The One-Ingredient Upgrade For Dense And Fudgy Brownies

You've likely heard tons of different ingredients you can add to brownies to give them a little boost. Whether that's incorporating soda to elevate boxed brownies, or spiking them with some beer for a totally epic dessert, there are so many ways to make a showstopping batch. When Food Republic spoke to Odette D'Aniello, baking expert and CEO at Dragonfly Cakes, she told us that one ingredient her bakery swears by is adding espresso powder to make the fudgiest brownies. "It might sound surprising since it doesn't add moisture or richness like butter or eggs do, but a small amount (just a teaspoon or two!) can completely transform the flavor profile," she explained. In fact, it's one of the many ways Ina Garten will elevate classic desserts — adding some espresso powder to chocolate cakes.

According to D'aniello, espresso powder enhances the natural cocoa notes of brownies, balancing sweetness and intensifying those bittersweet undertones. "It doesn't make your brownies taste like coffee, but instead, it makes the chocolate taste more like chocolate." Another exciting note is that using espresso won't keep you up all night either since you aren't using enough to affect your sleep. She went on to mention that using this trick won't change the structure of your brownies much, so you don't have to worry about having to adjust the recipe in any way. "It's a small bakery secret that we use at Dragonfly Cakes that even [at-home bakers] can use with boxed mixes."

When adding espresso to your brownies, Odette D'Aniello noted that the most common mistake she finds that home bakers make is adding too much. "Anything more than a tablespoon, especially in small batches, will push the flavor into mocha territory." A good rule of thumb is to not use any more than 1 teaspoon for a recipe in an 8x8-inch pan, or 1½ teaspoons for one baked in a 9x13-inch pan. Also, keep in mind that while D'Aniello is referring to instant espresso powder, you can use freshly brewed espresso if that's all you have on hand. In this case, swap the water in your recipe for the brownies to receive all the same delicious benefits.

While adding espresso is an instant upgrade, you can even consider some more ingredients that play well with it. For example, adding a spicy ingredient like chilies can elevate your brownies even further. This works especially well thanks to coffee, chili, and chocolate's known love for each other. You'll see them used commonly in Mexican cuisine (like in chocolate mole sauce), or as a secret ingredient to elevate a bowl of chili. If you're looking to add some texture, you can fold in some chopped nuts, like walnuts or almonds, for some crunch.