Secret Tip To Take Any Brownie Recipe (Or Er...Box Mix) Up A Notch

The other night I tried a new (to me) brownie mix.  Bob's Red Mill gluten free brownie mix.  It's tasty but the directions have a glitch.  They say bake for 20-25 mins but after 45 at the specified temp, mine are still rather gooey in the middle.  Like not totally cooked.  But I was jonesing for a browning something fierce so out they came anyway. 

So Better Batter still wins for me, based on accuracy of directions, for gluten free brownie mixes.

But that's really not the point.  Because the Bob's brownies do in fact taste yummy.  Especially because I added my secret brownie weapon.

Now this is super duper secret so please dear friends, mum's the word. 

Ready?  Are you sitting down?  Feet firmly on the ground?

I add one of these single packs or about 1 tsp. of instant coffee (or espresso).



That's it.  That's my secret.  I am telling you, it changes everything.  It makes the chocolate more chocolaty.  Gives a slight mocha note in the background but if you didn't know they contained the coffee, you might know be able to pin point it.  You would just know they had something extra in them.

So the next time you bake a batch of brownies, from scratch or a box mix, try adding a bit of instant coffee to the batter.  I promise you will roll your eyes back in your head with delight!

OK I do have one more trick, but it's not quite as amazing as the instant coffee.  About two minutes before my brownies are finished baking, I pull them out of the oven and sprinkle them with a handful of chocolate chips.  Then pop the pan back in the oven.  Two minutes later when you are bring them out of the oven for good this time, spread the now melted chocolate chips all over with a spatula.  Allow to cool as normal.  Sooo good and stupid easy.

It's funny because I don't really love chocolate.  With one exception.  Brownies.  I LOVE a fudgy, chocolaty brownie.