Gourmet Cosmic Brownie Bars (Printable)
Rich, fudgy brownie bars with silky ganache and rainbow candy chips — a nostalgic, elevated treat.
# What You'll Need:
→ Brownie Base
01 - 6 oz unsalted butter, melted
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - ½ cup packed light brown sugar
04 - 2 large eggs
05 - 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
06 - ⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
07 - ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
08 - ½ tsp fine sea salt
→ Chocolate Ganache
09 - 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
10 - ½ cup heavy cream
11 - 1 tbsp unsalted butter
→ Topping
12 - ⅓ cup rainbow candy-coated chocolate chips (mini M&M's)
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides for easy removal.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk the melted butter, granulated sugar, and packed brown sugar together until smooth and glossy.
03 - Add the eggs and vanilla extract to the sugar mixture. Whisk vigorously until fully combined and the batter appears slightly lightened in color.
04 - Sift the cocoa powder, all-purpose flour, and fine sea salt directly into the bowl. Gently fold with a spatula until just combined — avoid overmixing to keep the brownies tender.
05 - Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 23–25 minutes, until the edges are set but the center still looks slightly underbaked. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
06 - Place the chopped semi-sweet chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until just steaming — do not boil. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit undisturbed for 2 minutes.
07 - Stir the ganache gently in small circles starting from the center until smooth, glossy, and free of lumps. Spread the ganache evenly over the cooled brownie base using an offset spatula.
08 - Sprinkle the candy-coated chocolate chips evenly across the ganache surface. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or until the ganache is fully set. Lift the brownie slab from the pan using the parchment overhang, slice into 12 bars, and serve.
# Cooking Tips:
01 -
- The fudgy center stays gooey for days if you keep them chilled, which means they taste even better stolen straight from the fridge at midnight.
- That glossy ganache layer sets like a truffle and makes people think you spent far more effort than you actually did.
- They freeze beautifully, so you can stash half the batch and conveniently forget about them until a brownie emergency strikes.
02 -
- Underbaking slightly is not a mistake here, it is the strategy, because the brownie continues to cook in the hot pan after you pull it out.
- Stirring the ganache too aggressively or too soon will cause it to seize, so be patient during that two minute rest before you touch the spatula.
03 -
- A pinch of espresso powder in the batter will not make the brownies taste like coffee, but it will make the chocolate taste twice as deep.
- Use a hot, dry knife to slice the bars, wiping the blade between each cut for edges clean enough to photograph.