Brownies

Mix these moist and decadent brownies by hand in just minutes.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp corn syrup or honey
2 tsp vanilla
Pinch of salt
1/3 cup flour
1/2 cup walnuts or pecans

Directions:

Stir the cocoa and melted butter until smooth. Add eggs, sugar, corn syrup or honey, vanilla and salt and mix well. Add flour and stir until just combined. Stir in walnuts and that’s all there is to it.

Pour into a greased 7” pan or cheesecake pan. (Or a 6” pan - cook times below.) Cover tightly with tin foil. Put 1 1/2 cups of water in the Instant Pot and put the brownies on the trivet. 

Close and set the valve to Sealing. Push Pressure Cook (or Manual) and adjust time using the + or - button to get to 25 minutes (fudgy texture) or 35 (cakey brownies). 

For a 6” pan or bundt pan, cook for 28 min. (fudgy) or 38 (cakey). 

When it beeps that it's done, leave it for 15 minutes natural release. Flip the valve to Venting and when the pin drops, remove the brownies. Take off the little tin foil hat so the brownies can cool.

When cold, dust with powdered sugar or top with the icing of your choice. Vanilla, Mint or Coffee Buttercream are favourites with chocolate brownies.  

Coffee Buttercream Icing

1 tsp instant coffee
2 tsp hot water
3 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2-3 tsp milk

Dissolve the coffee in the hot water and let it cool a few minutes. Beat the butter, sugar, coffee and vanilla together and add milk a little at a time until the icing is spreadable. Easily adjust the consistency by adding more powdered sugar or milk.

This is a basic buttercream icing that can take on any flavour. For vanilla buttercream, omit the coffee and hot water. For mint icing, omit the vanilla and add 1/4 tsp peppermint extract. For an orange buttercream, replace the milk with orange juice and add a little grated orange zest.