Homemade Brownie Mix

Ingredients

• For the mix:
• 10 ounces powdered sugar
• 3 ounces finely chopped dark chocolate, roughly 72%; more information here
• 2 1/4 ounces all-purpose flour, such as Gold Medal
• 2 1/4 ounces Dutch process cocoa powder, such as Cocoa Barry Extra Brute
• 1 ounce malted milk powder, such as Carnation or Hoosier Hill Farms
• 1 1/4 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use about half as much by volume or the same weight
• 3/4 teaspoon instant espresso powder, such as Medaglia d'Oro, optional
• 1 3/4 ounces refined coconut oil, solid but creamy, about 70°F/21°C
• For the brownies:
• 2 ounces water
• 2 large eggs, straight from the fridge
• 1/4 ounce vanilla extract

Directions

1. Put the powdered sugar into the food processor bowl, then add the chopped dark chocolate, all-purpose flour, Dutch-process cocoa, malted milk powder, salt, and espresso powder, if you’re using it. Process until the chocolate has vanished into a fine dry blend and the bowl sounds quiet, with no little pieces knocking around; this takes about 2 minutes, though a food processor’s size and strength can change that quite a bit.
2. Add the solid coconut oil, then use short pulses just until it is worked evenly through the mix, about 30 seconds. If you are baking right away, continue with the oven and pan setup; if not, move the mix to an airtight container and keep it at cool room temperature for up to 1 year, or until the date printed on the coconut oil package.
3. Set the oven rack in the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Fit a long piece of parchment or foil into an 8-inch-square anodized aluminum brownie pan, covering the base and extending up 2 sides.
4. Once the oven is fully heated, make the batter either in the food processor bowl or in a large mixing bowl with a flexible spatula. Combine it with the water, eggs, and vanilla extract; pulse in the processor or stir by hand until blended. In the food processor, the batter will look sleek and loose; by hand, it will be thicker and a bit lumpy, and that difference will not change how it bakes.
5. Get every bit of batter into the prepared pan, smooth it into an even layer, and bake until the brownies look shiny, have risen, and feel set while still giving a little, about 35 minutes. That time is tied to the volume and heat conduction of an 8-inch anodized aluminum pan, so glass, ceramic, or non-stick pans may need a very different bake. Let the brownies cool for at least 15 minutes before you cut them. To take them out, pull gently on the foil or parchment and lift the slab from the pan. Slice into 16 2-inch squares. Keep any extras in an airtight container, separating layers with wax paper, for about 1 week at room temperature.