With winter fast approaching, there couldn’t be a better time to try these popular sweet treats, which are ideal with a warming mug of hot chocolate or cappuccino. This recipe from Chocolate Academy gives the classic brownie we know and love a touch of decadence, making it perfect for the holiday season.

Ingredients

Base brownie mix:

208 g butter 82% fat
208 g Callebaut dark chocolate – 811 162 g sugar
162 g dark brown sugar
51 g cocoa powder
115 g all-purpose flour
62 g potato starch
2 g sea salt
231 g whole eggs, at 18- 20°C (64-68°F)

Chocolate decoration:

200 g Callebaut dark chocolate – 811

Chocolate shaving decorations:

200 g Callebaut dark chocolate – 811

Assembly:

50 g Callebaut dark chocolate – 811

Preparation

For the base chocolate brownie mix:

Melt the butter and chocolate together in the microwave
in 30-second bursts. Mix well using a spatula, until all the chocolate is melted.
Add the dry ingredients and whisk well between each addition. Then, add the eggs at the end.
Place the batter into a piping bag and pipe into the molds. Bake at 160°C (320°F) for 12 minutes.
Once baked, place in the freezer for about 30 minutes, until completely cold.
Once cooled, unmold the brownies and place them on a metal tray lined with parchment paper.
Place in the refrigerator and reserve for the assembly.

For the chocolate decoration:

Pour some pre-crystallized chocolate on a guitar sheet and, using an offset spatula, spread it out evenly to obtain a thin layer.
Allow to set for a few minutes until the chocolate no longer sticks to your fingers.
Remove from the guitar sheet and place the chocolate layer on a guitar cutter.
Using a metal scraper, press down the plastic on the the guitar cutter to make lines of 2 cm (0.8 inches).
Place the chocolate sheet on a marble table and, using the guitar cutter’s wires as guidelines and a knife, cut into rectangles of about 12 cm (4.7 inches) long.
Place a guitar sheet on top of the chocolate decorations and place between two metal trays.
Allow to crystallize in the refrigerator for about an hour at 16°C (61°F).

For the chocolate shaving decorations:

Pour some pre-crystallized chocolate onto the marble table. Using a spatula, spread it out evenly to form a thin layer.
Allow to crystallize for a few minutes, until the chocolate is almost solid.
Using a spatula, delicately scrape the chocolate layer and spread the decorations out onto a metal tray lined with a silpat.
Place in the refrigerator for at least an hour at 16°C (61°F).

Assembly:

Remove the guitar sheet from the top of the chocolate decorations.
Using a paper cone, add a small dot of chocolate on top of
each brownie. Then place a rectangle decoration on top, gently pressing, so that it sticks to the brownie.
Place a second dot of chocolate in the middle of the chocolate bar and add a shaving decoration on top.