DS Forums

 
 

Tips for a really fudgy brownie


Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old 19-02-2010, 11:14
Iggy's Boy
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 2,943

Made some brownies last night as a trial run for some I'm making for a special occasion. I made them to this recipe:

300g caster sugar
250g butter
250g chocolate (70 per cent cocoa solids)
3 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk
60g flour
60g cocoa powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, vanilla extract

Chop the chocolate into smallish pieces (and chop 50g of it into gravel-sized pieces)
Melt the butter and 200g chocolate in a pan over the lowest heat, stirring now and then.
Beat the eggs until frothy and gradually stir into the chocolate
Stir in a dash of vanilla extract
Add the sugar, stir
Add the sifted flour and cocoa powder and fold in
Finally, stir in the remaining 50g of chocolate gravel
Pour into a 23cm x 23cm dish and bake at 180c for 25-30 minutes


They were very nice but I wonder of anyone has any tipe for making them a bit less 'cakey' and a bit more 'fudgy'. Here's the recipe I used. Do you think leaving out the baking powder would make them a bit more dense and fudgy?

Any of your brownie-making hints and tips greatly appreciated.
Iggy's Boy is offline   Reply With Quote
Please sign in or register to remove this advertisement.
Old 19-02-2010, 12:10
whackyracer
Guest
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 13,792
The best recipe for fudgy brownies i have found is from the hummingbird bakery cook book, they were divine. I couldn't find the exact same one on-line, but found a frosted hummingbird one on the guardian website, you could just leave the frosting off?

Makes about 12 portions.

5 eggs
500g caster sugar
120g plain flour
100g cocoa powder
250g unsalted butter, melted
30g shelled walnuts, chopped
30g dark chocolate, roughly chopped

for the frosting:

200g icing sugar, sifted
75g unsalted butter, at room temperature
30g cocoa powder, sifted
150g cream cheese, cold
a 33cm x 23cm x 5cm baking tray, lined with greaseproof paper
whackyracer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-02-2010, 12:15
Iggy's Boy
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 2,943
Thanks whackyracer, no baking powder in that recipe so maybe that's the way to go...
Iggy's Boy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-02-2010, 12:21
Elanor
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Derbyshire
Posts: 13,041
Made some brownies last night as a trial run for some I'm making for a special occasion. I made them to this recipe:

300g caster sugar
250g butter
250g chocolate (70 per cent cocoa solids)
3 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk
60g flour
60g cocoa powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, vanilla extract

Chop the chocolate into smallish pieces (and chop 50g of it into gravel-sized pieces)
Melt the butter and 200g chocolate in a pan over the lowest heat, stirring now and then.
Beat the eggs until frothy and gradually stir into the chocolate
Stir in a dash of vanilla extract
Add the sugar, stir
Add the sifted flour and cocoa powder and fold in
Finally, stir in the remaining 50g of chocolate gravel
Pour into a 23cm x 23cm dish and bake at 180c for 25-30 minutes


They were very nice but I wonder of anyone has any tipe for making them a bit less 'cakey' and a bit more 'fudgy'. Here's the recipe I used. Do you think leaving out the baking powder would make them a bit more dense and fudgy?

