Lemon Brownies

Ingredients

• 400 g Granulated sugar
• 3 Eggs (Plus 1 egg yolk; use approximately 3 whole eggs and 1 additional egg yolk.)
• 1 Egg yolk (Additional yolk added to the 3 whole eggs.)
• 100 g Butter
• 120 g White chocolate (Chopped to help it melt.)
• 110 g Vegetable oil (Canola or sunflower oil may be used.)
• 5 g Vanilla extract
• 3 Lemon zest (Zest from 3 medium lemons or 5 small lemons; use only the yellow part of the peel.)
• 30 g Lemon juice
• 250 g All-purpose flour (Flour without baking powder.)
• 8 g Cornstarch
• 5 g Salt

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 175 °C. Line an approximately 20 × 20 cm square pan with parchment paper, leaving some paper overhanging the sides so the brownies can be removed later.

2. 2

   Melt the butter together with the white chocolate in the microwave in short 20 to 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval, or in a bowl set over a bain-marie. Stir until smooth and let it cool slightly.

3. 3

   Place the sugar and lemon zest in a large bowl. Rub them together with your fingers for a few minutes to release the aromatic oils from the peel and infuse the sugar.

4. 4

   Add the 3 eggs and the egg yolk to the infused sugar. Beat until the mixture looks homogeneous and slightly lighter in color.

5. 5

   Add the vegetable oil and vanilla. Mix until the oil is fully incorporated.

6. 6

   Add the warm butter and white chocolate mixture. Stir until evenly combined; do not add it while it is very hot, as it could cook the eggs.

7. 7

   Pour in the lemon juice and mix until fully incorporated.

8. 8

   Sift the flour, cornstarch, and salt into the bowl. Fold them in with a spatula using gentle movements, only until no dry flour remains. Do not overmix, to preserve a dense, tender texture.

9. 9

   Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it into the corners. Bake for approximately 23 to 28 minutes, until the edges are golden and firm while the center still looks slightly soft. A toothpick should come out with a few moist crumbs, not completely clean.

10. 10

    Let the brownies cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. For cleaner cuts, refrigerate them after cooling, remove them using the parchment paper, and cut them into 16 portions.

Notes

The procedure was not included in the original post; the steps were reconstructed from the ingredient list and the usual technique for lemon brownies. Store the brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• brownies
• baking
• lemon
• white chocolate
• vegetarian