I am very fond of Sam’s Walnut Brownie Cake. Although it is quite sweet and large for me, requiring sharing with friends each time, its rich texture motivates me to reduce portions to balance the sweetness, enjoying it little by little with tea. Unfortunately, it has been discontinued. On Xiaohongshu, I saw a favorite blogger, Damei, recreate it with reduced sugar and in a 6-inch size! For ease of adjustment in scaling the recipe up or down, the formula is transcribed below (both text and images are from Damei’s Baking House).
Brownie Part: – Chocolate: 40g – Butter: 65g – Low-gluten flour: 35g – Baking powder: 2g – Sugar: 40g – Egg: 1 (50g) – Walnuts (baked at 180°C for 5 minutes): 45g Coffee Mousse Part: – Mascarpone cheese: 50g – Whipping cream (cooked with coffee powder): 50g – Coffee powder: 2g – Gelatin sheet: 2.5g – Whipping cream (whipped and mixed into coffee cheese batter): 120g – Sugar: 10g Surface Decoration Chocolate Part: – Chocolate: 40g – Whipping cream: 70g – Almond slices: 15g Preparation: 1. Preheat oven to 170°C. 2. Bake walnuts at 180°C for 4-5 minutes in advance. Making the Brownie Cake Base: Melt butter and chocolate over a double boiler. Remove from heat when mostly melted with some granules remaining, and stir until fully melted. Beat the egg and add it, stirring until fully incorporated. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Sift all dry ingredients into the chocolate batter, mixing until no flour is visible. Then, add the pre-baked walnuts and mix well. Pour into the cake mold, spread evenly, and bake in the preheated oven at 170°C for 15 minutes. Allow the baked brownie to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until needed. Ensure the brownie is completely chilled before making the coffee mousse, or the mousse may melt easily. Making the Coffee Mousse: Soak the gelatin sheet in cold water for 5-10 minutes. Heat coffee powder with 50g whipping cream, stirring until the coffee powder dissolves and the cream is slightly steaming. Remove from heat and add sugar, stirring until dissolved. Let the coffee mixture cool to about 40°C. Drain the softened gelatin and add it to the coffee mixture, stirring until fully dissolved. Set aside. Beat mascarpone cheese until smooth. Gradually add the coffee mixture, mixing until fully incorporated each time (bubbles are normal). Whip the remaining whipping cream to medium peaks (about 60% whipped). Fold the whipped cream into the coffee mixture in batches until combined. The coffee mousse is now ready. Pour the coffee mousse over the brownie, smooth the surface, and tap to remove bubbles. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours until the mousse sets completely. Making the Surface Decoration Chocolate: Melt chocolate over a double boiler, stirring until mostly melted. Remove from heat and stir until smooth. Return to the double boiler and gradually add 70g room-temperature whipping cream, stirring until glossy and smooth. Cool the chocolate cream to room temperature, then pour over the set coffee mousse brownie. Smooth the surface, tap to level, and refrigerate for about 2 hours. Toast almond slices in an air fryer or oven at 180°C for 3-5 minutes until golden brown. Remove the chilled cake, create texture on the surface with a spoon, sprinkle with almond slices, and it is complete. The recreation is done.
