Turning Leftover Chocolates into Delicious Brownies
Asked to come up with something for food wastage day, I was a little stuck, as due to the nature of working with chocolate, we don’t really have any wastage within our production. So, tasked with this, I was at home, when my eyes fell upon on a bowl on our sideboard which had the remains of the traditional box of Quality Street and Toblerone left over from Christmas. You know the ones – those chocolates that no one eats, and you keep them on the off chance that you might, but it’s only when desperate for a chocolate fix and there’s nothing else in the house that you would do so – because you don’t like them, which is why they are in the bowl in the first place! Well, that was what I had here, and so I thought what better way to use them up, than to try them in a Brownie recipe, and in essence eliminate food waste!
I always find brownies to be incredibly forgiving, and you can swap out some ingredients for others, without too much trouble. Using white caster sugar instead of golden, or gluten free flour instead of standard plain flour is okay, and you needn’t be precious about it. If you haven’t got the dark base chocolate the recipe states, that too is okay, use what you have in the cupboard. Lots of recipes suggest 70% cocoa solids or higher, but I usually find that too dark and with quite a sweet tooth, prefer a 60% cocoa solids chocolate.
Anyway, have fun and enjoy.
Ingredients:
185g Unsalted Butter
180g Choc Affair Classic Dark chocolate Buttons
85g Plain Flour
40g Cocoa Powder
3 Large Eggs
275g Golden Caster Sugar (white caster sugar works equally well)
100g Chopped Chocolates/Chocolate Buttons
Instructions:
1. Preheat and Prepare
Turn the oven on to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and line a 20cm square tin with baking parchment.
2. Melt Chocolate and Butter
- Cut 185g unsalted butter into cubes, and place in a heat proof bowl, along with the 180g of dark chocolate buttons.
- Pop into the microwave and heat 30 seconds at a time, stir and heat for 30 seconds. Repeat until the chocolate is nearly melted, then stir in the last remaining buttons until smooth and glossy. Leave to cool to one side.
Visit our blog How to Melt Chocolate to see other ways you can melt chocolate.
3. Whisk Eggs and Sugar
Break the eggs into a large bowl and add the caster sugar. With an electric mixer on maximum speed, whisk them, until they look thick and creamy. Be patient, this can take a few minutes, and you’ll know when they are ready as the mixture is pale and increased in volume.
4. Combine Chocolate and Egg Mixtures
Pour the cooled chocolate mixture over the eggy mousse, then gently fold together with a rubber spatula or a large metal spoon. Folding in, is simply cutting through the mixture in a figure of 8 pattern, to retain as much air as possible in the mixture. So take your time and be gentle with this step, until it is all evenly mixed.
5. Add Dry Ingredients
Holding a sieve over the bowl, sift the plain flour and cocoa powder into the eggy chocolate mix, and fold in once again, in figure of 8 patterns.
6. Incorporate Leftover Chocolates
Finally, chop the mixture of chocolates into small pieces on a chopping board or plate and add to the mixture, stir until they are mixed throughout.
Pour the mixture into the lined tin.
7. Bake and Serve
Pop in the oven for 25 minutes, before checking. If the brownie still wobbles in the middle, it’s not quite cooked, so bake for a further 5/8 minutes until the top has a light crust and the sides are just beginning to come away from the tin. Take out of the oven and leave to cool completely before cutting into 16 small squares.
Conclusion
And there you have it – a delightful solution to repurposing those leftover chocolates that might have otherwise gone to waste. By transforming them into scrumptious brownies, you’re not only helping the environment by reducing food waste but also creating a delectable treat for yourself and others to enjoy. So, the next time you find a stash of neglected chocolates, remember this upcycled brownie recipe and give them a second chance to shine. Happy baking, and here’s to making the most of every chocolate morsel!
