Coffee Brownies Draft

How I make it

Brownies

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

2. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, a pot set over a larger pot of gently simmering water. Make sure the top pot doesn't touch the water.

3. In a medium bowl, beat the butter and sugar for 3 minutes. Add the melted chocolate and beat well.

4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each.

5. Sift in the flour, baking powder and cocoa, add the dissolved coffee and beat just until even.

6. Divide the batter between the loaf pans and spread evenly, or divide it among 14 silicone mold cavities (set side by side on a large flat baking sheet), filling them halfway.

7. Bake on the middle rack for 18-20 minutes (for either kind of pan), until the tops are dry and the centers spring back when touched.

8. Take out of the oven, cool for 10-20 minutes and unmold.

Sauce

1. Pour the cream into a small heavy-bottomed saucepan and heat until almost boiling.

2. Remove from the heat and add the white chocolate and dissolved coffee. Wait a minute, then whisk until smooth.

3. Add the cornstarch mixture and stir well. Return to low heat and cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens slightly.

4. Remove from the heat and whisk for another minute to cool the sauce a little.

5. Strain into a pitcher or bowl and press plastic wrap onto the surface so no skin forms.

Serving

1. Put a cake or a slice on a plate, spoon some of the sauce, warm or cold, over it and garnish with chocolate shavings.

What I've learned

• You can also melt the chocolate in the microwave: heat for 30 seconds (no longer!), stir, and repeat until fully melted.
• The sauce is quite thin while hot, thickens a little as it cools, and a bit more after chilling.
• For the shavings, I run a vegetable peeler along the side of a thick block of chocolate. I've used a two-layer block, milk and white chocolate.