Valentine’s Chocolate Brownies (Chocolate Brownies with walnuts and Japanese pan cake mix, 胡桃チョコレートブラウニー)

Chocolate Brownies are very popular to bake in Japan. The key ingredient is a Japanese pan cake mix. This ingredient is very versatile and can be used not only for the Japanese pan cake, but also brownies. It makes cakes and brownies soft and fluffy. I will introduce the chocolate brownies with walnuts and Japanese pan cake mix for Valentine’s Day. Due to the fact that Japanese women give close friends and loved one chocolates on Valentine’s Day. However, I noticed that men generally give presents to women in the United States. It’s a different culture between Japan and the United States. Anyway, Happy Valentine’s Day and enjoy baking brownies!

Ingredients (3 - 4 servings):

• 113g (4oz) semi-sweet chocolate
• 30ml (1 floz) milk
• 100g (3.5oz) *Japanese pan cake mix
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon cocoa
• 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts

*Japanese pan cake mix is made of wheat flour, sugar, corn, palm oil, wheat starch, salt, maltose syrup, baking powder, and so on.

-> See picture A.

Here is how to make it at home. Cooking time is about 35 - 45 minutes. (Cooling time is about 30 minutes - 1 hour.)

1. Break apart and put 80g (2.8oz) semi-sweet chocolate into a large bowl. Cut 33g (1.2oz) semi-sweet chocolate into small pieces and put it into another small bowl.
2. Prepare a rectangular baking pan and put parchment paper on top. -> See picture B.

3. Microwave 80g (2.8oz) chocolate for 50-90 seconds or until it melts. (Baking tip: Please check the chocolate often and do not overheat.) Whisk the chocolate until it is completely dissolved. -> See picture C.

4. Preheat an oven to 180℃ (356°F).
5. Add the egg, whisk and mix thoroughly. -> See picture D.

6. Add the milk, whisk and mix thoroughly. -> See picture E.

7. Add the cocoa, whisk and mix thoroughly. -> See picture F.

8. Add *the Japanese pan cake mix and fold the mixture using a spatula. -> See pictures G and H.

9. Add  33g (1.2oz) chopped chocolate and mix thoroughly. -> See picture I.

10. Add the chopped walnuts and mix thoroughly. -> See pictures J & K.

11. Put the dough into the baking pan from step 2. and make a 17cm (6.7 inches) rectangular shape -> See picture L.

12. Put it into the oven after the oven temperature has reached to 180℃ (356°F). Bake for about 20 minutes. -> See picture M.

13. After the dough is not fresh and baked, cool it down for 30 minutes - 1 hour. -> See picture N. (Baking tip: It’s better to cool it down first, so that you can cut it easily.)

14. Cut the chocolate brownie into small pieces and serve them on small plates.