Ka Gaming Recipe

Prepare dry ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour (2 cups), granulated sugar (3/4 cup), baking powder (2 tsp), salt (1/2 tsp), and cocoa powder (1/4 cup) until evenly combined and free of lumps.

Combine wet ingredients

In a separate medium bowl, whisk the whole milk (1 cup) with the eggs (2), melted unsalted butter (1/4 cup), and vanilla extract (1 tsp) until smooth and slightly frothy. If using instant espresso powder, dissolve it into the warm milk before combining with eggs.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet mixture in. Stir gently with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined — batter should be thick and slightly lumpy. Do not overmix to avoid tough baked texture.

Fold in add-ins

Fold in the semisweet chocolate chips (1/2 cup) and finely chopped nuts (1/4 cup) if using, until evenly distributed. Reserve a small handful of chips to sprinkle on top before baking if desired.

Prepare pan and bake

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease an 8x8-inch square baking pan or line it with parchment. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Sprinkle the reserved chocolate chips on top. Bake in the center of the oven for 22–28 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs (avoid cake-like crumb for fudgier result).

Remove from oven and let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Dust lightly with confectioners' sugar (1 tbsp) before cutting into squares.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Top individual squares with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream if desired. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days.