Rich dark cocoa brownie is topped with a German pastry cream-based buttercream that’s made with Bailey’s and dark chocolate. This is the perfect St. Patrick’s Day brownie. Patrick, but it’s also amazing year-round.
Hi! Writing this from a social isolation in my house – things have gotten a little scary around here with this new virus that seems to be taking over, so we’re listening to the rules and keeping our distance from things. I think things like this, while scary, are a great reminder to check in on those around you – your neighbors, your friends, anyone who might be particularly vulnerable or feeling a little lonely and could do with you in their corner. I already work from home, so the changes haven’t affected us too much, but I’m very aware that there are some who aren’t as fortunate as us who will be supporting themselves over the coming weeks. Please also consider them when preparing in any way possible – whether it’s a donation to a food bank or checking on some of your friends.
If you need a little distraction, baking is a great option. I often turn to the kitchen as a small safe space in my home where I can forget about the outside for a while. I made these brownies last week with St Patrick’s Day in mind, but they are super easy to make, incredibly delicious and keep well in the fridge so would be great for any occasion.
This is just a little riff on a favorite brownie of mine – I added in a dark chocolate Bailey’s German Buttercream. The great thing about German Buttercream is that you can easily substitute the milk in the pastry cream recipe for another liquid – in this case Bailey’s. If you want the alcohol to have a stronger taste, heat it just a little before adding to the mixture. A lot will boil off, but some of the flavor will be retained. If you want to simmer longer, bring the Bailey’s to a boil in the pan first, let it simmer for a minute or two, then proceed as usual. I love the combination of the dark brownie and Bailey’s chocolate buttercream, but you can leave the chocolate out of the buttercream if you like.
Some small tips:
- Make sure the brownie is nice and cold before frosting.
- Buttercream pastry takes time to chill, so be sure to keep that in mind.
- I used these sprinkle on top!
- Here it’s an oreo variant!
❤️ I made this recipe and do you love it? ❤️
I’d love for you to leave me a review and star rating below to let me know how you liked it! Also, make sure to tag me Instagram!
Answers to your questions of baking
Over the years, many of you have asked me questions about:
I’ve organized and answered them all for easy reference in this FAQ post!
Dark Cocoa Brownies with Bailey’s Dark Chocolate German Buttercream
Preparation time:
25 minutes
Preparation time:
45 minutes
Total time:
1 hour 30 minutes plus cooling time
Yield:
16 in pieces 1x
Description
Rich dark cocoa brownie is topped with a German pastry cream-based buttercream that’s made with Bailey’s and dark chocolate. This is the perfect St. Patrick’s Day brownie. Patrick, but it’s also amazing year-round.
Brownies with dark cocoa
- 113 g cold unsalted butter
- 225 g dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 50 g Dark cocoa or extra Dutch cocoa
- 140 g all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 120 g neutral oil
- 300 g sugar
- 100 g brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
Bailey’s German Buttercream
- 110 g granulated sugar
- 12 g corn starch
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 spoon vanilla bean paste
- 190 g Bailey’s or Irish Cream
- 340 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 180 g dark chocolate, melted and then cooled.
Instructions
BLACK COCOA BROWNIE
- Preheat oven to 350˚f / 180˚c. Grease a 9-inch square pan and line with a sling of parchment paper.
- Melt the butter and chocolate in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring well until smooth. Add the cocoa powder and mix well, then set aside to cool.
- Mix the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, oil, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla. Mix until well combined. Add the chocolate mixture and mix until smooth. Gently fold in the dry ingredients until combined.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top of the brownie is set and a skewer inserted comes out with a few more crumbs attached. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
BAILEY’S GERMAN BUTTER CREAM
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch, then add the eggs, egg yolks, and salt and mix well to combine.
- In a medium saucepan over low heat, combine Bailey’s and vanilla bean paste. Heat to boiling (you should see movement around the edge of the pan). Remove from heat.
- Using one hand to whisk constantly, pour half of the hot Bailey’s mixture into the egg mixture. This helps temper the eggs. Whisk until well incorporated, then transfer back to the saucepan.
- Place the saucepan over medium heat and, stirring constantly, cook until it begins to bubble. It will thicken quickly.
- Heat the milk and egg mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it starts to boil. It will thicken quickly. After it has thickened, boil for a minute, then remove from heat. Pour into a shallow container or the bowl of a stand mixer and press plastic wrap over the surface to avoid a skin.
- Refrigerate until cold – at least four hours, preferably overnight (If you need to speed up this process, you can put the pastry cream in a bowl, then place the bowl in an ice bath. Stir often).
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the mixture over medium heat until smooth and lump-free. Start adding the butter, a few cubes at a time, until fully incorporated. It may look curdled at one point, but keep whipping – it will come together. Once the butter is incorporated and the mixture is smooth, add the cooled chocolate and stir to incorporate. Switch to the paddle attachment and mix on low for 2-3 minutes to help remove any air bubbles.
- Keep it in an airtight container until ready to use – if you need to refrigerate it, you can let it warm up a bit, then blend it in the mixer to help smooth it out.
ASSEMBLY
- Spread the buttercream over the surface of the brownie using an offset spatula. Add sprinkles, if desired.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving.
