Limone Brownie

Ryan and I went to Pizzeria Limone last week. I always want their lemon brownies, but I rarely get them. I didn't get one last Friday, and regretted it all weekend so I decided to make my own last Sunday. They are chocolate brownies with lemon buttercream and covered with chocolate ganache. After I posted a picture of them in Instagram, one of my neighbors commented that she wanted one. So I made them again today. I am currently waiting from the buttercream to set up so I can add the ganache on top and thought I'd post the recipe here. Last week I didn't have cream, so I made the ganache without cream. Today I didn't have semisweet chocolate for the brownies, so I used unsweetened chocolate. I'll post both the variations in case you don't have those items either!

Brownies (this recipe is a variation from Sally's Baking Addiction)

1/2 cup butter
two 4-ounce semi-sweet chocolate bars*
3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (50g) packed light or dark brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons (80g) all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons (11g) unsweetened natural or dutch-process cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

*If you have unsweetened baking chocolate bars, add an extra 1/2 cup of sugar (1 Tbsp sugar per 1 oz of chocolate.)

Melt the butter and chopped chocolate in a medium saucepan on medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat, pour in a large mixing bowl, then allow to slightly cool for 10 minutes. (I skipped the bowl the 2nd time - soo many dirty dishes, just wait for it to cool longer.)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the bottom and sides of a 11x7 inch baking pan with parchment, leaving an overhang on all sides. Set aside.
Whisk the granulated and brown sugars into the cooled chocolate/butter mixture. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking until smooth after each addition. Whisk in the vanilla. Gently whisk in the cocoa powder,salt and flour.
Pour/spoon batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 35 minutes or until the brownies begin to pull away from the edges of the pan.

Allow the brownies to cool while making the buttercream.

Lemon Buttercream

1/2 cup butter, softened to room temp.
 3 cups of Powdered Sugar
 1 lemon

Beat the butter until smooth, or nearly smooth. Zest the lemon and add to the butter. Squeeze both halves of the lemon into the butter and mix in. Add the powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Drop onto the cooled brownies and spread a thick layer over the brownies with an offset spatula. I put mine in the freezer before and after putting on the buttercream. When the buttercream is set, cover with chocolate ganache.

Chocolate Ganache Without Cream

4 oz semisweet chocolate
1/3 cup milk (I used 1% but the recipe I found said 2% - whatever)
2 Tsp butter

Chop the chocolate into pieces. I used chocolate chips so that part was done. Heat the milk and butter in a pan until the butter is melted and the milk is starting to bubble. Pour over chocolate and stir until the choclate is melted. Cool if necessary so it can be spread over the brownies without melting the buttercream. Freeze the brownies until the ganache is set.

Chocolate Ganache with Cream (also from Sally's Baking Addiction)

4 oz semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 c heavy cream

Heat the cream in the microwave or stop top until simming, but not boiling. Pour over chocolate and let it sit for 2 to 3 minutes. Then stir the chocolate until it's melted and smooth. Allow it to cool slightly then spread over brownies.

Allow ganache to set before cutting brownies. I put mine in the the freezer.