Try this French Silk Brownies recipe or contribute your own.
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup (170g) butter
- 1 1/2 cups (297g) granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (90g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (42g) unsweetened cocoa powder*
- 3/4 cup (33g) miniature marshmallows
- 4 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate (chopped)
- 1/4 cup (57g) milk
- 1 cup (205g) heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup (205g) heavy whipping cream
- 1/3 cup (66g) granulated sugar
- Carbohydrate 0.130806458333333 g
- Cholesterol 52.875 mg
- Fat 1.24272541666667 g
- Fiber 0.000552083333333333 g
- Protein 1.572885625 g
- Saturated Fat 0.387421666666667 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (20g)
- Sodium 17.5245416666667 mg
- Sugar 0.130254375 g
- Trans Fat 0.208472416666666 g
- Calories 19 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease or use parchment paper to line a 9x9-inch baking pan.
- In a large saucepan, melt butter.
- Turn heat to low, and stir in sugar. Let cook, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes.
- Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla.
- Let mixture cool for about 5 minutes.
- Whisk in eggs until combined.
- Add flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Whisk in until just incorporated.
- Pour batter into prepared pan, spreading batter as needed.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes. The edges should look done, but the center should still look shiny. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out with a few fudgy crumbs.
- Cool brownies completely in the pan.
- To make the mousse, heat marshmallows, chocolate, and milk in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until completely melted and smooth.
- Cool completely. It's important that this mixture is completely cool. Otherwise you will end up with liquid mousse.
- In a separate bowl, beat whipping cream to stiff peaks.
- Fold in cooled chocolate mixture.
- Spread mousse evenly over brownies.
- Cover, and chill brownies for at least 30 minutes.
- To make the whipped cream, beat cream and sugar together until stiff peaks form.
- Spoon whipped cream over the chocolate layer.
- Brownies can be served at this point, or you can chill them for cleaner cut lines.
- Cover, and chill leftover brownies.
Swapping all-purpose flour for a measure-for-measure gluten-free blend alters the crumb structure completely by removing gluten network formation, yielding a denser and more fragile base. French silk mousse draws its lineage from classic French pastry techniques that rely on emulsifying fat and air. Understanding the thermal reactions in each layer prevents kitchen mishaps like curdled dairy or melted mousse.
- Melt butter and sugar over low heat for two to three minutes to dissolve sugar crystals partially, which promotes a shiny, crackly surface crust during baking.
- Pull the brownies from the 350 degrees Fahrenheit oven when a toothpick inserted in the center emerges with a few moist crumbs; overbaking dries out the crumb.
- Chill the melted marshmallow and chocolate base completely before combining it with whipped cream, otherwise residual heat melts the air bubbles in the cream and produces a liquid consistency.
- Whip heavy cream to stiff peaks separately before gently folding it into the cooled chocolate mixture to maintain maximum volume in the mousse layer.
Proper refrigeration for at least thirty minutes solidifies the fats in both the mousse and whipped cream layers for clean slicing. Storing leftovers in a covered container prevents moisture loss across the exposed edges.
