This recipe is nearly identical to my tried and true Deep and Dark Chocolate Brownieswith the addition of my daily sourdough discard. The discard won't impart any noticable flavor, but it helps to create a delightful texture that leans towards the cakey side of things without abandoning the fudgy deliciousness of a great brownie.
Author: Jennifer from 1840 Farm
Ingredients
4ounces(1 stick) butter, softened and cubed
1cupgranulated sugar
2large eggs
1/2cupsourdough starter discard(unfed)
2Tbsbuttermilk
½cup(60 grams) All-purpose flour
½cup(40 grams) cocoa powder
¼teaspoonbaking soda
¼teaspoonsea salt
2cupschocolate chips, flavored baking chips, or other additions
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 9x9 baking pan with parchment paper to prevent the brownies from sticking to the pan as they bake.
In a small bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Sift if desired or use a dry whisk to aerate the dry ingredients and break up any small lumps.
Combine the softened butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Using a mixer or a wooden spoon, mix until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Add the eggs and beat to fully incorporate. Add the sourdough discard and buttermilk and stir to combine.
Add the dry ingredients in a single addition to the mixing bowl with the butter mixture. Beat just long enough to fully incorporate the dry ingredients. Add your chocolate chips or other additions and stir lightly to evenly distribute them. Take care not to overmix.
Using a spatula, transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan. The batter will be very thick. Spread the batter to evenly cover the bottom of the pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until just set. When baked, the brownies will begin to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick or skewer inserted into the middle of the pan will come out clean.Because of their fudgy texture and high chocolate content, the brownies can seem under baked. Once they have cooled to room temperature, they will set up nicely. Resist the urge to overbake them and you’ll be rewarded with delicious brownies with great texture.
Allow the brownies to cool to room temperature. If desired, sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar or top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
If you don't have a sourdough starter, don't worry. You'll love our favorite traditional recipe for Deep and Dark Chocolate Brownies.Our family lives and bakes around nut allergies, so our farmhouse kitchen is nut free. This recipe uses one of our nut free favorites: Vermont Nut Free Chocolates baking pieces and cocoa powder. You can learn all about them at www.vermontnutfree.com.