Any of your brownie-making hints and tips greatly appreciated.
Is that Nigel Slater's recipe? Without checking I can't tell, but it looks like it. It's my favourite brownie recipe, and believe me, I've tested a LOT! I don't think changing the ingredients is what you need - the trick is in when you take them out of the oven. If you keep testing with a skewer or toothpick - if it comes out really wet, they need an extra couple of minutes, if it's gooey then they're done (if clean, they're overdone). Take out the tin and allow to cool on a wire rack, and then STICK IT IN THE FRIDGE for a couple of hours (in the tin) and it's this that makes the texture really dense and fudgey, in my experience.
Elanor is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-02-2010, 13:32
Georgemcneil
Inactive Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Scotland
Posts: 2,100
I prefer a giggly Girl Guide!
Georgemcneil is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-02-2010, 13:38
whackyracer
Guest
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 13,792
Thanks whackyracer, no baking powder in that recipe so maybe that's the way to go...
No probs. He does mention in his book that most of the recipes we use over here produce more cake like brownies, whereas a traditional American brownie is more fudge like. Anyway, enjoy!
whackyracer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-02-2010, 13:39
whackyracer
Guest
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 13,792
Thanks whackyracer, no baking powder in that recipe so maybe that's the way to go...
No problem. He does mention in the book that traditional American brownies should be fudgy and most of the recipes we use over here are more cakey...anyway, enjoy!
whackyracer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-02-2010, 20:04
Iggy's Boy
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 2,943
Thanks for all your comments. I have baked a new batch without baking powder and will report back after the event for those remotely interested!
Iggy's Boy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-02-2010, 23:46
twingle
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Glasgow
Posts: 16,266
these are the real deal given to me by an american friend years ago!

All my friends say is best brownies they ever tasted - crispy on top and fudgy in middle

6oz plain cooking choc: 3 eggs: 6oz marg: 12oz soft brown sugar: 1/2 tsp salt ( I never do) 6oz SR flour :3oz raisins

melt choc and marg together
beat eggs and sugar together
add choc and marg, then flour and raisins - mix well till all flour incorporated

pour in greased tin 8in square
bake 350f 35-45mins - cut into 24 bars

Friend told me secret with brownies is not to overbeat eggs and sugar!
twingle is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 20-02-2010, 11:13
cream cookie
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Irvine
Posts: 335
I usually use Sophie Grigson's recipe and my workmates love them! I'm not a brownie fan, but I'll happily make them for other people to enjoy.

That recipe uses light muscovado sugar and caster sugar, which is added to the melted chocolate and butter - stir in 2 eggs, one at a time, then add the flour (and nuts, if using).

I think the secret to a fudgy brownie is not to overmix - you should still see some traces of flour through the mixture. And don't overcook it - the top should look set and cake-like, but if you insert a skewer/toothpick it should have some cake mixture on it.

Would you like the recipe?
cream cookie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 20-02-2010, 12:05
Iggy's Boy
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 2,943
[quote=

Would you like the recipe?[/QUOTE]

Yes please. By the way, the recipe that I used is a hybrid of Nigel Slater's and Nigella Lawson's - basically Nigel's ingredients and amounts and Nigella's method.

My tweaked recipe replaces 30g of dark chocolate with Green & Black's 35% cocoa solid milk chocolate to create a slightly less intense, bitter flavour and I took them out of the oven bang on 25 minutes rather than 30 and they were much better.
Iggy's Boy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 20-02-2010, 13:27
Welsh-lad
Inactive Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Mid Wales / Canolbarth Cymru
Posts: 37,555
The best way of making anything more 'squidgy' is to undercook it.

I always slightly undercook chocolate cake, so the middle is nice and moist.
Welsh-lad is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 20-02-2010, 20:57
cream cookie
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Irvine
Posts: 335
110g plain chocolate
110g unsalted butter
125g caster sugar
175g light muscovado sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
150g plain flour
a pinch of salt
75g chopped pecan nuts

1. Preheat the oven to 170C.
2. Line the base of a 20cm (8in) square shallow baking tin.
3. Break the chocolate into squares and place this with the butter into a heat-proof bowl and melt over a pan of barely simmering water.
4. Once melted, stir in the 2 sugars and the vanilla extract.
5. Beat the eggs, one at a time, and gently add them to the mixture until just incorporated.
6. Mix in the flour, salt and nuts - don't overmix - you should still see traces of flour through the mixture.
7. Put the batter in the tin and bake in the centre of the oven for 30-40 minutes, until set, but not solid. Allow to cool completely in the tin, then cut into squares.

Enjoy! I'm told re-heated with ice cream is particularly good!
cream cookie is offline   Reply With Quote
 
Reply




 
Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 17:26.