What’s that you say? You want a rich, indulgent, gooey brownie slab that’s dark enough to celebrate a TV show that simply oozes the very meaning of dark? You, my friend, have come to the right place. Look no further for a delicious brownie recipe. Make sure your senses are sharp. Let’s take a stab at it.
Contents
The Bake
I love a brownie slab and I love my brownies as rich as can be. See my TLOTR: Return of the King brownie tower and my Arthur Christmas brownie slippers for further proof!
It’s no secret that brownies are a firm favourite across the globe – and for good reason. So, I wanted to create a recipe for a brownie that celebrated one of my favourite TV series in recent times. I’m a big fan of The Addams Family and for me, Netflix’s Wednesday hit the nail on the head.
For my indulgent brownie design, I went for a round shape because I knew I wanted to add a spider web design and it felt more dramatic that way. The web is made from a dark chocolate ganache and is simply piped on as the last element.
The silhouette of Wednesday was done by drawing and cutting out her silhoutte on some baking parchment, placing it on the brownie before dusting icing sugar over the rest of the brownie slab.
I wanted a black and white effect because Wednesday’s outfits are just those colours. Plus, it’s my homage to the way the show added more balance to the colours in her outfits as her character developed throughout the series. For real, who doesn’t love some strong character development?
The key to this gooey brownie slab is the chocolate.
I prefer my brownies nice and rich, so I use 85% dark chocolate (I’ll happily eat 90% dark chocolate in bar form). It’s so important to use a high quality, high cocoa content dark chocolate because that’s where the depth of the flavour comes from.
That’s how you achieve the rich, indulgent type of brownie that you’re here for! I also use a dark chocolate, high quality cocoa powder for even more richness.
There are so many wonderful brownie recipes out there and so many different methods on how to make them. I’ve tried a variety of recipes and methods in my time but a recipe requiring you to whisk and fold is my favourite way of making brownies.
One that requires whisking the eggs and sugar together separately, rather than in with the chocolate/butter mix immediately, and then folding everything together. This method is one I found through BBC Good Foods. As for the sugar, I chose light brown sugar because I personally like the richer taste but you can just as easily use caster sugar or dark brown sugar.
Top Tips
- It’s so important to fold your whisked egg/sugar mix gently into the chocolate/butter mix after and then fold gently again when combining with the dry ingredients. Try not to be impatient with this part as this technique is where you absolutely smash that gooey brownie slab that you’re after.
- Make sure to lift your silhouette cut out gently and slowly; up and away from your brownie slab. This way you are far less likely to spill any unwanted icing sugar back over your slab.
- Pipe the ganache slowly. It’s pretty thick so you want to move with as much precision as possible.
- The longer you leave your brownie in the oven, the drier it becomes. For a properly gooey brownie, make sure not to leave it in the oven for longer than recommended in the recipe.
This brownie slab is so indulgent and so delicious. It’s the perfect treat to go with a night in watching Netflix’s Wednesday, wouldn’t you say? Perhaps you’re going old school and watching The Addams Family and The Addams Family Values, too. Warm your brownie slice in the microwave for 20 seconds and top with cream or ice cream for a darkly satisfying dessert. Enjoy!
Happy baking, happy eating!
The Recipe
Ingredients
Brownie slab:
- 150g [¾ cup + 1 tbsp] 70% (or higher) dark chocolate chopped
- 150g [5.25 oz] unsalted butter
- 3 medium eggs or 2 large eggs
- 205g [1 cup] light brown sugar (or caster or dark brown sugar)
- 75g [¼ cup + 3 tbsp] plain [all purpose] flour
- 35g [¼ cup + 1 tbsp] high quality cocoa powder
- 100g [½ cup] milk chocolate chunks
- 100g [½ cup] dark chocolate chunks
Decoration:
- 50g [¼ cup] 70% (or higher) dark chocolate
- 1 tbsp double [heavy] cream
- Icing [confectioners] sugar to dust
Serves: 10+
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Baking time: 25 – 30 minutes
Decorating time: 20 minutes
Method
Brownie slab:
- Preheat your oven to 180°C [350°F] or 160°C fan.
- Grease and line a deep 20cm (8 inch) cake tin.
- Melt the dark chocolate and butter together over a bain marie or in 20 second intervals in the microwave.
- Whisk your eggs and sugar together in a glass bowl until the colour of the sugar is lighter and the eggs have doubled in size. Until light and fluffy.
- When your chocolate and butter mix is completely melted, leave to cool for a few minutes.
- Weigh out the flour and cocoa powder in another bowl.
- Once the chocolate and butter mix has cooled, pour over your whisked eggs and sugar and fold gently until combined. Take your time with this so you don’t knock all of the air out of your eggs!
- Pour in the flour and cocoa powder and gently fold again.
- Fold in your chocolate chunks.
- Pour your brownie mix into your lined tin and bake for 25 – 30 minutes. Your brownie slab should look dry and possibly cracked on the surface.
- Leave to cool on a cooling rack completely.
Decoration:
- Trace/draw Wednesday’s silhouette on some baking parchment.
- Cut the shape out and then fold slightly to snip the gaps between her hair and neck. Carefully cut each side out to complete the silhouette.
- Place your silhouette on your brownie and dust the sugar over the entire thing with a sieve, making sure that the silhouette stays in place.
- Very carefully lift the baking parchment silhouette up and away from the brownie. You should have Wednesday’s silhouette as the only uncovered section of your brownie.
