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My brownie preference is that I love them as close to box mix brownies as possible. I’m talking fudgy and chewy, and not cakey (emphasis on NOT). Not to yuck anyone’s yum, because all your brownie choices are valid, but this recipe really caters to the fudgy brownie camp. Chopped-up homemade nougat and dark chocolate make it superbly decadent. A hint of MSG gives these brownies an umami boost and literally makes your mouth water. MSG, or monosodium glutamate, is a flavor enhancer that is used commonly in chips, instant ramen seasoning, and so much more. Make sure you have a glass of milk nearby when eating these brownies because each bite is so rich that you’ll need something to help wash it down!
This recipe was excerpted from 'Mayumu' by Abi Balingit. Buy the full book on Amazon.
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Using kitchen scissors, cut twelve 3 × 8-inch rectangles from the wafer paper sheets and set aside.
Place the raw cashews in a large saucepan. Toast over medium-high heat, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon until lightly browned and fragrant, 4 to 6 minutes. Turn off the heat.
Transfer the toasted cashews to a cutting board and finely chop. Set aside.
Whisk together the cornstarch and powdered sugar in a small bowl. Sprinkle some of the mixture on a silicone mat and set aside.
Place the egg whites in a clean and dry medium bowl. Beat with an electric hand mixer on medium-high speed until they reach soft peaks, 1 to 2 minutes. Keep the bowl close to the stovetop.
Clip a candy thermometer to a medium saucepan. Place the honey, granulated sugar, five-spice powder, and salt in the saucepan over low heat and stir constantly until the sugar is dissolved and reaches the soft-crack stage, between 270°F and 290°F. If you take a spoonful of the syrup and drop it into a small bowl of cold water, you should be able to pull it between your fingers and see it form firm but pliable threads. This can take 5 to 7 minutes.
Ladle ¼ cup of the hot syrup into the medium bowl of whipped egg whites and whisk quickly to temper the whites.
Immediately stir the tempered egg whites into the saucepan using a rubber spatula. Continuously stir the mixture until the mixture reaches the 5-second ribbon stage, 14 to 16 minutes. When you lift your spatula and drizzle some of the mixture on the surface, monitor how long it takes for the ribbons to disappear. They will disappear in the first second initially, but cooking it longer will result in ribbons that disappear after waiting for 5 seconds.
Turn off the heat and fold in the chopped cashews. It’s ideal if the cashews aren’t cold upon folding because it will harden the mixture much faster. Immediately transfer the nougat mixture to the prepared silicone mat.
Sprinkle more of the cornstarch mixture on top, and using a rubber spatula, flatten into a 5 × 5-inch square that’s 1/2 inch thick. While it’s still warm and pliable, cut the square in half and cut across both halves into six equal rows. You should end up with twelve nougat rectangles total.
Wrap each nougat in a wafer paper rectangle by placing each in the center of the rectangle, rolling up and then sealing the ends with a finger lightly dampened with some water. Be careful not to use too much water or the wafer paper will start to disintegrate. You need just enough to pinch the ends closed. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F.
Grease an 8 × 8-inch square pan with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper. You want enough overhang on all sides to be able to lift the baked brownie out with ease later.
Place the chocolate on a cutting board and coarsely chop. Transfer the chopped chocolate to a small bowl.
Cut each of the turrones de casoy into four equal pieces. Each piece should be 1 inch long.
In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, eggs, egg yolks, vanilla, and sugars. Whisk together until smooth and glossy, 2 to 3 minutes.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, kosher salt, MSG, and instant coffee.
Gently whisk the flour mixture into the egg yolk mixture until there are no visible streaks of flour.
Using a rubber spatula, fold in the chopped chocolate until evenly distributed. Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan.
Stud the surface of the batter with chopped turrones de casoy before baking.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes up with only a few moist crumbs. The brownie should barely pull away from the pan. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
When it’s cooled, use the parchment overhang to lift the brownie out of the pan. Cut into 9 squares and serve. Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
How would you rate Turrones de Casoy MSG Brownies?
22 steps for brownies? A non starter for me.
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