Ingredients
Brownies (base):
- 2 cups softened butter
- 3 cups white sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 8 eggs
- 1 Tbsp vanilla
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting:
- 6 large egg whites
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups UNSALTED butter room temperature
- 2 tsp. vanilla
- 16 oz 100% baker chocolate melted
Chocolate Ganache:
- 12 oz chocolate chips milk or semi-sweet
- 4 oz cream 1/2 cup
Method
Brownies:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare your baking sheet - grease or line with parchment paper.
- In a large stand mixer, cream together the butter and both sugars until fluffy. 2-3 minutes.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.
- Combine the flour, cocoa powder, and salt; gradually mix into the creamed mixture only until incorporated.
- Spread the batter evenly in the prepared cookie sheet (13x18 inch).
- Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick poked into the center of the brownies comes out clean. Allow the brownies to cool completely before frosting.
Chocolate SMBC Frosting:
- While the brownies are baking, whisk together egg whites, sugar, and salt in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (double boiler method). Make sure the bowl does not touch the simmering water.
- Heat the mixture, whisking frequently until it reaches 160°F (71°C) or until the sugar has completely dissolved. Test if sugar has dissolved by rubbing the mixture between two fingers. It should feel smooth with no grains.
- Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form and the mixture has cooled to room temperature (70-75F), about 10-15 minutes. NOTE - Ensure your meringue mixing bowl is free of any grease. Presence of grease will inhibited the egg whites from whipping into stiff peaks.
- Reduce the speed to medium and add melted (just warm) chocolate.
- Continue by adding the (slightly chilled but still soft) butter, 1-2 tablespoons at a time. Allow each piece to be fully incorporated before adding the next piece, continue until all butter has been added.
- Whip for an additional 2-3 minutes to allow any lumps of butter to smooth and incorporate. Mixture should taste like ice cream and not butter. If it still tastes like butter continue to mix for another few minutes.
- Stir in vanilla.
- Spread the frosting over the cooled brownies.
Chocolate Ganache:
- Place chocolate chips and cream in a microwave safe bowl. Next, heat the chips and cream for 30-60 seconds or until the cream is hot but not boiling.
- Let the hot cream and chocolate sit for a 1-2 minutes, then stir until smooth. The stirring process can take a minute or two. Eventually the cream and chocolate will be fully incorporated into each other. It should look like a rich, dark chocolate sauce.
- Pour and smooth over chocolate frosted brownies. Ganache should cover the entire top.
Garnish:
- Sprinkle as many mini chocolate chips on the top as you'd like. I typically go with about 1 cup.
Nutrition
Notes
For clean cut brownies, chill brownies until ganache has set then cut with a clean sharp knife.
Make sure to use unsalted butter and add salt. If salted butter is used the buttercream will taste too salty.
EASY SMBC Recipe (no heating required):
- 6 oz pasteurized egg whites, room temp.
- 24 oz powdered sugar
- 24 oz UNsalted butter, room temp or slightly cooler
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. vanilla
- 16 oz 100% baker chocolate, melted and slightly cooled.