Winter is an ideal time to elevate pastry menus with comforting, indulgent favorites that deliver on both taste and presentation. Developed by the experts at Callebaut Chocolate Academy, these classic chocolate brownies are sure to strike a sweet note with dessert lovers, whatever the weather or time of day.

For the base brownie mix

Ingredients
208 g butter 82% fat
208 g Callebaut Dark 811 – Chocolate Block – 5 kg
162 g sugar
162 g dark brown sugar
51 g cocoa powder
115 g All-purpose flour
62 g potato starch
2 g sea salt
231 g whole eggs, at 18- 20°C (64-68°F)

Preparation
Melt together the butter and chocolate in the microwave in
30-second bursts. Mix well using a spatula until all the chocolate is melted.
Add the dry ingredients and whisk well between each addition. Then add the eggs at the end.
Place the batter into a piping bag.
Pipe into the molds and bake at 160°C (320°F) for 12 minutes. Once baked, place the brownies in the freezer until completely cold, for about 30 minutes.
Once cooled, unmold the brownies and place them on a metal tray lined with parchment paper.
Place in the refrigerator and reserve for assembly.

For the chocolate decoration

Ingredients
200 g Callebaut Dark 811 – Chocolate Block – 5 kg

Preparation
Pour some pre-crystallized chocolate on a guitar sheet and, using an offset spatula, spread it out evenly to obtain a thin layer.
Allow to set for a few minutes until the chocolate no longer sticks to the fingers.
Remove from the guitar sheet and place the chocolate layer on a guitar cutter.
Using a metal scraper, press down the plastic on the guitar cutter to make lines of 2 cm (0.8 inches).
Place the chocolate sheet on the marble table and, using the guitar cutter’s wires as guidelines and a knife, cut into rectangles of about 12 cm (4.7 inches) long.
Place a guitar sheet on top of the chocolate decorations and place between two metal trays.
Allow to crystallize in the refrigerator for about 1 hour at 16°C (61°F).

For the chocolate shavings decorations

Ingredients
200 g Callebaut Dark 811 b – Chocolate Block – 5 kg

Preparation
Pour some pre-crystallized chocolate on the marble table.
Using a spatula, spread it out evenly to form a thin layer.
Allow to crystallize for a few minutes until the chocolate is almost solid.
Using a spatula, delicately scrape the chocolate layer and spread the decorations out onto a metal tray lined with a Silpat.
Place in the refrigerator for at least one hour at 16°C (61°F).

Assembly

Ingredients
50 g Callebaut Dark 811 – Chocolate Block – 5 kg

Preparation
Remove the guitar sheet from the top of the chocolate decorations.
Using a paper cone, add a small dot of chocolate on top of the brownie and place a rectangle decoration on top, gently pressing so that it sticks to the brownie.
Place a second dot of chocolate in the middle of the chocolate bar and add a shaving decoration on top.