Ingredients:

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, melted and hot
  • 1.5 cups granulated sugar
  • 0.5 cup brown sugar
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.75 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
  • 0.5 cup bittersweet chocolate chips, melted
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp espresso powder
  • 1 lb fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
  • 1 tsp granulated sugar for maceration
  • 8 oz semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • 0.75 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tsp corn syrup

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line an 8x8 inch pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides.
  2. Whisk the hot melted butter with the granulated and brown sugars in a large bowl for 2 minutes. Wait until the mixture looks like grainy wet sand.
  3. Add eggs one at a time, whisking vigorously after each addition. Stir in the vanilla and melted bittersweet chocolate chips.
  4. Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and espresso powder. Gently fold until no white streaks remain. Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top.
  5. Toss the sliced strawberries with 1 tsp sugar and let sit for 5 minutes. Ensure they look shiny and slightly wet.
  6. Arrange the strawberry rounds in a single layer over the brownie batter. Bake for 30 minutes until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
  7. Prepare the ganache by heating heavy cream until simmering, then pouring it over chopped semi-sweet chocolate and corn syrup. Let sit for 5 minutes, add corn syrup, and whisk until smooth. Pour over the cooled brownies and tilt the pan to coat. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 60 minutes to set before slicing into 16 squares.