Crispy Crunchy Brownie Brittle

If I asked you to describe your perfect brownie, you might use words like chewy, cakey, and fudgy. Two words you likely wouldn’t use — crispy and crunchy — are actually perfect for describing brownie brittle, a sweet snack you may have seen packages of at the grocery store. Studded with chocolate chips or toffee bits, this chocolatey confection channels the best parts of the brownie (read: crunchy corners) and bags them up for easy enjoyment. With this recipe, you can make a big batch of brownie brittle whenever you want.

Brownie brittle tastes just like your favorite cocoa-based brownie: rich, chocolatey, and bittersweet. Because the two are made with many of the same ingredients, the only difference between bar-style brownies and this brittle is the texture. Traditional baked brownies have either a chewy, cakey, or fudgy texture. These sweet shards, on the other hand, have a crunch that’s on par with a crispy cookie.

• Use egg whites only. Because egg yolks can tenderize and soften the sweet, I use frothed egg whites to give the batter structure and a slight lift. 
• Stick with granulated sugar for sweetening. The molasses in brown sugar adds chewiness to brownies — a quality we want to avoid in this recipe. Instead, I reach for granulated sugar to add sweetness.
• Spread your batter thinly. I call for lining a rimmed baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper before spreading the batter into a very thin layer, which bakes up nice and crispy.
• Cool the brownie brittle completely. The thin, baked brownies will continue to crisp as it cools, so give it about 20 minutes before breaking apart. 

Brownie brittle satisfies my mid-afternoon craving for something sweet and crunchy in a single bite. Besides eating it as a snack, there are many other ways to enjoy the brittle: You can add broken-up bits to the top of an ice cream sundae, crumble it into smaller pieces and use them in the center of a layer cake or trifle, or stir it into a sweet snack mix.