Salted Black Sesame Stuffed Mochi Brownies

The OG Batch #1 (forgot the salt but still good)

This recipe is tried-and-true; it's been made three times since its conception two weeks ago. There's a spectrum of brownie types out there, but my ideal brownie is one that has a formed crust but predominantly fudgy. Salt on top is a must. This is where the mochi-stuffed brownie shines. If you like a fudgy, chewy texture, this version literally has it baked in. A gooey margin of error that makes this brownie foolproof.

What is mochi? Generally a mixture of glutinous rice flour and water that when cooked becomes soft and chewy. Traditionally it's made from steamed glutinous rice that is then pounded mortar-and-hammer-style into a homogenous mass, but for the amateur chef without the equipment or the guns to weld said equipment, flour and a microwave will suffice.

If you happen to have also been suckered into buying the giant bag of Dutch-process cocoa at Costco, this recipe is your new best friend. Even better, this is a dairy-free recipe as long as your chocolate chips don't contain milk solids. Your lactose-intolerant friends will thank you. As if your taste buds weren't already.

|| Salted Black Sesame Stuffed Mochi Brownies ||

Ingredients

For the mochi

• 1 cup glutinous rice flour
• 1 cup water
• 2 Tb granulated sugar
• 1 Tb ground black sesame (or other desired flavoring i.e. cocoa powder, instant coffee)

For the batter

• 1 cup (120g) all purpose flour
• scant ½ tsp sea salt
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• ½ cup Dutch process cocoa powder
• ½ cup boiling water
• 1 heaping Tb. instant coffee granules
• 3oz (87g) dark chocolate (at least 60%), melted
• 6 Tb. neutral oil (I use canola)
• 1 large egg, room temperature

• ¾ cup loosely packed dark brown sugar

• ½ cup granulated sugar

• ½ cup dark chocolate chips

• flaky coarse-ground sea salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line an 8x8" pan with parchment paper

2. Prepare the mochi: combine glutinous rice flour, sugar, water and sesame in microwave-proof bowl. Mix thoroughly, then cover loosely with plastic wrap. Microwave for 1 minute then stir. Repeat for a total of 4 times. The mochi should become more translucent.

3. Prepare the batter: In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt and baking powder

4. In a large bowl, whisk cocoa powder, boiling water, instant coffee until smooth. Then add melted chocolate, oil and egg.

5. To the large bowl of wet ingredients, whisk in dark brown and granulated sugars.

6. Gently whisk flour into large bowl until just combined.

7. Fold in chocolate chips

8. Assembly: Pour half the brownie batter into the pan, then use a large fork to evenly dollop/distribute mochi over brownie batter. [Not gonna lie, the mochi is pretty sticky so I will usually just use a finger to help roll the mochi off the fork onto the batter] Top with remaining half of batter.

9. Bake for about 35 min, until only the middle has a slight jiggle

10. Remove from oven and top immediately with coarse-ground salt. Let cool for about 10 minutes, then cut and serve. Good warm or at room temp.

Batch #3