Olive Oil and Coconut Brownies

When it comes to dessert, my husband is a man of simple tastes, perfectly content as long as chocolate features prominently, and preferably in the form of chewy, dark brownies.

This works out well for both of us since I’d rather make brownies than go to the trouble of baking a torte or frosting a cake. And brownies pack more flavor into a tiny square than most chocolate desserts do in their entirety, making them very gratifying to bake.

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, I’ve been tinkering with a new recipe. It’s not that there is anything wrong with my old, dependable recipe, but I do have a quibble with the texture. It is more velvety, but I prefer pudding-like, the way supermarket mixes come out. (That’s the only thing I like about them; I can’t stand the chemical aftertaste.)

Then, at a friend’s house, I tasted a homemade brownie with that perfect processed texture. It turns out that the recipe, which she got from Cook’s Illustrated, took its cue from those mixes, using a big dose of vegetable oil in place of most of the butter. A simple substitution, yet it never occurred to me.

I ran home to bake it, with one significant change: I replaced the vegetable oil with olive oil, giving the brownies a toehold on the savory side. I’d once tried an olive oil and chocolate bruschetta, and adored the rich layers of bitter, sweet and salty flavors that built on one another.

My test batch was as gooey as my friend’s, but with a subtle tangy flavor from the mild olive oil I chose, and a salty crunch from the flaky Maldon sea salt I sprinkled on top.

Because they are so moist, these brownies don’t cut into nice straight-edged squares like cakier confections do. Letting them cool completely before slicing helps them keep their shape. If you dig in while they are still warm, you might end up with something that is not just pudding-like but is unnervingly close to actual pudding, especially in the center.

My brand-new brownies were nearly ready for their big unveiling, but there was one more tweak: adding shredded coconut for a little crunch. And indeed, my second batch had a lovely crisp top above the moist interior, but they were less savory than the plain olive oil ones. I briefly debated which to serve, then settled on the coconut version.

On Valentine’s Day, sweeter is just where you want to be. 

Article by MELISSA CLARK of the NY Times