Name: Spellbinding Brownies
Cook time: P0Y0M0DT0H50M0.000S
Total time: P0Y0M0DT4H25M0.000S
Yield: 12 brownies
Ingredients: Nonstick baking spray; 3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter; 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped; 1/4 cup heavy cream; 1 cup all-purpose flour (see Cook’s Note); 1 1/4 cups Dutch-process cocoa powder; 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar; 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 teaspoon butterscotch extract; 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder; 6 large eggs; 1/2 cup roasted salted peanuts or walnuts, roughly chopped, optional; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1/3 cup dark brown sugar; 1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice; 1/4 cup heavy cream; 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature; 1 3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar; 1 tablespoon heavy cream; 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 1/2 teaspoon butterscotch extract; 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt; Edible gold sprinkles, such as stars and mini pearls, for decorating

Directions

Special equipment:

a piping bag fitted with a small star tip

For the fudgy brownies: Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on at least 2 sides. Spray the paper with nonstick baking spray.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the chocolate and cream, then remove the pan from the heat and let it sit, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth, about 4 minutes.
Whisk the flour and cocoa powder in a medium bowl until combined. Beat the granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, butterscotch extract, espresso powder and eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Start on low speed and gradually increase to high speed and beat until the eggs are pale, very thick and fluffy, about 8 minutes (start timing when you get to high speed).
Reduce the speed to low and slowly pour the warm chocolate into the eggs; beat until completely incorporated. Gradually add the dry ingredients and beat until just combined. Add the peanuts if using and fold them in with a rubber spatula, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl until completely combined. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and level the top.
Bake the brownies on the middle rack, rotating the pan about halfway through, until the top is set and a skewer inserted in the center of the brownies comes out with only a few moist crumbs, 25 to 35 minutes. Let the brownies cool completely in the pan set on a rack. Use the parchment overhang to help lift them out of the pan. Cut into 12 pieces.
For the butterscotch sauce: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. When melted, stir in the brown sugar and lemon juice. Adjust the heat so the mixture simmers rapidly and cook, stirring almost constantly, until thick and frothy, 3 to 4 minutes. Carefully add the cream. Return to a simmer and cook until smooth and thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and salt. Let cool completely. (The sauce will thicken as it cools.)
For the butterscotch buttercream: Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Reduce the speed to low and gradually mix in the confectioners' sugar until completely smooth. With the motor running, add the heavy cream, vanilla, butterscotch extract and salt. Increase the speed to high and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the cooled butterscotch sauce and beat until smooth. Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a small star tip.
Pipe the buttercream into a swirly pattern on top of each brownie in one continuous motion, including some small rosettes and magical swoops and swirls. Immediately scatter edible gold sprinkles over the frosting. Let the brownies sit at room temperature until the frosting has set, about 5 minutes. Enjoy immediately or refrigerate in a single layer in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Cook’s Note

When measuring flour, we spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off excess. (Scooping directly from the bag compacts the flour, resulting in dry baked goods.)