The Spiced Life

Musings & Recipes From My Kitchen

  • Home
  • About Me
  • FAQ
  • Dishes By Region
  • Archive and Index
  • Creative Cookie Exchange
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
You are here: Home / brownies / Salted Nibby Bittersweet Brownie Cake

Salted Nibby Bittersweet Brownie Cake

June 2, 2010 By Laura 16 Comments

Sharing is caring!

  • Facebook
  • Yummly
  • Twitter
  • Email


I had a revelation tonight about my relationship with brownies.

I have always strongly preferred chewy, cocoa-based brownies. The fudgy ones just seem too wet to me. And then I was reading this recipe by Alice Medrich, in which she described a particular brownie recipe (this recipe) as a cross between a moist cake and mousse. Not my kind of brownie. Then she suggested serving it out of a round tin in wedges with whipped cream. Oh. My kind of brownie.


It is amazing what a difference serving a fudgy brownie as a moist cake made to my perception of it. And eating it with a fork didn’t hurt either–I confess I’ve never enjoyed bars and cookies that were too goopy and soft to pick up easily. That’s my inner OCD no doubt.


Anyway, this was fantastic. The cacao nibs and salt are not necessary, but they are definitely tasty and elevate the chocolate. Good bittersweet chocolate is a must for this recipe, and the amount of sugar called for means you truly do need a 70% (or right around that) cacao chocolate. A sweeter chocolate will make the cake too sweet. I used Scharffen Berger 70% Bittersweet chocolate.


Salted Nibby Bittersweet Brownie Cake

Closely adapted from Pure Dessert, Alice Medrich

8 oz 70% cacao bittersweet chocolate, chopped
6 T unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 t salt
1 t vanilla
1/3 cup + 1 T (1.2 oz) AP flour
1/4 cup cacao nibs, divided in half
hefty pinch of coarse grey sea salt

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat it to 350 F.

Spray a 9 inch springform pan with cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper (you could also just line an 8 inch square pan with foil for more of a brownie approach and less of a cake approach). Set aside.

Melt the butter and chocolate together by melting in the microwave in 30 second intervals on 50% power. Whisk smooth and set aside.

Using a handheld mixer or a stand mixer, beat the eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla on medium high speed for the stand mixer or high speed for the handheld, until it is thick, pale and ribbony, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the warm chocolate, whisking as you pour the chocolate. Fold in the flour and 2 tablespoons of the cacao nibs. Pour into the prepared pan, and smooth the top level. Sprinkle the salt and the remaining 2 tablespoons of the cacao nibs over the top.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Cool in the pan on a rack. Carefully remove the side of the springform pan (I did not need to loosen with a knife but be prepared to) and then slide a large spatula or cake lifter under the cake but over the parchment paper. Remove to a cake keeper. Slice into wedges, wiping the knife clean in between slices, and serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

Filed Under: brownies, cacao nibs, cakes, chocolate

« Pollo a la Miel (Andalusian Chicken with Honey & Saffron)
Thai Stir Fried Chopped Beef With Basil »

Comments

  1. Jerome says

    June 3, 2010 at 2:23 am

    A Brownie and a whipped cream. They look terrific. I love how you put little crumbles of chocolate on the brownie, it looks crashed and tasty. YUM! 🙂

    Reply
  2. Joanne says

    June 3, 2010 at 5:24 am

    It's all about the presentation I guess! Mind over matter. Looks delicious…love that it's salted.

    Reply
  3. grace says

    June 3, 2010 at 12:04 pm

    yes, salt and cacao nibs! plus, the plop of cream is the perfect enhancement. lovely, laura!

    Reply
  4. Katie@Cozydelicious says

    June 3, 2010 at 9:02 pm

    This is a grown up brownie! It looks wonderful and rich. Yum!

    Reply
  5. Sippity Sup says

    June 4, 2010 at 8:13 pm

    What is it about a brownie (in any form) that makes everyone stop what they are doing and drool. GREG

    Reply
  6. DailyChef says

    June 5, 2010 at 9:32 pm

    This is making me drool. I'm definitely bookmarking this and making it soon.

    Reply
  7. Belinda @zomppa says

    June 8, 2010 at 6:49 am

    Haha…for whatever reason, salt and chocolate go so well.

    Reply
  8. gigabiting says

    June 8, 2010 at 7:22 am

    I love those Scharffenberger cocoa nibs. This looks to be an excellent use of them.

    Reply
  9. C says

    June 8, 2010 at 9:03 am

    I heart brownies, I like all types=} This looks wonderful!

    Reply
  10. C and C Dish says

    June 8, 2010 at 9:05 am

    I heart all brownies, I will take any kind, this looks delicious!

    Reply
  11. TheChocolatePriestess says

    June 8, 2010 at 11:56 am

    Just as I was looking for something to bake today I found this! Thank you!

    Reply
  12. Claudia says

    June 8, 2010 at 7:22 pm

    Heaven on a plate. The cacao nibs… the salt… the addition of creamy vanilla ice cream.Living vicariously again.

    Reply
  13. Kathy Gori says

    June 9, 2010 at 7:40 pm

    chocolate and salt..my husband would love this!

    Reply
  14. FamilySpice says

    June 12, 2010 at 4:53 pm

    I have never met a brownie I did not like. I must get acquainted with this one, too!

    Reply
  15. Avanika [YumsiliciousBakes] says

    June 17, 2010 at 2:12 pm

    Oh yum!! This looks fantastic!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Hi! I’m Laura and I am a recovering history major who has re-channeled all of my passion for learning about the history of different countries to learning about their food culture. That doesn’t mean every dish on here is strictly authentic, but it does mean that even my adaptations are not undertaken lightly. My goal is to show you–by doing–that these dishes are possible in your kitchen. Including desserts because I have quite the sweet tooth! Read More…

Twitter Facebook Pinterest Instagram
Enter your email here and never miss a post!

Popular Posts

  • Restaurant Style Beef Vindaloo
  • Taralli Dolci di Pasqua (Southern Italian Easter Cookies): #CreativeCookieExchange
  • Mexican Ramen Bowl
  • Grandma’s Beef and Noodles
  • New Orleans Style Pain Perdu (French Toast)
  • Moroccan Inspired Couscous Bowl with Ground Beef, Veggies and Caramelized Onions (redux)
  • Saag Gosht (Beef in Fragrant Spinach Sauce)
  • Middle Eastern Scrambled Eggs with Meat and Onion: Review of An Edible Mosaic
  • North Indian Baked Eggs: Review of Seven Spoons
  • Goan Influenced Goat Stew in the Slow Cooker

Copyright © 2008–2023 The Spiced Life