Vegan Brownies

Ingredients

• For the mix:
• 9 ounces organic powdered sugar, preferably tapioca-starch based; more information here
• 3 ounces finely chopped dark chocolate, roughly 72%; more information here
• 2 1/4 ounces all-purpose flour, such as Gold Medal Blue Label
• 2 1/4 ounces high-fat Dutch process cocoa powder, more information here
• 1 3/4 ounces finely chopped non-deodorized cocoa butter, such as Wild Foods
• 1 1/8 ounces soy milk powder, such as Now Foods or Druids Grove
• 1/2 ounce dry malt extract, such as Briess Sparkling Amber
• 1 1/2 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
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• For the brownies:
• 5 ounces boiling water
• 1/4 ounce vanilla extract

Directions

1. For the mix, load the food processor with the powdered sugar, then add the dark chocolate, cocoa butter, all-purpose flour, Dutch cocoa powder, dry malt extract, soy milk powder, espresso powder, salt, and baking powder. Run the machine until the chocolate is completely broken down and the mixture looks fine and dusty, about 2 minutes; depending on your processor’s size, strength, and capacity, that may shift quite a bit. Stop and scrape inside the bowl, making sure no chocolate has tucked itself beneath the blade, then process again until the texture is very fine. The finished mix should look as soft and powdery as flour, with no visible pieces of chocolate or cocoa butter. If you are using it right away, continue with the brownies. If not, spoon the mix into an airtight container and hold it at cool room temperature for up to 1 year, or until the date printed on the Dutch cocoa package.
2. Set a rack in the lower-middle part of the oven and heat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Prepare an 8-inch-square anodized aluminum brownie pan by fitting it with a long piece of parchment or foil so it covers the base and 2 sides.
3. 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. Add the boiling water and vanilla extract, then pulse or stir until everything comes together. Batter made in the processor will be sleek and loose, while hand-mixed batter will feel a little thicker; either texture is fine for baking.
4. For baking, pour the batter into the lined pan, smooth it evenly across the surface, and bake until the brownies look shiny, have risen, and feel set while still giving slightly in the center, about 35 minutes. This timing is calibrated for the volume and heat conduction of an 8-inch anodized aluminum pan, so glass, ceramic, or nonstick pans may need a notably different bake time. Cool the brownies for at least 15 minutes before cutting. To serve, use the parchment or foil to gently lift the slab from the pan. Slice into 16 2-inch squares. Store any remaining brownies in an airtight container with wax paper separating the layers, about 1 week at room temperature.