Meringue Topped Brownies

Ok, I know it's the New Year and we're all probably making resolutions to eat healthier, and exercise more...probably. Well there are still going to be moments when you need that chocolate fix. And this Meringue Topped Brownie is going to fix, that fix! Just imagine a fluffy chocolate marshmallow onto of a rich, gooey brownie. Yes. I know. It's decadent, but one small square will satisfy your chocolate craving and then you can get back on track with whatever paleo, grain, acai, keto bowl you were trying to eat.

So aside from the mindfulness that I talked about in my previous post, I did make some resolutions about healthier eating. No crazy diets, just more mindful eating. lol. So instead of listening to my gut telling me to have a big bowl of steaming hot ramen noodles for lunch (especially when its 14 degrees outside) I'm going to go for a salad instead. It sounds sad, but after doing it for a week, I think I've gotten use to the mental shift. Also having a chop' salad shop a block from my office, makes it much easier to do. Have you tried their salads? Soooo good! Sounds crazy, but it is. Just by chopping up all the salad ingredients and mixing in the dressing, it just tastes so much better! Not to mention they make their dressings in house with local ingredients, so theres that. But since we've been snowed in this weekend, I made my own version of a Chopt' salad with a homemade buttermilk dressing and man, I think I can eat it everyday, Let me know if you guys would want to see the recipe for that dressing! It's seriously addictive!

Ok, back to the star of this post. These Meringue Topped Brownies. I've seen this done in another recipe where meringue tops a brownie cake and gets all crispy crunchy, but that recipe required a lot of melting of chocolate over a double boiler... blah blah blah. When I want chocolate, I want it now, so I rather go for cocoa based recipes. So I found Bon Appetite's recipe for cocoa brownies and did a bit of doctoring it up. I used my favorite cocoa from Saco Pantry and added some coffee to the mix. This really punched up the cocoa flavor. The batter gets baked then topped with the cocoa meringue and baked a second time. I thought the meringue would get toasted and crisp on top, but it did something even better. The moisture in the brownie, melded with the meringue and turned it into a fluffy, marshmallowy top and gave the brownie a gooey, rich chocolate middle. I can't even explain how good it was. My dad was upset that I gave these brownies to my in-laws....and my dad hates chocolate desserts! Thats how good they are! 

Give these a try when you're giving yourself that cheat day, or just in need of that monthly chocolate fix, that you all know I get. I'm drooling just by thinking of these! Oh, and the best part is that they get chewier as you leave them out. So for all those chewy brownie lovers out there, this one's for you!  

Meringue Topped Brownies

*adapted from Bon Appetite 

Ingredients

For the brownie

• Nonstick vegetable oil spray

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) Salted butter

• 1 1/4 cups sugar

• 3/4 cup Saco Pantry Premium cocoa powder

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2 large eggs

• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

• 2 tbsp  hot coffee

bake 25-30 min

For the meringue

• 3/4 cup egg whites (4 eggs) 
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp corn starch

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 325F. Line an 8X8X2 baking dish with parchment paper so that the sides overhang.
2. In a small saucepan melt the butter and set aside to cool slightly.
3. In large bowl, whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, and salt
4. Pour the butter into the sugar mixture and stir to combine. Add the vanilla, then add the eggs one at a time and mix to combine.
5. Mix in the flour, then the coffee. The batter will be quite thick.
6. Spread into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes.
7. Meanwhile make the meringue: In a clean bowl of a stand mixer, whip the egg whites till frothy, gradually add the sugar and continue whipping till you have stiff peaks.
8. Add in the vanilla.
9. Take the bowl out of the stand mixer and sift in the cocoa powder and corn starch, Fold to combine
10. Once the brownie has baked, Increase the oven temperature to 350F and spread the meringue over the top and bake for another 25 minutes. Allow to cool and cut into 1 1/2" squares.