After receiving a sample of Lake Champlain Organic Dutch Chocolate Cocoa, I put it to the test with a batch of King Arhur Flour’s Whole Grain Brownies. They are basic brownies cocoa made with whole wheat or whole grain flour instead of white flour — and they are delicious!
That said, this is one of those recipes that should sit for 24 hours before serving. In this case, so the bran can soften and the flavor of wheat won’t be quite so strong.
I baked the brownies in an 8 inch square pan, chilled them overnight and cut into them this afternoon. The first thing I noticed was not the flavor of wheat, but the almost fruity, rich, taste of the cocoa powder. As for the wheat, I could barely taste it even though I used freshly ground regular wheat flour instead of white whole wheat. What I did detect was a very slight hint of nuttiness which was perfect with the coffee and chocolate. And finally, the texture was just how I’d hoped it would be. The brownies were solid enough so that you could cut them neatly and wrap them up for a lunch box or bake sale, but fudgy enough so that when you squished them together with your fingertips, the texture smoothed out. In short, another great use for good cocoa powder and whole wheat flour.
The full version of King Arthur’s Whole Grain Brownies is on their site. If you’re interested in making the half-batch, here’s how I did it. I didn’t change their technique at all, I just halved everything, used a smaller pan and cut a few minutes off the baking time.
King Arthur Whole Grain Brownies
4 oz (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar, tightly packed 7 oz
6 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon espresso powder, optional but recommended
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
3/4 cups whole wheat flour** (3.1 oz) — KA uses white whole wheat
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8 inch square metal pan with foil and spray the bottom with cooking spray.
In a medium size microwave-safe bowl, or in a saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter, then add the sugar and stir to combine.
Return the mixture to the heat (or microwave) briefly just till it’s hot (about 110°F to 120°F) but not bubbling. Don’t worry if it separates; just stir it briefly to recombine a bit. Heating this mixture a second time will dissolve more of the sugar, which will yield a shiny top crust on your brownies. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, and stir in the cocoa, salt, baking powder, espresso powder if using, and vanilla.
Add the eggs, stirring till smooth. Then add the flour and chips, again stirring till smooth. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake the brownies for 27-30 minutes, until a cake tester or sharp knife poked into the center reveals wet crumbs, but not raw batter. The brownies should feel set on the edges and in the center. Remove them from the oven, and cool completely on a rack. Cover and let sit overnight (I kept mine in the refrigerator, but served at room temp) before cutting and serving.
Yield: 1 dozen
martha
I love Vermont and King Arthur flour. Visited the store a couple of years ago during a wonderful weeklong cooking class I attended with my sister. Can’t wait to try these whole wheat brownies.
Kelsey @ King Arthur Flour
Great brownie choice! I must say, I’ve been following your blog for several years and have always loved browsing your recipes and reading your reviews. Come visit us in Vermont sometime!
stephanie
Hi Anna-
In the mood for ccc. Until I go to the grocery store have limited butter. So, which Top Chef recipe should I tackle: Erics or Ericas? I’m sooooo torn. I have read & re-read your reviews. I have tried so many ccc recipes in the past month, that my family is a little CCC-out, but I’m in that mood!!! Thanks
Fallon
That is a nice hearty brownie. This is new to me cocoa powder, sounds like a good brand.
the blissful baker
ohh the idea of using whole wheat flour in a brownie is so intriguing! i’ll definitely try this one out. it’ll make me feel a little less guilty about eating half the pan by myself 🙂
bernadettebear
We used to live in NH and make the trip over to KA, what a treat. Thanks for giving the 1/2 recipe. Just the right size. Can you/would you add nuts to this?
Katrina
Never really thought about all those great things being from Vermont. Forget touring NYC, I’d love to go to each of those places in Vermont, especially Gesine’s, Ben & Jerry’s and Lake Champlain.
Nice looking brownies. I love when they have a little bit of somethin’ like whole wheat flour and still taste great.
Sue
What a lot of memories those would invoke at our house. When we lived in Burlington,(way back when) we loved many of the things you mentioned. I told my husband I was pregnant with our fist child via a Vermont Teddy Bear company Bear Gram, and I’m pretty sure he he sent me some Lake Champlain Chocolates that same week. Both of those companies were pretty new and pretty small at the time. Times have changed!!
Lisa Ernst
This looks like a good, cocoa based brownie with chips other than the whole wheat flour. It never occurred to me that time mellows the assertive quality of whole wheat flour in some recipes. That’s good to know. Have you tried the Valhrona cocoa powder in brownies yet? I’m curious how it compares. I just bought some and it is very deep and rich.