I’ve always loved Halloween. Growing up, my mom and grandma would team up to make my Halloween costumes by hand. I was never happy with the standard witch or princess and requested oddball costumes such as a drive-in waitress on roller skates, Carmen Miranda, and a flamenco dancer.
The Carmen Miranda costume was the most memorable. My mom and grandma outdid themselves, re-creating Carmen’s exact outfit and even making me a basket of fruit to wear on my head. Even though none of my friends knew who Carmen Miranda was, I was so excited to wear the costume until the day before Halloween when I tripped at the zoo and managed to skin my entire face on the concrete. Not only was it incredibly painful, but I was beyond embarrassed at my school’s Halloween parade the next day. I can only imagine what the other fifth graders were saying about the weird girl with the fruit hat and cuts and scrapes all over her face.
I love holiday-themed desserts and I always have a blast seeing the fun ideas in magazines and on blogs around the holidays. Halloween seems to bring out the most creative concoctions with mummy cupcakes, jello worms, eyeball cookies, and even cakes that look human brains.
While I appreciate all of the creativity, sometimes these things get a bit out of hand and become slightly gross and unappetizing. This year, I wanted to make a dessert that was festive but still resembled something you would want to eat.
I decided to take my favorite brownie recipe and give it a bit of a spooky twist. I took a fudgy, deeply chocolatey brownie and dipped it in a rich chocolate ganache. Then, I added a spiral of white chocolate and used a skewer to create a spiderweb. The result is a delicious brownie that I would eat any day of the year but with just enough Halloween spookiness to belong at a Halloween party or gathering.
Tips and Tricks
Line your pan with a foil sling to help remove the slab of brownies from the pan easily. Simply line the pan with foil but use enough to create a large overhang that will work as a makeshift handle.
Let the brownies cool completely before cutting them. Once you cut them, flip them over and dip the smooth side in the ganache.
The ganache and white chocolate should both be warm when you use them to glaze and decorate. You want to create the spider webs with the skewer very quickly while they are both still warm and easy to swirl.
After you create the spider webs, refrigerate the brownies to set the ganache. Keep the brownies in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve but let them come to room temperature before eating.
Check out this great article from Alice Medrich for advice on marbling the spiderwebs.
Halloween Brownies Recipe
Jordan Hamons | The Hungry Traveler
Yields 12
Save RecipeIngredients
1 1/2 cups (227 grams) unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
2 sticks (227 grams) unsalted butter
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder (optional)
4 large (200 grams) eggs
3 cups (600 grams) granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons (8 grams) vanilla extract
1 cup (120 grams) all purpose flour
1/4 cup (21 grams) natural cocoa powder
1 cup (227 grams) bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
3/4 cup (182 grams) heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup (113.5 grams) white chocolate
Instructions
Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with foil. Leave excess foil to create a sling to easily remove the brownies after baking. Spray the foil with cooking spray.
Melt the chocolate, butter, and espresso powder together in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir occasionally to blend. Once melted, remove the bowl from the heat and let the mixture cool.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract.
In another small bowl, whisk together the flour and cocoa powder.
Once the melted chocolate has cooled slightly, add it to the egg mixture and whisk to combine. Stir in the flour and cocoa powder using a rubber spatula.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and use a spatula to smooth the top and create an even layer.
Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely.
Once the brownies have cooled, use the foil sling to remove the brownies from the pan. Cut the slab of brownies into 12 two-inch squares.
Place the chopped chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. Set aside.
In a saucepan, over medium heat, bring the cream and kosher salt to a simmer. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the hot cream over the chocolate.
Let the mixture stand until the chocolate has softened, around 8 minutes. Whisk until smooth.
Melt the white chocolate according to the package instructions and then pour the chocolate into a disposable pastry piping bag.
Dip the smooth side of each brownie into the chocolate glaze to cover the top completely. While the glaze is still wet, pipe a spiral of white chocolate across the top of the brownie. Immediately drag a small skewer through the glaze to create the spider webs. Put the tip of the skewer in the
center of the spiral and drag it out towards the edges. Pick up the skewer and repeat the motion all the way around the spiral. Refrigerate the brownies for 30 minutes or until the glaze has set.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Zingerman's Bakehouse Brownie Recipe
This recipe is part of Food Network’s Fall Fest. Check out these other great Halloween recipes from some of my other food blogging friends!
The Hungry Traveler: Halloween Spiderweb Brownies
Devour: 6 Halloween Movie and Food Pairings for a Spooktacular Party
Creative Culinary: The Black Goblin – Tequila, Coffee Liqueur and Cream
TasteBook: Pan de Muertos (Day of the Dead Bread)
Domesticate Me: Pumpkin Spice Rice Krispie Treat Bites
Elephants and the Coconut Trees: Pumpkin Brain Pasta Halloween Special
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Curried Pumpkin & Apple Chowder
Red or Green: Pasta with Cilantro, Jalapeno & Pinenuts
Swing Eats: Trick or Treat, Spaghetti or Squash? Both!
Feed Me Phoebe: Blood Orange White Sangria with Pomegranate
Taste with the Eyes: Pumpkin Risotto Stuffed with Burrata, Fried Sage
Healthy Eats: 5 Ways to Host a Healthier Halloween Party
Weelicious: Deviled Egg Spiders
FN Dish: Quit the Candy: Savory Ways to Celebrate Halloween
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