For a certain type of person, one of the joys of the holiday season is having the time – and the occasion – to experiment with recipes that are maybe just a touch more elevated than you might make in ordinary life.
If you’re one of those special people, then allow us to propose a real gem for your holiday dessert table: an incredible homemade mocha brownie recipe made with Jot Ultra Coffee concentrate.
Not only are these more decadent and complex than your standard mocha brownies, but the recipe itself is actually two recipes in one: Ultra Caramel Mocha Fudge Brownies and Ultra Coffee Salted Caramel Sauce, the extra of which you can use for all kinds of other holiday treats.
The secret ingredient is no secret at all: Ultra Coffee concentrate.
Jot’s People Operations Manager, Katie, invented this recipe. On top of being great at her job and an all-around awesome person, Katie is a baking genius.
Her Ultra Mocha Caramel Fudge Brownie is a hypnotic flavor experience, best enjoyed with eyes closed, subtle and complex in a way that desserts only rarely – and brownies almost never – are. It’s fudgy without being dense, sweet without being cloying, and full of smooth, rich coffee flavor without any hint of bitterness.
When Katie brought these brownies to the office after a few rounds of recipe testing, I took one bite and had a Ratatouille moment, as if a deep, subliminal craving had suddenly emerged out of my subconscious and, as soon as it encountered that intoxicating mixture of rich chocolate and pure coffee concentrate, sighed with satisfaction.
Jot Ultra Coffee concentrate balances the chocolate perfectly
The inclusion of Jot Ultra Coffee concentrate gives just the right level of fresh-brewed espresso to give weight and balance to the sweetness of the chocolate. And, vice versa, the burst of chocolate adds roundness and subtlety to the roasted coffee.
Long story short, Katie absolutely crushed it with this recipe.
It's thick – not too cakey, not too fudgy – and you can really taste the coffee. – Katie
How to make the best mocha brownie ever with Ultra Coffee concentrate
Most mocha brownie recipes either use fresh espresso, which is difficult to have on hand without a fancy machine, or they use instant espresso powder, which doesn’t have that rich fresh-brewed coffee flavor.
By using Jot liquid coffee concentrate, you get all the ease and convenience of instant espresso powder but with the full-bodied taste of fresh coffee.
Here’s how to make the best-ever mocha fudge brownie, using Jot liquid coffee concentrate:
Jot Ultra Mocha Caramel Fudge Brownies
There are 2 parts to this recipe: the Ultra Caramel Sauce and the Brownie. Both could stand alone if you want. You don't need to use the Ultra Caramel Sauce in the brownie recipe (but we recommend it). And you could find plenty of other uses for it besides just the brownie. (Think: Ultra Caramel Ice Cream, Caramel Irish Ultra Coffee, Ultra Caramel Macchiato....)
For Ultra Coffee Salted Caramel Sauce:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 tbsp Jot Ultra Coffee concentrate
- 1/3 cup butter cubed
- ½ tsp. vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
For Ultra Mocha Caramel Fudge Brownies:
(Recipe adapted from this one by High Altitude Bakes.) Quick note: Jot HQ is in Boulder, CO, elevation 5,328'. Baking at altitude is different from baking at sea level. Katie added adjustments for all you sea level bakers, so keep an eye out for those notes.
- 3 tbsp. Ultra Coffee Salted Caramel Sauce (see above)
- 4 eggs
- 1¼ cups good quality cocoa powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- ¾ tsp. baking powder (sea level adjustment: Use 2 tsp.)
- 3 tbsp. Jot Ultra Coffee concentrate
- ½ tbsp. vanilla extract
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 2¼ cups sugar
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chocolate chips
1. Preheat your oven to 350º F, and lightly grease a 9 x 13" baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, Jot Ultra Coffee, and vanilla extract. It will be thick, probably thicker than you'd expect. Keep calm.
3. In a saucepan set over low heat, mix the butter and sugar, stirring until fully melted.
4. Continue to heat the mixture until it is hot, but not bubbling, about 110–120º F. It should be shiny at this stage, which means the sugar is fully dissolved.
5. Add the hot butter and sugar mixture to the cocoa powder mixture and stir until smooth.
6. Add the flour and chocolate chips, stirring until smooth.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Drizzle 3 Tbsp. of the Ultra Coffee Salted Caramel Sauce on top of the batter. Use a butter knife to run lines through the batter, creating a swirl pattern. (Katie says: "Save the rest of the caramel to drizzle on ice cream or add to your iced coffee.")
8. Bake the brownies for about 30–45 minutes, again depending on altitude. Sea level bake times are longer. The brownies are done when they feel set on the edges and the center looks moist but not uncooked.
For more mind-blowing recipes using Jot liquid coffee concentrate, just give this link a tap.