- If there is any sugar disturbing the silhouette shape, simply brush away with a very small decorating brush.
- Melt the dark chocolate in the microwave in 20 second intervals. Stir in between to make sure the chocolate doesn’t catch.
- Add in the double cream and mix until the chocolate has thickened.
- Pipe the ganache in the spider web shape over the sugar. Take your time as the ganache will be thicker than you expect. Start with the four points of a cross, then fill in the diagonal lines, as if you’re cutting a pizza. Then add the rest of the webbing in drape-like shapes.
This deliciously rich brownie slab can be cut like a cake and served warm (microwave for 20-30 seconds) with cream or ice cream. The brownie will last for 4-5 days in an airtight container. Enjoy!
The TV Show
Wednesday has a fresh feel to it but pays homage to the essence of this world and the past versions of the family story.
The obvious difference with this show is that it focuses on Wednesday Addams herself, with the family as a whole coming second. Having *quite comfortably* gotten herself thrown out of multiple schools over the years, Wednesday is sent to the very boarding school that her parents attended.
In the beginning, she is determined to escape the confines of Nevermore boarding school, scheming and planning her way out until she is confronted by a mystery that is too enticing to leave alone.
A self-proclaimed loner in a boarding school full of unique characters that are seen as lesser beings by their town-based neighbours, Wednesday remains true to herself (something I love about this character) and shows no fear when she is caught in the crossfire of a series of inter-connecting crimes.
The series follows Wednesday’s school years at Nevermore boarding school.
It’s at this time that she is grappling with developing and controlling her psychic abilities. Wednesday herself is played by the exceptional Jenna Ortega and the show is filled to the brim with fantastic performers.
The likes of Gwendoline Christie; Luis Guzmán and Catherine Zeta-Jones are joined by young talent like Isaac Ordonez, Emma Myers, Joy Sunday, Hunter Doohan, Percy Hynes White, Moosa Mostafa and Georgie Farmer. PLUS, the O.G. herself, Christina Ricci stars.
The character of Hand is performed impeccably by artist Victor Dorobantu and is not a performance to be missed, I have to say.
Based on the characters created by Charles Addams, Wednesday is the brainchild of Miles Millar and Alfred Gough, alongside fellow writers Kayla Alpert, April Blair and Matt Lambert and directors Tim Burton (whose creative style and stamp on this series is so obviously present throughout), Gandja Monteiro and James Marshall.
This show is a dark comedy entwined with mystery of a fantastical nature and the classic style of Tim Burton, wrapped up in a super quirky coming of age story. If you haven’t seen it, I really recommend it. It’s a hit for a reason. I will say no more, other than the fact that I’m buzzin’ for season two.
Recipe Card
Brownie Slab | Wednesday Addams
Ingredients
For the brownie:
- 150 g [¾ cup + 1 tbsp] 70% or higher dark chocolate – chopped
- 150 g [5.25 oz] unsalted butter
- 3 medium eggs or 2 large eggs
- 205 g [1 cup] light brown sugar or caster or dark brown sugar
- 75 g [¼ cup + 3 tbsp] plain [all purpose] flour
- 35 g [¼ cup + 1 tbsp] high quality cocoa powder
- 100 g [½ cup] milk chocolate chunks
- 100 g [½ cup] dark chocolate chunks
For the decoration:
- 50 g [¼ cup] 70% or higher dark chocolate
- 1 tbsp double cream
- Icing [confectioners] sugar to dust
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180°C [350°F] or 160°C fan.
- Grease and line a deep 20cm (8 inch) cake tin.
- Melt the dark chocolate and butter together over a bain marie or in 20 second intervals in the microwave.
- Whisk your eggs and sugar together in a glass bowl until the colour of the sugar is lighter and the eggs have doubled in size. Until light and fluffy.
- When your chocolate and butter mix is completely melted, leave to cool for a few minutes.
- Weigh out the flour and cocoa powder in another bowl.
- Once the chocolate and butter mix has cooled, pour over your whisked eggs and sugar and fold gently until combined. Take your time with this so you don’t knock all of the air out of your eggs!
- Pour in the flour and cocoa powder and gently fold again.
- Fold in your chocolate chunks.
- Pour your brownie mix into your lined tin and bake for 25 – 30 minutes. Your brownie slab should look dry and possibly cracked on the surface.
- Leave to cool on a cooling rack completely.
- Trace/draw Wednesday’s silhouette on some baking parchment.
- Cut the shape out and then fold slightly to snip the gaps between her hair and neck. Carefully cut each side out to complete the silhouette.
- Place your silhouette on your brownie and dust the sugar over the entire thing with a sieve, making sure that the silhouette stays in place.
- Very carefully lift the baking parchment silhouette up and away from the brownie. You should have Wednesday’s silhouette as the only uncovered section of your brownie.
- If there is any sugar disturbing the silhouette shape, simply brush away with a very small decorating brush.
- Melt the dark chocolate in the microwave in 20 second intervals. Stir in between to make sure the chocolate doesn’t catch.
- Add in the double cream and mix until the chocolate has thickened.
- Pipe the ganache in the spider web shape over the sugar. Take your time as the ganache will be thicker than you expect. Start with the four points of a cross, then fill in the diagonal lines, as if you’re cutting a pizza. Then add the rest of the webbing in drape-like shapes.
Notes
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