Equipment
Ingredients
Brownie Batter
- 425 g chocolate hazelnut spread, room temperature
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 65 g all-purpose flour, sifted if clumpy
- 85 g semi-sweet chocolate chips
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 197 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 22 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 10 g
- Sodium
- 15 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 3 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 23 mg
- Potassium
- 100 mg
- Calcium
- 24 mg
- Iron
- 0.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 13 mg
- Phosphorus
- 41 mg
- Zinc
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin A
- 10 mcg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 0 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.01 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.03 mg
- Niacin
- 0.1 mg
- Folate
- 4 mcg
- Water
- 5 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 175°C/350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides to easily lift the brownies out later.
In a large mixing bowl, aggressively whisk together the chocolate hazelnut spread and the eggs until the mixture is entirely homogeneous, thick, and glossy.
Add the all-purpose flour to the bowl. Switch to a silicone spatula and gently fold the flour into the wet mixture just until no dry streaks remain.
Fold the semi-sweet chocolate chips into the batter until evenly distributed.
Transfer the thick batter into the prepared baking pan. Use your spatula to spread it into an even layer, pressing it gently into the corners.
Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 22 to 25 minutes. The edges should look set and begin to pull away slightly from the pan, while the center will remain soft but not wet.
Place the pan on a wire rack and allow the brownies to cool completely before attempting to slice them. The residual heat will continue to set the center as they rest.
Chef's Notes
- Because this recipe relies entirely on the structure provided by the hazelnut spread, using room temperature eggs is critical to achieving a smooth emulsion.
- A heavy hand with the mixing once the flour is added is the enemy of a fudgy brownie. Fold with a spatula using a figure-eight motion just until the white flour disappears.
- Though technically a fifth ingredient, a sprinkle of coarse flaky sea salt over the top of the batter right before baking dramatically enhances the chocolate flavor and offsets the intense sweetness.
- These brownies actually improve in texture on the second day. Storing them overnight in an airtight container allows the moisture to redistribute, creating an even chewier bite.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 week — Store in an airtight container. Serve chilled or bring to room temperature.
Freezer: 3 months — Wrap individual squares tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a zip-top freezer bag.
Troubleshooting
Brownies are dry and crumbly instead of fudgy
Cause: Overbaking or using too much flour due to improper measuring
Fix: Serve warm crumbled over vanilla ice cream with extra chocolate syrup.
Prevention: Measure flour strictly by weight and remove brownies from the oven while the center still looks slightly underdone.
Batter is too stiff to spread into the pan
Cause: Cold eggs caused the fat in the hazelnut spread to seize
Fix: Gently warm the outside of the bowl over a warm water bath or microwave for 5 seconds to soften.
Prevention: Always use room temperature eggs when mixing with fat-heavy spreads.
Cultural Context
The brownie is an iconic American dessert created in the late 19th century, traditionally utilizing butter, sugar, eggs, and melted chocolate. This modern, minimalist variation leverages the high fat, sugar, and cocoa content of Italian gianduja-inspired spreads to bypass the need for additional fats or sugars. It represents the global evolution of home baking hacks, prioritizing extreme convenience without sacrificing the decadent texture that defines the classic treat.
