Creme Egg Brownies

Ahhh Easter: A season full of chocolaty goodness, delicious treats and, of course, all things creme egg.

In years past, I've made creme egg cupcakes and creme egg cheesecake, but this year, I'm pulling out all the chocolaty stops for the chocolate bonanza that are these creme egg brownies.

With a creamy center, fudgy texture and rich chocolate flavor, these brownies are guaranteed to have you coming back for seconds, thirds and fourths.

What kind of chocolate is best for brownies?

The best kind of chocolate for these brownies is one with a high percentage of cacao bean.

In case you’ve ever wondered what that really means, the percentage is a general indicator for sweetness and flavor intensity: The higher the percentage, the more intense and less sweet the flavor.

Because we'll be adding sugar and other flavors to these brownies, we don't need those things to come baked into the bars.

For these reasons, I recommend using a chocolate that's between 60-70% cacao. A semi sweet chocolate will also work.

How to get that crinkle top

My ideal brownies have a perfectly crinkled, shiny layer of flaky goodness on top. And while there's more than one way to get that crinkly layer, this is my favorite, tried and true technique:

Important step #1 - Whip the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy, just like you would for meringue. This serves two purposes: It dissolves the sugar, which is what leads to the crust, and creates a soft, fudgy texture. No cakey brownies here.

Important step #2 - Melt the chocolate and butter together. Combining these two ingredients and melting them together keeps the chocolate from seizing and it makes it easier to mix it into the meringue without over-mixing or deflating it.

Step-by-step instructions

Place a small pot with a few inches of water onto your stovetop. Bring the water to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.

In a bowl that will fit on top of the pot without touching the water, combine the chocolate and butter.

Place over the pot of simmering water, stirring occasionally until the butter and chocolate melt and combine.

In a medium size bowl, whip the eggs and sugar (both the brown and granulated sugar) until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).

With your mixer on low, pour the chocolate/butter into the egg mixture, beating until just combined.

Fold in the flour, baking cocoa, salt and vanilla extract.

Once the ingredients are fully incorporated, fold in 9 of the mini creme eggs.

Pour the batter into a parchment paper lined 8" square cake pan.

Slice the full size creme eggs and the remaining mini ones in half. Press them into the top of the batter.

Bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with gummy bits of brownie but no liquid batter.

Allow the brownies to cool in the pan before drizzling with melted chocolate.

How do you cut a creme egg in half?
Creme eggs are easiest to cut, and a lot less likely to crack, when they've been frozen for at least a few hours. Using a large, sharp knife, rock the knife along the seam of the egg to create a groove, and then press down on the handle with both hands to slice through it.

Using a box mix

The cost of groceries these days is no joke - You could probably upgrade a box of brownie mix for less than cost of the chocolate in this recipe. So if you want to save yourself some money (and time) by going that route, I'm here for it.

Here's how to adapt this recipe to a box mix:

Choose a box mix of your choice and follow the instructions to make the batter. This recipe makes an 8"x8" brownie, so keep in mind that you'll have to increase the number of creme eggs if you select a 9"x13" box mix.

Fold in the creme eggs as instructed, pour the batter into your pan and press the creme egg halves into the top. Bake as the package instructs.

Melt down some chocolate (chocolate chips work well for this) and drizzle across the top of the cooled brownies.

Expert tips

• Testing for doneness: You know brownies are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with gummy bits of crumbs but no raw batter. If in doubt, it’s better to under bake brownies than over bake them.
• Easy slicing: Brownies are easiest to slice when they've been refrigerated for at least a few hours and up to overnight.
• Storage: These brownies are best when eaten within 3-4 days and can be stored at room temperature in an air tight container. They can also be wrapped and frozen for up to 3 months.

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