Palmer House Brownies al Brachetto

The brownie is America's contribution to the dessert canon, and it was born in Chicago. Not in a home kitchen, not in a bakery — but in the grand Palmer House Hotel, one of the most luxurious hotels in America, during the preparations for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. The story is one of the best origin tales in American food history.

In 1893, Bertha Honoré Palmer — the socialite wife of Potter Palmer, owner of the Palmer House Hotel — was hosting events at the World's Fair. She tasked the hotel's pastry chef, Joseph Sehl, with creating a dessert that was suitable for ladies attending the fair — something smaller than a cake, easier to eat than a pie, and portable enough to be packed in boxed lunches. The chef came up with a dense, fudgy, chocolate confection topped with walnuts and an apricot glaze — the first brownie. The Palmer House Hotel still serves this original recipe today, more than 130 years later, and it remains one of the most famous hotel desserts in America.

What sets the Palmer House brownie apart from modern brownies is its texture. It's not cakey — it's dense, almost like a truffle or a fudge, with a glossy chocolate glaze and a layer of walnuts pressed into the top. The original recipe calls for melted chocolate (not cocoa powder), butter, sugar, eggs, and a small amount of flour — making it closer to a flourless chocolate cake than to a modern cakey brownie. The apricot glaze on top is the secret touch that most people don't expect — it adds a tangy fruitiness that cuts through the intense chocolate.

Our Mimosavated version replaces the traditional apricot glaze with a Brachetto d'Acqui chocolate glaze. Brachetto — a sweet, lightly sparkling red wine from Piedmont with intense strawberry and rose aromas — has a natural affinity for dark chocolate. The Brachetto glaze adds a subtle berry-wine note that complements the dense chocolate and toasted walnuts.

Ingredients (makes 16 brownies):

The Brownies: - 8 ⅞ oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped - 7 oz unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing - 10.6 oz granulated sugar - 4 large eggs - 4 ¼ oz all-purpose flour - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract - A pinch of salt - 5 ¼ oz walnuts, roughly chopped

The Brachetto Chocolate Glaze: - 3 ½ oz dark chocolate (60% cocoa), chopped - 3 ⅓ tbsp Brachetto d'Acqui - 2 ⅔ tbsp heavy cream - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter - 1 ¾ oz walnuts, toasted and chopped (for the top)

Making the Brownies: Preheat the oven to 347°F (350°F). Line a 9 in (9-inch) square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang for easy removal.

Melt the unsweetened chocolate and butter together in a heatproof bowl over simmering water. Stir until smooth. Remove from heat and whisk in the sugar. Let cool slightly.

Whisk in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla and salt. Fold in the flour just until combined — don't overmix. Fold in the chopped walnuts.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Scatter the extra walnuts across the top, pressing them lightly into the batter. Bake for 30–35 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs — not wet batter, but not clean either. The Palmer House brownie should be dense and fudgy, not cakey.

Making the Brachetto Glaze: While the brownies cool, heat the cream until just below boiling. Place the chopped dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl and pour the hot cream over it. Let sit for 1 minute, then stir until smooth. Stir in the Brachetto and butter until glossy.

Pour the glaze over the warm brownies, spreading evenly to the edges. Let set for about 1 hour at room temperature, or 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

Serving: Lift the brownies out of the pan using the parchment overhang. Cut into 16 squares with a hot, clean knife — wipe between cuts for pristine edges. Serve at room temperature.

The Mimosa Pairing Logic: Since the glaze contains Brachetto, pair with a raspberry rose champagne mimosa — the raspberry and rose notes echo the Brachetto and complement the dark chocolate. A strawberry mimosa is also excellent — strawberry and chocolate is one of the great pairings. Avoid dry or bitter mimosas — the brownies are dense and bittersweet, and you need a mimosa with a touch of sweetness and fruit to balance them.

Reference Links: - Palmer House Brownie history (Bertha Palmer, 1893): Palmer House Hilton - The Palmer House Brownie recipe: Historic Hotels of America - Who invented brownies (Bertha Palmer, 1893 World's Fair): Dellomano - Palmer House Hotel history: Hilton - Brachetto d'Acqui wine guide: Wine Folly

Make-Ahead: The brownies can be made up to 5 days ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. They actually improve after a day — the flavors deepen and the texture becomes more fudgy. The glaze can be made a day ahead and gently reheated. The brownies can also be frozen for up to 2 months — thaw at room temperature.

Pro Tips: Use unsweetened chocolate, not cocoa powder — the Palmer House recipe is built on melted chocolate, which gives the brownies their dense, fudgy texture. Don't overbake — the brownies should be dense and moist, not cakey. The walnuts on top should be pressed into the batter before baking, not just scattered — this is what the Palmer House does. Don't skip the glaze — it's what makes these Palmer House brownies rather than ordinary brownies. Cut with a hot knife for clean edges — dip the knife in hot water and wipe between each cut. These brownies are meant to be dense and fudgy; if yours are cakey, you've added too much flour or overbaked them.