Banana Crunch Beer Brownies

Makes 24 small brownies

While he’d made cakes using Guinness, adding beer to brownies was new to Irvin Lin. Once he tried it, he fell for the combination and came up with this recipe, which he calls a brownie version of chocolate banana bread on steroids. It’s from his new book, “Marbled, Swirled and Layered.”

Banana crunch mix-in:

1⁄2 cup nonfat dry milk powder 2⁄3 cup lightly crushed cornflakes 1⁄3 cup flour 2 tablespoons cornstarch 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 3⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt 1⁄4 cup (1⁄2 stick) unsalted butter, melted 1 1 ⁄2 cups freeze-dried bananas (see note) 3 ounces white chocolate

Brownie batter:

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped into 1⁄4-inch chunks (divided)

1 ⁄2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter 1⁄4 cup natural cocoa powder 1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt 1⁄2 cup Guinness beer or other dry stout 3 large eggs 1 medium banana, mashed 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup packed dark brown sugar 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 cup flour

Chocolate-beer ganache:

6 ounces semisweet chocolate 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1⁄4 cup heavy (whipping) cream 1⁄4 cup Guinness beer or other dry stout 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt

Make the banana crunch mix-in: Preheat oven to 250 degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat.

In a medium bowl, combine powdered milk, cornflakes, flour, cornstarch, sugar and salt and stir vigorously with a whisk until ingredients are evenly distributed. Drizzle melted butter over dry ingredients and toss until clumps start to form.

Pour onto lined baking sheet and spread into an even layer. Bake in preheated oven 10 minutes. Stir the crunch with a spatula, making sure the darker outer clumps get mixed with the inner clumps, and then bake about 10 minutes more. Break up any big chunks and let cool completely on the baking sheet.

While the crunch is baking, put the freeze-dried bananas in a food processor and pulse until they are reduced to a powder. Chop the white chocolate into small chunks and place them in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave 30 seconds, then stop and stir. Cook another 15 to 30 seconds, then stir until melted and smooth, letting the residual heat from the bowl finish the melting. If there are any stubborn big pieces, microwave in 10-second intervals and stir until completely melted and smooth. Be careful of overheating, though, as white chocolate has a tendency to scorch easily.

Once the crunch has cooled, pour it into a bowl and add the banana powder. Drizzle the white chocolate over the bowl and toss until the crunch absorbs the white chocolate and banana powder. Refrigerate.

Meanwhile, make the brownie batter: Increase oven temperature to 350 degrees. Coat a 13-by-9-inch baking pan with vegetable oil spray and then line bottom and sides with parchment paper, with 2 inches of paper overhanging the edge on two sides.

Place 4 ounces of the chopped chocolate in a large heatproof mixing bowl. Place the butter in a medium skillet and turn heat to medium-high. Cook butter, stirring constantly, until it has completely melted and the solid butterfat starts to brown. Turn heat off and continue to stir until heat browns all the butterfat and it smells fragrant and nutty. It should be bordering on reddish brown.

Immediately pour the hot butter into the bowl with the chopped chocolate, making sure to scrape out all the brown bits in the pan. Stir chocolate until it melts. Add cocoa and salt and stir until cocoa has been absorbed. Add beer and stir to incorporate.

In bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the eggs, banana, both sugars, baking powder and vanilla. Beat ingredients together on medium speed until they are combined and thick, about 30 seconds. Add chocolate-beer mixture and mix on medium-low speed until incorporated. Add flour and beat on medium speed until absorbed into the batter, about 15 seconds.

Remove bowl from mixer, add remaining 4 ounces chocolate and half the banana crunch mix-in, and fold them in using a large spatula.

Pour batter into lined baking pan and spread evenly. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

Make the chocolate-beer ganache: Chop chocolate into 1⁄4-inch chunks. Place chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave 30 seconds. Stir and then cook another 1 minute, stopping after 30 seconds to stir again. Stir until completely smooth. If there are any stubborn big pieces, microwave in 15-second intervals and stir until completely melted and smooth.

Add cream and beer to warm chocolate and stir until incorporated. Spread ganache over the cooled brownies and sprinkle the reserved banana crunch mix-in and the sea salt over the ganache. Let cool completely before cutting and serving.