Whisky Brownies

While searching for cooking inspiration, I more than once stumbled upon desserts or cookies with whisk(e)y in the ingredient list. Mainly brownies or a version of that. Recipes differ from using chopped up chocolate with rye or bourbon, to using dark cacao and very smokey whiskies. Generally, I do not like baking stuff. Cooking, grilling, boiling etc. are not problem. But baking is something I just don't like to do.
But, for the sake of sharing recipes and experimenting with whisky in the kitchen, I baked brownies. With whisky.
Because I was experimenting, I baked two batches with different whiskies to compare. Find out what I found to be the best batch.

Ingredients:

  • 200 grams of brown sugar (caster sugar)

  • 150 grams of butter

  • 75 grams of dark cacao powder

  • 3 eggs

  • 75 grams of flour (I sieved the flour.)

  • A teaspoon of vanilla extract or half a teaspoon vanilla powder or one bag of vanilla sugar.

  • around 50ml of whisky of your choice. I made two batches, one with Islay Mist 10yo whisky and one with the Aberlour Forest Reserve 10yo whisky.

  • Optional: Chopped dark chocolate or sprinkles.

Tools:

  • Springform pan: Mine was to big, resulting in thin brownies that were just a little too dry for my liking.

  • Baking paper

  • A proper mixer: Mixing this by hand just takes too long.

Instructions:

  • Preheat the oven on 160 degrees Celsius (320 Fahrenheit)

  • Sieve the flour. Really, believe me. I got this tip from an experienced cake baker and she knows what she talks about.

  • Put the butter in a pan on low heat and add the sugar and cacao (optional: the chopped chocolate. Mix until all the butter has melted and you have a liquid soft mix.

  • Take the mix of the heat source, but make sure you don't let it harden again.

  • Put the flour, vanilla, eggs and the heated mix in a mixing bowl. Add your whisky. I used around 50 ml per batch.

  • Mix it until you have a nice shiny mix

  • Butter your springform pan and place the baking paper in it.

  • Pour the mix in the form and place it in the oven

  • The mix should be in the oven between 20-35 minutes. This depends on the size of the springform pan you use. Mine was a little too big, so 35 was a little too long.

  • If you want to check, use a toothpick, if it comes out clean, your brownies are done.

  • Take the pan out of the oven and let it cool down a bit before you remove the pan.

  • Slice the brownies in the shape you want and serve with a nice dram and/or some ice-cream

Enjoy!

My results

Like i mentioned I made two batches with different whiskies. Most recipes online talk about bourbon, or rye, or a fruity whisky. But some are using peated whisky and swear by the results.
I tried both, one batch with the Aberlour Forest Reserve 10yo and one with Islay Mist 10yo.
I prefer the peated Islay Mist as it goes great with the dark cacao. The Aberlour was nice, but just not as great or maybe not the way I like it.
If I ever bake again, and those chances are slim, I'm going to use an even more peated whisky.