Baker Without Borders

I had a jar of Turkish grape molasses (one of several varieties of fruit molasses called pekmez) sitting on my kitchen counter, and wanted to bake something chocolatey with it. As I learned from making Martha Stewart’s chewy chocolate gingerbread cookies years ago, molasses and chocolate are a winning combination. Holiday cookie season was already over by the time I got around to baking with the molasses, so I settled on a fudgy brownie cake studded with walnuts. For an extra layer of flavor, I added some maple syrup.

Maple Molasses Brownie Cake

3 to 4 ounces dark chocolate, roughly chopped

1/2 cup oil, plus extra for the pan

1/2 cup maple syrup

¾ cup molasses (such as Turkish grape molasses)

2 eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt or table salt

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup walnut halves or pieces (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9- or 10-inch round baking pan.
2. In a heatproof mixing bowl over a pot of simmering water, or in a medium saucepan directly on the stove, combine oil and chocolate. Stir frequently over low heat until chocolate melts.
3. Remove from heat. Whisk in molasses, maple syrup, egg, vanilla, and salt. Fold in flour with a spatula or spoon until just combined. Do not over-mix.
4. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle with walnuts, if using. Tap pan on countertop to reduce air bubbles.
5. Bake for around 25-30 minutes until brownies are set; a fork inserted in the middle should come out mostly clean, with a few crumbs. I prefer these slightly under-baked and gooey in the middle.
6. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge, if you prefer cold brownies.