Mocha Brownies

Coffee turns regular brownies into mocha brownies, and a tablespoon of instant coffee granules dissolved into the warm chocolate-margarine mixture is the move. The coffee doesn’t make these taste like a latte. It deepens the chocolate, pulling out bitter, roasted notes that get muted in plain brownies.

Four squares of semi-sweet chocolate plus four eggs gives these brownies a fudgier-than-cake texture without crossing into wet-batter territory. The 25 to 30 minute bake hits that middle ground where the edges set but the center stays moist.

A full cup of walnuts folded in (plus another quarter cup on top) brings crunch and a buttery contrast to the dense, chewy crumb. Toast the walnuts first if you want the nut flavor to register against the dark chocolate.

The optional cream cheese coffee frosting takes these from good to bakery-counter. It’s just cream cheese, milk dissolved with more instant coffee, and powdered sugar beaten until spreadable. Skip it for a more grown-up brownie or pile it on for dessert-after-dinner energy.

Pro Tips

• Stir the chocolate, margarine, and coffee over low heat. High heat seizes the chocolate and burns the coffee, which turns bitter and gritty.
• Beat the eggs in one at a time, fully incorporating before adding the next. This builds the structure that gives brownies their crackly top.
• Test for doneness with a toothpick. A few moist crumbs clinging is what you want for fudgy. Wet batter means more time. Clean toothpick means overbaked.
• Cool completely in the pan before frosting. Warm brownies melt the cream cheese frosting into a glaze.

Variations

• Use butter instead of margarine for richer flavor. The texture stays the same.
• Swap walnuts for pecans, hazelnuts, or chopped chocolate-covered espresso beans for extra coffee kick.
• Skip the frosting and dust with cocoa powder for a sleeker presentation.