Loewen's avatar

I just made them and they're delicious, fun, and not too sweet. I used Valrhona cocoa and I'm happy with the color--- they don't look burnt to me-- just chocolatey.

And I made them soon enough to be able to comment! Usually I'm past the window.

In short, another good one from DL!

David Lebovitz's avatar

Am glad you liked them and thanks for reporting back! : )

Janet Hughes's avatar

Looks intriguing and I’m

All for trying

Janet Hughes's avatar

I’m all for trying a recipe that uses up egg whites from my ice cream making.

Heide Dolan's avatar

David, where do you buy your cocoa powders in Paris?

David Lebovitz's avatar

I get Valrhona cocoa at G. Detou. They sell it in 1kg bags which is really economical,. more so than the smaller packages Valrhona offers: https://open.substack.com/pub/davidlebovitz/p/g-detou

I think they also have the Cacao Barry too!

Heide Dolan's avatar

Merci!

Michael Jensen's avatar

Dear David,

I would like to place an order for ten kilos of the Brownie Brittle With Candied Walnuts. Thanks very much for your attention to this matter.

Michael

TravlnSuz's avatar

Thanks, & yum!

Butter Birkas's avatar

You are such an amazing baker that I am reticent to offer this recipe, but it was my mother’s brownie recipe and it is outstanding and just so easy. I don’t know where she found it. It was always served on holiday gatherings such as July 4th or for dinner parties served with ice cream. She did not like anything too sweet so this is a brownie for grown-ups. No icing, not frills.

3 oz good unsweetened chocolate

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup sifted flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)

Melt butter and chocolate in a pan.

Add sugar and eggs once the mixture has cooled a bit

Add dry ingredients and mix well

Add vanilla and nuts and stir.

Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes in an 8 inch pan until a toothpick comes out clean, but be careful not to over bake

Sprinkle with confectioners sugar once cooled.

I usually double the recipe. One pan and easy cleanup with a super chocolate blast. Hope you might try these some time! Your devotee, Butter

David Lebovitz's avatar

Thanks for sharing!

Jess A's avatar
3dEdited

lucky friends. they get your cooking, with a dusting of your rye/wry sense of humor!

TravlnSuz's avatar

Hi, David. The pics appear to have pecans in them. My fav!

David Lebovitz's avatar

Yes, I made them both ways, with pecans and another time with walnuts. Both worked well!

AlisonB's avatar

"But if you don’t know what you’re talking about, it’s probably best not to say anything." is the best advice and I wish more people would follow it!

I gave Lieu's book to my sister-in-law without perusing it for myself and now I regret it! Oh darn, guess I'll just have to get a copy for myself, right after I make this recipe.

Mel's avatar

I made a brownie bark at Christmas. For two days, it was very chewy and then it hardens into brittle. It's really a fascinating concept. I think it's the egg whites that make it all come together. I'll give this version a try! Thanks, David!

Suzanne Dunaway's avatar

The munchers who think something is 'burnt' when they see a darker product had better go back and read Harold Mc Gee and get with it. Fake news in the food world! We certainly don't need THAT! I happen to love (very) crispy toast...that little black edge makes my day!

David Lebovitz's avatar

People see "dark" food and then tend to cry "Burnt!" But getting food dark (not burnt) is flavor : )

Suzanne Dunaway's avatar

Agree completely and my clam sauce garlics are just browned around the edges and so much better "burnt" haha.

Micheline Maynard's avatar

How great that you tested this recipe. Kat was kind enough to send me her books, and I just love them. We had several Asian-owned bakeries in Ann Arbor and I can attest for their quality and innovation.

Sue Gordon's avatar

That should be CAKEY, not casket. ARGH!

Sue Gordon's avatar

Okay, I added a whole egg and it worked just fine. It wasn’t casket as I feared it might be, but it probably wasn’t quite as brittle as yours was. My only change was that I didn’t have the courage to bake it for longer than 15 minutes, but it absolutely came out crunchy. I also used some toasted nuts I happened to have and not your wonderful candied walnuts, so it probably wasn’t as sweet as I might’ve liked. But that’s probably all for the good…👍👍

Carollyn Philip's avatar

Thanks for sharing what sounds like a fantastic treat!