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Moist, fudgy chocolate brownies with Nutella in the batter and swirled on top

Nutella Swirl Brownies

Moist, fudgy chocolate brownies with Nutella in the batter and swirled on top
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Makes: 16 brownies
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Ingredients
  

  • 6 tbsps butter, cubed, at room temp (85 gms)
  • 115 gms unsweetened cooking chocolate, finely chopped (see notes)
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder (20 gms)
  • 1/2 cup caster sugar (95 gms)
  • 2 eggs at room temp (see notes)
  • 3/4 cup Nutella, at room temp (225 gms)
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (60 gms)
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder, see notes
  • 1/4 tsp salt if using unsalted butter
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup extra Nutella to swirl on top (75 gms)

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 175 C. Line an 8" square pan non-stick baking paper, leaving a little overhang. If using a 'not non-stick baking paper', you will need to lightly grease both the paper and pan.
  • In a bowl placed over a pot of simmering water, melt the butter, chocolate and cocoa until you have a smooth mixture. If there are small lumps of chocolate, turn off the heat and stir to melt them completely, rather than overheating the chocolate. Let this cool while you get the rest of the batter ready.
  • Beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl till pale and thick, about 4 minutes. This is where you're ensuring a crust forms, so beat away! An electric mixer will get the best results.
  • Add in the Nutella and beat lightly to combine.
  • Now pour in the cooled chocolate mixture and beat again till combined.
  • Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt, if using. Fold slowly to combine. The batter is thick and will need some muscle work but be gentle.
  • Pour into the prepared dish, smoothen the top and drop the extra 1/4 cup of Nutella in dollops all over the surface. Take a toothpick and swirl it around, taking care not let it blend into the batter. You want the swirly design!
  • Bake for 20 minutes till a toothpick poked in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs.
  • Allow the brownies to cool completely at room temperature before slicing. The crust will be a little less crackly than a standard brownie recipe that has more sugar, and the Nutella swirls make it harder to see, but I promise it's still a pretty crackly crust!
  • Best stored at room temperature in an airtight tin for 2 to 3 days in humid environments, after which they can be kept in the fridge for a week, or even frozen for a month. Happy baking!

Notes

*I used Ghirardelli unsweetened baking chocolate here. I've also used Cocoacraft in the past, which is made and available in India. I now use Amul chocolate a lot too! For this recipe something labelled 'unsweetened' or 95% to 99% cocoa solids is best. I don't really recommend a dark or semi-sweet chocolate that's about 70% to 75% cocoa solids here, as it'll throw off the sweetness balance. But if that's all you have, reduce the sugar by a couple of tablespoons, though the crackly crust may get compromised because it depends on sugar. I wouldn't reduce the Nutella to cut down sweetness because you'll lose the flavour. Alternately, go with my classic brownies which are also delicious!
*Dutch-process cocoa is recommended for a really dark and rich chocolate flavour. I like Indah but it doesn't seem to be available any more, though there's lots of options on Amazon. Natural cocoa like Hersheys will also work though.
*Here is an eggless brownie recipe and you could add Nutella to it (they will be sweeter though)
*I've made brownies with and without baking powder. I sometimes use just 1/4 tsp for a little lift but if I want extra dense and fudgy brownies, I skip it. They're both delicious!