Finally a brownie recipe on my blog! I tested and tried for so long until I have 100% satisfied with the result. I was always hesitant, because great brownies are never healthy, and that is what I am all about. So I did my best to keep it as wholesome as possible, without compromising taste, gooeyness and crinkly top. Here is my small batch crinkly top brownie recipe!
So, how is this crinkle top brownie recipe healthy? Well, I have used high quality products; dark chocolate in stead of milk or semi sweet chocolate, spelt flour in stead of all purpose (1-on-1 gluten free flour works perfectly as well!), avocado or coconut oil in stead of canola oil, coconut sugar in stead of dark brown sugar and organic cane sugar in stead of refined white sugar. Long story short, I substituted for semi healthy choices, but I didn’t cut down the amounts of sugar, because that would alter the final result.
To keep you from over indulging, I made it a small batch recipe! So that is kind of healthy as well, right?
Small batch brownies
This brownie recipe is made in a small (ceramic) baking pan that measures 7×11 inch / 18×28 cm. The recipe yields 15 small, 2½ x 2½ inch / 6×6 cm squares. If you want to make a bigger batch, you can double the recipe. That is enough to fill a 9×13 inch / 23×33 cm baking pan.
Crinkly top
Let’s talk about the crinkle top first. It is the best, right? Well, I did some research and I found out it is all in the eggs. You have to whisk them hard and long to incorporate air. Together with the sugar it will become semi stiff just like meringue. So what you see is actually a thin layer of bake meringue on top!
I also bake them at a slightly lower temperature to ensure that thin, glossy top layer…
How do I make these small batch crinkle top brownies?
How I start…
I start by preheating the oven to 170C/340F and line a 7×11 inch / 18×28 cm with parchment paper. And I take out my kitchen scale. If you don’t have a scale I have added cup measuring in the recipe below as well. I just prefer weighing my ingredients. It is more accurate.
Melt the butter and chocolate au bain marie
In a double boiler (au bain marie) I melt the chocolate and butter together. Once it is melted I transfer it to a large mixing bowl.
How do you melt chocolate au bain marie? Adding chocolate to a sauce pan and heat it up, won’t melt your chocolate properly, it will burn and become lumpy. Melting it over water will give silky smooth results. When melting chocolate over water (au bain marie), you want to make sure your chocolate never comes into contact water, as it will become grainy and clump together. So in order to do that you should fill a medium saucepan with about 2 inch/ 4cm of water, place it over a medium heat and bring it to a gentle simmer. Then place a heatproof bowl on top of the pan so that it fits snuggly, but doesn’t touch the water. Now you can add chunks/ droplets of chocolate to the bowl, and leave to melt for 4-5 mins, while stirring regularly. Your melted chocolate will be silky smooth.
Adding the dry ingredients
I add the cocoa powder to the melted chocolate mixture and stir to combine it with a (wooden) spatula. After I have combined the spelt flour and baking powder in a separate small bowl, I add it to the chocolate mixture and stir it in.
Add some of the wet ingredients
Now I add the oil and vanilla extract to the chocolate mixture for the brownie batter and incorporate it. I don’t use a whisk; I just use a spatula and fold it all in. No need to whisk vigorously!
Whisk together eggs and sugars
In a tall container I whisk together the eggs and both sugars until foamy and semi stiff (peaks are starting to form). I usually use a handheld mixer, but it can also be done by hand with a regular whisk.
Make the final brownie batter
I fold the egg mixture into the brownie batter with a spatula until just combined. The trick is to keep as much air in the batter as possible.
Bake the brownies
I pour the brownie batter into the prepared baking pan and bake it in the preheated oven for 25-28 minutes. The crinkle top brownies are ready when the center of the brownies has just set.
Take it out of the oven and let it cool completely before cutting it. While it is cooling off, it will continue to stiffen up and the crinkly top will form. So try not to give in! Just wait until it has cooled off!
I think this is the one recipe we all truly love the most! Brownies are the best! I hope you will love them too. They are
gooey on the inside and crinkly on the outside – so rich and chocolaty – fun to bake with kids – & just so delicious!
Are you a chocolate lover as well? Then you might like these brownie cookies as well or this triple chocolate banana bread, chocolate bark, gooey brownie muffins and my chocolate brownie pie.
Small batch, crinkle top brownies
Equipment
- 1 7×11 inch baking pan (or double the recipe and use a 9×13 inch pan)
Ingredients
- 70 gr salted butter (or unsalted, but add ½ tsp of salt to the dry ingredients later)(approx. 5 tbsp)
- 120 gr dark chocolate (chopped)(or sub semi sweet chocolate)(approx. 4 oz.)
- 15 gr cocoa powder (approx. 2 tbsp)
- 80 gr spelt flour (or sub white whole wheat flour, all purpose flour or even 1-on-1 gluten free flour)(approx. ⅔ cup)
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- 2 large eggs
- 60 gr avocado oil (or sub coconut or olive oil)(approx. ½ cup)
- 150 gr organic raw cane sugar (or sub regular white sugar)(approx. ¾ cup)
- 50 gr coconut sugar (or sub dark brown sugar)(approx. ¼ cup)
- 1½ tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 340F/170C and line a 7×11 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- Melt the chocolate and butter together in a double boiler/au bain marie(Scroll up in the blogpost to read how). Once it is melted transfer it to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the cocoa powder to the melted chocolate mixture and stir to combine with a (wooden) spatula. Combine the spelt flour and baking powder in a separate small bowl, and then add it to the chocolate mixture and stir it in.
- Now add the oil and vanilla extract to the chocolate mixture. Use a spatula to fold it all in. No need to whisk vigorously, it is better to just fold it in until just combined!
- Whisk together the eggs and both sugars in a separate (tall) container/bowl until foamy and semi stiff (peaks are starting to form). Either use an electric handheld mixer, or do it by hand with a regular whisk.
- Fold the egg mixture into the brownie batter with a spatula until just combined. The trick is to keep as much air in the batter as possible.
- Pour the brownie batter into the prepared baking pan and bake it in the preheated oven for 25-28 minutes. They are ready when the center of the brownies has just set.
- Take it out of the oven and let it cool completely before cutting it. While it is cooling off, it will continue to stiffen up and the crinkly top will form.
Notes
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?
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