Cadbury Egg Brownies

If there is one holiday around here have only a handful of sacred traditions, it would be Easter. I can't entirely blame the pandemic for making this holiday seem so uneventful. If it weren't for Fannie May cream eggs (vanilla buttercream covered in dark chocolate), a jar filled with chocolate bunnies, and some baked loaves of Houska, Easter really doesn't look any different than most other non-holiday weekends. For the life of me, I don't really know why this is. Maybe as a kid I wasn't a big fan of a baked ham, so there wasn't anything to endear me (food wise, that is) to this holiday. But maybe if a leg of lamb was the traditional dinner from my childhood. things would be different. Who knows, maybe next year Easter will get the same love and attention as Thanksgiving and Christmas. Anything is possible.

Whether it was a bit of guilt or walking down the Easter candy aisle at the grocery store, I have to give them both the inspiration credit for these Cadbury Egg Brownies. Given the choice between a lamb shaped pound cake slathered in whipped cream and these fudgy, slightly decadent, fun looking Cadbury Egg Brownies to enjoy during the Easter weekend, I am definitely choosing these brownies. 

Last year, I made Cadbury Egg and Milk Chocolate Levain Style Cookies using packages of mini Cadbury eggs. When the Easter season was over, I had forgotten to stock up on bags of Cadbury eggs so I could continue making the cookies for weeks, even months afterwards. Having learned my lesson last year, I will be hoarding at least a half dozen bags of the mini Cadbury eggs before they disappear from the grocery story shelves. Because these Cadbury Egg Brownies (and cookies) shouldn't be made only at Easter. With my current stash of packages of Cadbury Eggs having expiration dates going into November, the brownies (and cookies) will have at least another six months of life until they get put on a short hiatus. 

When it comes to the texture of brownies, I will take a hard pass at a cakey brownie. But if you give me a really really good, drop the mic, double chocolatey, fudgy brownie, just don't get between me and them. They are one of my favorite things. And the recipe for these Cadbury Egg Brownies are the kind fudgy brownie lovers will swoon over. Melted chocolate, Dutch process cocoa, espresso powder, brown sugar and chocolate chips all contribute to giving these brownies a deep, rich chocolatey flavor. Having only a cup of all-purpose flour, but two eggs, an egg yolk, a half cup of granulated sugar, a half cup of brown sugar, and a half cup butter all play a role in the brownie's fudgy texture. A good quality vanilla and some Kosher salt ramp up their flavor. And, last but not least, the smashed up mini Cadbury eggs add crunch and an irresistible finished look.

Making homemade brownies takes a little more time than making ones from a boxed mix, but they are simple to make and well worth the effort. The best thing about these homemade brownies is you don't need to use a mixer. A whisk and a spatula are all you need to make the batter.

Given a choice between a thin, fudgy brownie and a slightly thicker, fudgy brownie, I am going to choose the thicker brownie every time. Using an 8" square versus a 9" square baking pan help to create irresistible, thicker, fudgier brownies. To smash the mini Cadbury eggs, put them in a zip lock bag and use a rolling pin (or large canned good) to break them up. You don't want to smash them to smithereens, you want to make sure they just broken up enough. 

Always, always preheat your oven before baking. I generally turn the oven on when I start assembling the brownies. By the time I have the brownies in the pan, the oven has preheated to the 350 degree (F) mark. Here's another baking tip. Always, always place your baking pan on a large sheet pan. This helps the brownies bake evenly. There is nothing worse than having the bottom of your brownies burn.

Allowing the brownies to cool to room temperature and then chill in the refrigerator for several hours makes them easy to cut. The Cadbury Egg Brownies are good temperature, but they are even more delicious when slightly chilled.

The 8" square pan will yield 16 two inch brownies. Giving you more than enough to enjoy yourself and share with friends! 

Anyone who really loves chocolate is bound to fall deeply madly in love with these scrumptiously decadent Cadbury Egg Brownies. And anyone who loves chocolate, fudgy brownies, and Easter will be over the moon over them. But remember, don't pigeon hole these Cadbury Egg Brownies in the Easter dessert category. Their season needs to be and is worthy of lasting longer than forty days. If you hadn't already bought a package or two or three of mini Cadbury eggs, run out to the grocery store the morning after Easter and buy as many packages (on sale!) as your heart desires (remember, check those expiration dates!). 

Happiest Easter blessings to you! 

Recipe

Cadbury Egg Brownies

Makes 16 two inch very fudgy brownies

Ingredients

3/4 cup (98g) all-purpose flour

1/4 cup (24g) Dutch process cocoa

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

1 teaspoon instant espresso

1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter

6 ounces (170g) semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 (100g) granulated sugar

1/2 cup (110g) light brown sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 large egg yolk, room temperature

2 teaspoons good quality vanilla

4 ounces (115g) semisweet chocolate chips (to mix into the batter)

7.3 ounce (208g) package of Mini Cadbury Eggs, smashed up using a rolling pan or canned good

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line an 8"x 8" baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

2. Sift together the flour, salt, cocoa, and instant espresso powder. Set aside.
3. In a medium sized saucepan, melt the butter and 6 ounces/170g of the semisweet chocolate chips. When the chocolate has melted remove from the heat. Let sit for 1 minute.
4. Whisk in the granulated sugar and brown sugar into the chocolate/butter mixture until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a medium sized bowl.
5. Whisk in the eggs and egg yolk one at a time until fully incorporated.
6. Whisk in the vanilla.
7. Fold in the flour mixture just until there are barely any streaks.
8. Fold in the 4 ounces/115 g semisweet chocolate chips using a spatula.

9. Spread the brownie batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the top with an offset spatula.

10. Sprinkle the smashed up mini Cadbury Eggs over the top.

11. Place the baking pan on a baking sheet and place in the oven. Bake in the preheated 350 degree(F) oven for 25-30 minutes or until the top has set or when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out relatively clean. Note: Do not over bake.

12. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack.
13. When the brownies come to room temperature, cover tightly with aluminum foil and chill for at least 6 hours or overnight before cutting.
14. Cut the chilled brownies into 16 even pieces.
15. Pour yourself a big glass of milk or a hot cup of coffee (or tea) and get ready to experience pure brownie joy!
16. Store the Cadbury Egg Brownies in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Eat chilled or at room temperature. I prefer them a little chilled as the brownie tastes even fudgier.

Equipment Needed:

Whisk

Spatula

Offset spatula

8" square baking pan

Kitchen scale or measuring cups

Measuring spoons

Saucepan (for melting butter and chocolate)

Medium sized bowl

Notes: (1) I used Gold Medal all-purpose flour. The gram weight for this flour ranges from 125 to 130 grams. I split the difference and used 128 grams. A cup of lighter all-purpose flours (like King Arthur) could weigh as much as 140 grams. (2) I used the Nestle Dark Chocolate (53% cacao) Dark Chocolate Morsels. (3) These are really good brownies all on their own. Make them year round without the smashed mini Cadbury eggs. Just lightly sprinkle them with flaky sea salt before putting them in the oven.