Lucca Cafe's Brownies

By mitzzy

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 pound salted butter
• 5 eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons almond extract
• 1 1/2 tablespoons instant coffee
• 3 3/4 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups plus 2 1/2 tablespoons (7 ounces) flour
• 1 cup chopped walnut pieces

Preparation

Step 1

Line 2 (9-inch) square baking pans with foil, and grease the foil.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl set over a pot of simmering water, combine the
bittersweet chocolate and butter, stirring frequently until melted
and combined. Remove from heat and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or
in a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat the eggs, vanilla and
almond extracts, coffee and sugar over high speed until combined
and the mixture increases in volume (it will look almost like
softened ice cream), 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the mixer.

Beat in the melted chocolate and butter over low speed just until
combined. Add the flour and nuts and stir just until incorporated.

Pour the batter into the pans, dividing evenly between the 2 pans.
Bake the brownies until barely set: A crust will form on top, and a
toothpick inserted will be very gooey (though not wet like the
batter), 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove the brownies and cool to room temperature, then refrigerate
the brownies (still in the pans) for at least 6 hours to chill and
fully set.

Ganache and Assembly:

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons milk
7 1/2 tablespoons salted butter
Prepared brownies
4 ounces white chocolate

Place the bittersweet chocolate in a large bowl.

In a large saucepan, combine the cream, milk and butter and bring
to a boil over high heat. Remove from heat. Pour the mixture over
the chocolate and stir until the chocolate is melted and combined
with the cream mixture, forming a ganache.

Remove the chilled brownies from the refrigerator, and invert the
pans over a cooling rack set over a large rimmed baking sheet (the
sheet will catch the excess ganache when it is poured over the
brownies). Peel the foil liner away from the brownies.

Pour the ganache over the brownies, making sure it covers the tops
of both batches (do not worry about the sides, as these will be
trimmed when the brownies are cut).

Set the brownies aside to allow the ganache to cool and set.

Melt the white chocolate (place it in a glass container and heat it
in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds or so, until completely
melted). Place the white chocolate in a piping bag, coronet or a
sealable plastic bag (after the chocolate is added to the bag, trim
one of the tips to the desired size to make a makeshift piping bag).

Streak the brownies with the white chocolate, then set them aside
to give the white chocolate time to harden.

Trim the edges from the brownies, then cut the brownies into
squares; each pan makes about 9 (3-inch) squares.

Servings: 18 brownies